nomis wrote:Consider 3 trains per hour per stub ended track, for commuter style operations ...Amtrak probably dwells longer before boarding than commuter rail does, but they depart quick to Southampton after alighting to restock food service, change crews, empty the toilets before nearly every run so it's really 2 separate platform dwells for a NE Regional or Acela per every turnaround vs. 1 for a majority of peak-hour commuter rail trains that change ends on the platform. I used to work in Channel Ctr. across the water from SS and had a railfan's dream overlook at the Southampton leads right behind my 6th floor cubicle. The number of Amtrak non-revenue moves all day long is astounding. Back and forth, back and forth...or a back AND a forth passing each other at the same time. I almost never noticed the Old Colony trains they were so much rarer compared to the neverending Amtrak conveyor belt.
Amtrak operations may be sitting in the station longer, or have a longer overall dwell in BOS before going / after leaving SHSY.
Railroad Forums
South Station Commuter Requirements
- Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.
F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:Not necessarily...for example right off the bat, AMTK's 172 & 86 for example, both sit in South Station, sometimes up to an hour, before they are moved over to SHSY to be wyed around the Loop. AMTK #2160 though, arriving right after 86 if she is on time, is turned ASAP, either to be looped or straight to the Big Yard. Each train has a priority depending on yard crew availability and station time slots, and as mentioned the cafe car and how it is unloaded. When stuff goes as planned, #86 is unloaded, cafe emptied, and yet she still sits on track 10 for an hour.nomis wrote:Consider 3 trains per hour per stub ended track, for commuter style operations ...Amtrak probably dwells longer before boarding than commuter rail does, but they depart quick to Southampton after alighting to restock food service, change crews, empty the toilets before nearly every run so it's really 2 separate platform dwells for a NE Regional or Acela per every turnaround vs. 1 for a majority of peak-hour commuter rail trains that change ends on the platform. I used to work in Channel Ctr. across the water from SS and had a railfan's dream overlook at the Southampton leads right behind my 6th floor cubicle. The number of Amtrak non-revenue moves all day long is astounding. Back and forth, back and forth...or a back AND a forth passing each other at the same time. I almost never noticed the Old Colony trains they were so much rarer compared to the neverending Amtrak conveyor belt.
Amtrak operations may be sitting in the station longer, or have a longer overall dwell in BOS before going / after leaving SHSY.
A few comments back, it was mentioned that Attleboro and Mansfield could not fit certain sets, which is incorrect. In Attleboro, both, Track 3 & 4 could fit 10 car sets easy (Trk 4 could take a double draft if needed). As for Mansfield, the inbound side could fit 8 cars, which is tight, with the head end hanging off the edge of the platfrom. The outbound side could also easily fit a 10 car set. Look, people, we all need to take a step back and be realistic. IIRC, F-Line wrote this; and it is correct, in the sense that 800' platforms are amazing, good move by the T. But the T will NEVER run 10 car sets. Look at how the system is run today, 75 **NEW** cough cough, bi-level cars replacing the terrible 500 series cars, and MAYBE in 3 years, we'll see a new **unknown #'d order** of bi level cars to replace the existing single level cars, which in turn those getting retired. It is going to take quite some time to see a possible 10 car bi-level set floating around our system routinely