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  • AMTRAK NEC: Springfield Shuttle/Regional/Valley Flyer/Inland Routing

  • Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.
Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.

Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, mtuandrew, Tadman

 #1486401  by lordsigma12345
 
east point wrote:Although I-etms is the national it would appear not needed north of Springfield. Pan Am does not seem to use foreign locos on that segment ? ACSES ground equipment is easier to install an program and Amtrak locos already have that equipment.
Although Pan Am can demand I-ETMS on that segment per the agreement. I could see them push the issue simply if it would gain them additional locomotives equipped for I-ETMS for free.
 #1486731  by lordsigma12345
 
asull85 wrote:
lordsigma12345 wrote:Service disruption on northbound Vermonter tonight - anyone know what the deal is?
Fight with a tree. The tree won.
It appears they then had equipment problems on the southbound on Saturday. I saw it come into SPG nearly 3 hours late and the normal Vermonter train had a Shuttle trainset coupled behind it. The Shuttle trainset must have been sent up to rescue at some point. I then had a treat on my way home to SPG that evening from HFD on northbound 146 when the Shuttle trainset dead headed back to Springfield on the front of 146 with the cab car leading the long train.
 #1487235  by Traingeek3629
 
I assume that the trains extended to Greenfield will have an extra car on them for the extra ridership?

Actually, let me rephrase that: All Amtrak trains along the line need an extra coach on them. The busiest trains of the day for commuters going to New Haven (or Hartford, for points along the northern part of the line) are both 2-car Amfleet shuttles, not 4 car MBBs. Not only that, but the Amtrak trains have higher ridership anyway, since they have been around and used by commuters for years and are faster and more comfortable than the CTrail trains. More people already use the Shuttles, and there will be another boost of ridership when you have more people riding from the busy towns of Northampton and Amherst.
 #1487243  by Train60
 
Traingeek3629 wrote:I assume that the trains extended to Greenfield will have an extra car on them for the extra ridership?

Actually, let me rephrase that: All Amtrak trains along the line need an extra coach on them. The busiest trains of the day for commuters going to New Haven (or Hartford, for points along the northern part of the line) are both 2-car Amfleet shuttles, not 4 car MBBs. Not only that, but the Amtrak trains have higher ridership anyway, since they have been around and used by commuters for years and are faster and more comfortable than the CTrail trains. More people already use the Shuttles, and there will be another boost of ridership when you have more people riding from the busy towns of Northampton and Amherst.
I wouldn't assume anything. CTDOT officials said about a year before the Hartford Line service started that the Shuttles would be expanded to four cars when the HL launched. This didn't happen. Reasons that I've heard are cost, and apparent lack of spare Amfleet I coaches. Thanksgiving week will be a good test -- when significant numbers of students appear with CTrail tickets in-hand looking to step on any old train on the HL line.
Last edited by Train60 on Sun Sep 30, 2018 8:32 pm, edited 2 times in total.
 #1487274  by njtmnrrbuff
 
I’m not sure if all of the 400 series trains would become Inland Route shuttles. If that happens, you probably might as well just have them continue on to NYP and even points south of there. I could maybe see a few inland route trains. Cities along the SPG Line as well as Worcester and Framingham would benefit from getting their Inland Service restored.
 #1487326  by The EGE
 
Train60 wrote: CTDOT officials said about a year before the Hartford Line service started that the Shuttles would be expanded to four cars when the HL launched. This didn't happen. Reasons that I've heard are cost, and apparent lack of spare Amfleet I coaches.
The Midwest/California bilevel order was supposed to free up a number of Amfleets; I suspect the delays in that are a major reason.
 #1487332  by benboston
 
I think that because of the fact that the Northeast Corridor has a similar population density as the Netherlands, one the most densely populated countries, they should receive some of the similar level of rail service. The Netherlands has a lot of very frequent rail service on many routes, and I think that that this model should be used throughout the northeast corridor with routes spurring off of the main corridor. I'm thinking a system similar to the Sprinter. I'm working on a map of possible routes. https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit? ... 731153&z=6
 #1487339  by lordsigma12345
 
I think they are, at least, now operating always with two car Shuttles. Prior to HL launch you would occasionally see a single car consist on the line. Interestingly I drove by Springfield station today and I saw a consist with two Amfleets and a Genesis locomotive on each end....not sure what the deal with that was. I could not tell if one of the coaches was a metroliner cab car - perhaps the cab car malfunctioned and they needed a quick fix to get that trainset in service?

I think the current course of action at CTDOT, while they are still figuring out what to do long term for rolling stock on the line, is going to be to just run with the two car Shuttles and when they have a surge of demand, use a Shore Line East trainset instead of the normal Amfleet trainset like Amtrak did during opening weekend of the HL. Only problem with this course of action is you're potentially pissing off Amtrak ticket holders as you are "downgrading" the onboard experience - when I rode on opening weekend there was an Amtrak rider aboard who was not happy that they had switched his Shuttle over to commuter rail rolling stock without any sort of notification. I guess its one of the complications of CTDOT relying on two service providers to operate this service. Although another question....is there enough SLE rolling stock to spare a trainset once and a while once SLE resumes a full train schedule? This line has a complicated operating situation but in the end it probably still makes sense...Amtrak wants to run its intercity business, CTDOT wants to run its commuter rail....there really isn't enough ridership on this corridor to justify a completely separate set of trains for both...just have to figure out the best way to go forward on rolling stock....Perhaps CTDOT will purchase new rolling stock to replace both the CTrail and Amtrak rolling stock used on the line..

Should be noted that I rode during the first two Saturdays of the Big E and train 467 had a pretty decent amount of riders boarding at Springfield both days....hopefully enough to justify the King Ward shuttle service they ran.. This line has potential...its all about advertising and trying to draw riders to check out the line during big events like the Big E.... Amtrak never really got any kind of boost from that but with the lower fares and some advertising and running the shuttle bus they drew people. Another thing they should look at is a concert night stop at the XFinity Theater.. Traffic can be atrocious getting out of that venue - they would definitely attract people if properly advertised. The CSO freight yard there would make such an arrangement complicated but if there's any possible way to do it I think it could be a great addition and would potentially get some drunk people (and inebriated in other ways) off the road on those concert nights.....the line goes literally right by the arena....
 #1487345  by Backshophoss
 
If Amtrak and ConnDOT can settle the argument on the M-8 ACSES gear and start running the M-8's on SLE service,that would allow the current
SLE equipment on the NH-Springfield service. Also need to get the ConnDOT P40's cycled to/from Beech Grove for rebuilding,
the ex-NJT units and 1 of the quick patch units are at Beech Grove now. The rest of the "Honorary Alcos" need to go thru rebuilding
Siemens has stated on the new car order for CaDOT,with the Midwest multi-state car order to follow,after the Nippon-Sharyo Crush test failure
put the delivery dates way later then planned.
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