lordsigma12345 wrote:That document also seems to indicate that the schedule will be made for the services to complement rather than compete with each other to maximize the amount of service along the line. Given how much this program is going to rely on the Amtrak service, in order for them to really make this program successful as a commuter service they should somehow negotiate a deal to integrate the services somewhat so that long term rail passes for CTrail would also work on the NHV-SPG Amtrak rail service to maximize the times available for commuters while maintaining separate ticketing for single rides on each service. Not sure if such an arrangement would be possible, but given the way this corridor is going to be structured it seems like the right move.
Is CTrail going to run on weekends? Because I cannot imagine Amtrak would be happy about that.
Although my home station is NY Penn, I actually started my trip to Orlando from Hartford because I attended a concert the day before, coming up from NYP. (And I was originally booked on the rail shuttle on that Saturday before it was bus-stituted.) That southbound shuttle train, #401 on Sunday, was the first time I ever saw a 1-car train. There were some passengers before Hartford but more came from that station. The trip was slow due to single-tracking operations. The shuttle was late coming into New Haven and we had to do a painful non-cross-platform transfer which I'm sure confused a party of two who were traveling to the South due to personnel not initially guiding them to the correct platform.
I also noted an incident where a passenger from Hartford wanted to ride to New Haven using some sort of pass. The conductor told him passes would not be accepted until next year and he was to be let go at the following stop if he didn't want to pay the Amtrak fare. (This should not be read as Amtrak will accept those passes; I'm just recounting what I heard.) He got off at that stop.
I make no claims on the typical ridership of this route, but this is not a positive sign. Competing bus service is also a consideration. I don't say a one-car train should not be run, but I surmise Amtrak would rather look for better opportunities for its fleet.
bratkinson wrote:I'm stunned to read that Amtrak will continue to stop at Berlin, Meriden and Wallingford for all their trains. I understand the merits of the through trains such as 141/55/56/148 stopping at those stations, but shuttles too? I can only guess there is sufficient (expected) traffic on the shuttles connecting to Amtrak NEC trains to warrant the extra stops. Maybe they're expecting ridership miracles once the shuttle replacement buses are forever banished.
I am not sure that my train even made a stop at Wallingford. (Obviously the conductor had to make sure no one was boarding or detraining to make that decision.) The train was late anyway.