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Send out a robotic hi-rail ahead of each train to look for blockage (and zap them out of the way with giant LASER beams)

Just put in a slide detector fence at that location,then call it even.
Or G&W doesn't want to pay for signal maintainers.

We all agree that the solution is to put up slide fences and remove the slow orders. What would this cost, and why isn't Amtrak asking Vermont locate the funding?

asull85 wrote:Amtrak is self insured.

Richard Anderson talked about Amtrak's insurance when he met with a House committee in February. Amtrak carries general indemnity insurance with a $20 million deductible. Further exciting insurance details on this YouTube link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shGJhjX ... t=1h47m15s

Some more details have been announced on the Hartford Line commuter rail this week - unlike the rest of the trains between Springfield and New Haven, the Vermonter will not be part of the new commuter service and will continue to only accept its own tickets. In related news the Vermonter will be bused both ways between New Haven and St. Albans this Saturday (April 7th) due to a shutdown of the Amtrak Springfield Line for some final track work in preparation for the Hartford Line. The buses will not stop at Claremont Junction NH, Windsor VT, or Randolph VT.

Kilo Echo wrote:

lordsigma12345 wrote:Has anyone heard when they will be starting platform construction at Springfield, MA? I keep hearing Spring is when the work is going to be done but nothing definitive. I did hear recently that Amtrak will have some contractors on site to fit out their new space in the Union Station intermodal center in the next couple months. Not sure if that means they are planning to move in sooner rather than later. Originally before the new station opened I had heard that Amtrak's date of moving into Union Station was tied to the completion of the platform as they didn't want passengers to have to backtrack.

Alas, encumbrances abound. In addition to the unresolved six-inch ADA deficiency, the canopy design doesn't appear to jibe with the historical commission's vision. Will we ever see a new Platform C?

Finally some movement on this. Bid documents:
https://www.commbuys.com/bso/external/b ... entUrl=bid" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Work on the ground power starts next Monday. A conductor flag job was put up for bid to protect the contractors from themselves.

In Springfield... Observed Pan Am forces working on Track 11 (aka the wye track) that leads from the Conn River Main Line to the CSX Trk 1 this week. One can only hope that they're finally going to install the "new" switch panel for this track. Its been been sitting in the weeds nearby, north of the CRML, for the past four (yes, four) years.

Anyone have any ideas when the're going to lift the 20 mph passenger speed on the first 2.41 miles of the CRML north of the diamond? The main line here looks to be in great shape now.

asull85 wrote:Work on the ground power starts next Monday. A conductor flag job was put up for bid to protect the contractors from themselves.

Wayside power project is schedule to be completed in August.

Interestingly, MassDOT has scheduled the Platform C project for completion by October 31st, this year. At least one contractor asked that it be rescheduled for an 18 month timeline. I for one would not bet on October 31st. Sorry.

Train60 wrote:In Springfield... Observed Pan Am forces working on Track 11 (aka the wye track) that leads from the Conn River Main Line to the CSX Trk 1 this week. One can only hope that they're finally going to install the "new" switch panel for this track. Its been been sitting in the weeds nearby, north of the CRML, for the past four (yes, four) years.

Anyone have any ideas when the're going to lift the 20 mph passenger speed on the first 2.41 miles of the CRML north of the diamond? The main line here looks to be in great shape now.

The "new" switch was still sitting in the brush last night. Track 11 didn't even look touched. As far as the 20 goes, the plan is to raise it to 50 at some point. Some tests have been run but I don't know what their timeline is.

Train60 wrote:

asull85 wrote:Work on the ground power starts next Monday. A conductor flag job was put up for bid to protect the contractors from themselves.

Wayside power project is schedule to be completed in August.

Interestingly, MassDOT has scheduled the Platform C project for completion by October 31st, this year. At least one contractor asked that it be rescheduled for an 18 month timeline. I for one would not bet on October 31st. Sorry.

I would agree October 31st is overly optimistic. The project has too many variables and involves work that needs to be completed by both Amtrak and CSX in addition to the platform contractor and they aren't really able to shut down the tracks around the platform for long periods of time because they need the tracks to store the trains overnight especially on Friday and Saturday nights when they have two 7 car regional trains sitting overnight along with a Shuttle or two. They should set a more realistic time line. There are also some unknowns that the contractor is going to have to deal with particular what they find below when they demolish the old platform C. Additional work may be needed to shore up below the platform.

This isn't going to get any better with the opening of the Hartford Line.

It's unfortunate they are going to be starting this project just as the traffic at the station increases for the Hartford Line. In the end I'm glad its moving forward, but I think an 18 month timeline, as suggested by the potential contractor, is probably more realistic. I think only Amtrak trains are planning to be stored overnight at Springfield, the CTrail trains will all layover in New Haven - the first southbound CTrail departure from Springfield isn't until after the first northbound train arrives. Lack of space I think is one of the reasons that more CTrail trains are not serving Springfield. Eventually I believe they need to build a Springfield layover facility to store trains overnight in order to expand service further.

https://vermontbiz.com/news/2018/may/01 ... n-question" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

With cautious and sometimes unwelcome statements coming from Amtrak, the possible suspension of the passenger rail provider's two Vermont trains at year's end continues to worry advocates intent on preserving the trains: The New York-to-Rutland "Ethan Allen Express" and the Washington, DC-to-St Albans "Vermonter." Parties to the discussions are, however, expressing optimism that service will remain intact.

The latest developments come in the wake of a February announcement by Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson that the company would "most likely" suspend the services, and a subsequent attempt by Bill Hollister, Amtrak's senior manager of government affairs for state-supported services in the Northeast, to walk back Anderson's ominous language.
...
The outlook is complicated by news that a segment of the Vermonter's route in Massachusetts may not meet administrative requirements that would reassure Amtrak of its safety.

Absent that route segment, the train would likely only reach as far north as Springfield, Mass. At issue are 49 miles of track. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation purchased the line, between Springfield and East Northfield, from Pan Am Railways in 2014 to reroute the Vermonter through more populous towns (eg, service switched from Amherst to Northampton).

The realignment proved successful in boosting ridership, but evidently neither Pan Am nor MassDOT considered the need to provide the Federal Railroad Administration with a required plan for installing a safety system known as positive train control, or PTC, on the segment. That process would likely have generated an exemption from the need to install PTC, since the line sees little traffic.
...

I find it hard to believe that Amtrak would shut down busy routes over a paperwork issue during an election year.

If Anderson goes through with this he's one of the biggest idiots in Washington. And that takes some doing.