by Jtgshu
I love the 47mph speed statistic that is so often thrown out there....yes, padding has added to the time, but the times the trains actually arrive in Trenton is much different (so long as not waiting for an Amtrak or other NJT train to clear up)
First off, NJT and Amtrak make the schedules together. With more folks riding the local trains than ever before, even in the MP54 days, and more trains being run than ever before, dwell times are longer. With more trains being run, with dealing with the disaster that is the NEC signaling, trains get slowed down because they are catching other trains signals. With the amount of track work and maintenance and improvements going on on the NEC, there are delays, especially during off peak hours, due to track work, single tracking or running on the inner tracks requiring low level platforming, etc. It would be great if they could shut the whole thing down for a month and rebuild the whole thing in one shot, but its not going to happen.
there is very rare when a train can simply make it from Trenton to NY without some kind of delay encountered along the way.
Yes push pull is better suited for the NEC. Tell me how using a rapidly accelerating and braking train (an MU) would be good on an express train that runs express for 38 miles from Newark to Princeton Junction? Also, currently with the MUs limited to 80mph, the slower acceleration of the push pull sets gets made up in the higher speed stretches where the trains can stretch their legs. And again, for like the millionth time, the push pull sets (not the 10 car sets obviously) are NOT that much slower than the MUs. Its not like we are talking about the ALP44s anymore. NJT does need to overhaul some of their schedules soon and shorten up some of the travel time inbetween stations because it doesn't have to be timed for a '44 and 10 comets anymore, but thats another topic. The push pull sets are no slouches. But also remember that there is some time added inbetween stations to minimize delays later on. Why run balls to the wall from Trenton To Linden, only to have to sit at Elmora for 10 minutes? Add a minute or two here, there, and it only becomes a minor delay at Elmora for a scheduled overtake.
Better yet, we could run 4 car ALP46A sets all during rush hour. Get down to Trenton in like 45 minutes. 66 percent of the passengers wouldn't be able to ride, but by golly, we got that average speed WAAAYYYY down!!!
First off, NJT and Amtrak make the schedules together. With more folks riding the local trains than ever before, even in the MP54 days, and more trains being run than ever before, dwell times are longer. With more trains being run, with dealing with the disaster that is the NEC signaling, trains get slowed down because they are catching other trains signals. With the amount of track work and maintenance and improvements going on on the NEC, there are delays, especially during off peak hours, due to track work, single tracking or running on the inner tracks requiring low level platforming, etc. It would be great if they could shut the whole thing down for a month and rebuild the whole thing in one shot, but its not going to happen.
there is very rare when a train can simply make it from Trenton to NY without some kind of delay encountered along the way.
Yes push pull is better suited for the NEC. Tell me how using a rapidly accelerating and braking train (an MU) would be good on an express train that runs express for 38 miles from Newark to Princeton Junction? Also, currently with the MUs limited to 80mph, the slower acceleration of the push pull sets gets made up in the higher speed stretches where the trains can stretch their legs. And again, for like the millionth time, the push pull sets (not the 10 car sets obviously) are NOT that much slower than the MUs. Its not like we are talking about the ALP44s anymore. NJT does need to overhaul some of their schedules soon and shorten up some of the travel time inbetween stations because it doesn't have to be timed for a '44 and 10 comets anymore, but thats another topic. The push pull sets are no slouches. But also remember that there is some time added inbetween stations to minimize delays later on. Why run balls to the wall from Trenton To Linden, only to have to sit at Elmora for 10 minutes? Add a minute or two here, there, and it only becomes a minor delay at Elmora for a scheduled overtake.
Better yet, we could run 4 car ALP46A sets all during rush hour. Get down to Trenton in like 45 minutes. 66 percent of the passengers wouldn't be able to ride, but by golly, we got that average speed WAAAYYYY down!!!
On the RR, "believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see"
John, aka "JTGSHU" passed away on August 26, 2013. We honor his memory and his devotion to railroading at railroad.net.
John, aka "JTGSHU" passed away on August 26, 2013. We honor his memory and his devotion to railroading at railroad.net.