2014 Autumn Excursion

Here is the story. Get them while they last.

http://www.amtrak.com/fall-foliage-aboa ... mn-express" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Noel Weaver

Thanks for the link, Noel!

Time-wise, Amtrak is really cutting it close...only five weeks between now and the big weekend. This is different from the long run of pre-trip publicity that the 2013 excursions enjoyed. I sincerely hope they can sell enough tickets this month to sell-out both trains.

One thing that's not 100% clear to me is whether the trip is going to be a round trip both ways on the Reading, or a circle trip also involving the PRR Main Line. I very much want this to be out-and-back along the RDG Main Line and Lebanon Valley Branch both ways. Regardless, I think it's wonderful that some of the late, great Reading Company's most important routes are going to host these excursions.

I've re-read the verbiage at the link and it's still not as clear as I'd like. The train is definitely returning to Philly via Hershey and Reading, but it's very non-committal about whether it will travel outbound in the morning upon those same ex-Reading routes, too. There's still time for Amtrak to tighten-up the trip description text seen at that webpage, but they'd best hurry so prospective customers can plan accordingly. I have a nontrivial interest in the subject (see .sig).

An announcement (with some backstory) about this year's excursion is now cross-posted on the Reading Company forum.

The announcement does say that the trip will start with the High Line (West Philadelphia Elevated RR), and that only connects with the Junction Rwy. and the Reading's Old Main Line. There are multiple routings available through Reading, Pa.

No press release that I can find, but this is listed among the "deals" on the Amtrak web page.

The 2014 Autumn Express is Here
Saturday and Sunday, November 8 and 9, 2014
Tickets go on sale Thursday, October 9 at 10:00 am ET, and are sure to go fast.
Reserve your seats quickly.
Due to popular demand, the Autumn Express is back. Come along for a historic train ride, departing from and returning to Philadelphia 30th Street Station on Saturday and Sunday, November 8 and 9, 2014. Travel through small towns, historic tunnels, see key landmarks and experience rare mileage along a route that hasn't seen regular passenger service in decades.
$129 per Adult. Many Benefits.
See fall scenery on a rare trip beginning with the Philadelphia Highline above and across the Penn Coach Yards and mainline. Travel along the Schuykill River and through the countryside that only freight trains travel now. You'll pass through the Flat Rock Tunnel, constructed in 1836 - 1840 (one of the oldest in the country) and the Black Rock Tunnel, constructed in 1838, the third oldest tunnel still in use in this country. After a brief stop in Harrisburg, PA, the Autumn Express will take you back to Philadelphia via Hershey and Reading, PA, while travelling through scenic Montgomery, Chester, Berks, Lebanon and Dauphin Counties.

Wow, thanks for posting! Looks like an entirely new route this year.

This is excellent news; last year's trip was quite nice. As I recall, the $129 price is an increase of $40 from last year, when they had huge demand, so I suspect that while people may grumble about it, they're not going to have trouble selling tickets. I only got on last year after someone cancelled a few days in advance and I managed to get a ticket on the Sunday train.

A bit less varied than the NEC-Port Road-Enola-Royalton-Columbia-Keystone (CORK to 30th) route from last year but pretty much all freight-only mileage unless they use the Keystone line one of the directions from Harrisburg. I guess they'd have to back out of 30th Street down the NEC to PHIL interlocking to access the high line from 30th Street.

Jim, thanks for the clarification regarding the only point where the High Line now leads to northward. That alone should make it certain that except for a few miles beyond Philadelphia's 30th Street Station and in the Harrisburg Amtrak station area, this will otherwise be a full roundtrip over the Reading. (Corrections welcome!)

As for the City of Reading area itself, you're absolutely right; there are multiple ways by rail through and around that city when approaching from the southeast via the ex-RDG Main Line. An almost annoying multiplicity of choices, I think [-chuckle-]...Lord only knows which of the three ways will be used by the Autumn Express:

• Straight in on the former main past CP-Titus (RDG's Klapperthal Junction) and Franklin St. Station, thence to CP-Center (where the Outer Station once stood) and to Harrisburg via the Lebanon Valley Branch, or
  
  Diverge to the Belt Line's eastern/southern end at Titus, joining the Leb. Val. Br. at CP-Wyomissing Jct (RDG's Valley Junction) in Wyomissing, or
  
  Diverge from the Main Line 7 miles to the east at CP-Bird in Birdsboro, and take the "Turkey Path" to the Belt Line.

It's also unknown at this time what's going to happen when the Autumn Express reaches Harrisburg. I have no idea if they can wye the train around anyplace on the east shore of the river other than going as far north as Rockville. Amtrak's info at the link previously provided describes the stop in Harrisburg as being brief.

That makes me wonder if they can wye the entire train using what's left (if anything) of the trackage extending towards the former Cumberland Valley RR bridge just south of the station. I've seen it used to wye single Amtrak locomotives before. Does anyone know if that tail track is still in service and is it long enough for such a huge passenger consist? Where else close to the Amtrak Harrisburg station is there an operational & accessible wye that's not the one at Rockville Bridge?

khecht wrote: pretty much all freight-only mileage unless they use the Keystone line one of the directions from Harrisburg.

That's what I'm concerned about; I prefer to keep the excursion on the Reading for both legs of the journey.

Amtrak's sequence of scenic attractions along the route leaves no doubt that these trains will use the former Reading in both directions.

The brief stop at Harrisburg may not be at the Amtrak station as that would entail a backup move; likewise, attempting to use the Cumberland Valley wye.

The simiplest wyeing maneuver would be to use the former Reading wye toward Shippensburg, but far less fun than doing it at either end of the
Rockville bridge.

Of the routes available in the Reading area, the Reading Belt Line extension to Birdsboro is a one-way track and only connects with the eastbound Main Line track (unless NS has changed things recently).

So is it going one way and then comes back on the same route?

Interesting, but no doubt it'll be regular Amtrak traction. They could make it more interesting by adding a non-revenue unit or freight unit to the consist, and justify the $129

barciur wrote:So is it going one way and then comes back on the same route?

If it's like last year it'll go up the Port Road Branch and then back on the Keystone route via the Columbia Secondary.

Mackensen wrote:

barciur wrote:So is it going one way and then comes back on the same route?

If it's like last year it'll go up the Port Road Branch and then back on the Keystone route via the Columbia Secondary.

It is not taking that route this year. It will leave 30th Street, then after backing south to PHIL interlocking (58th Street), it will take CSX then NS to Harrisburg via Reading and Hershey. It will wye at Rockville, the come back the same route.

Can't blame Amtrak for raising prices. It's still pretty cheap compared to what Harrisburg chapter charges.

Also why would a "rare" unit on the front make a difference to the people inside the train who are unable to photograph it?

Actually it would be nice if Amtrak could let people off at HBG so they could photograph it returning from the wye.

According to trainorders's current thread about the excursion, the route has changed and will include the Port Road and probably not the High Line. Here is the link posted below.
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/r ... ?4,3541546" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;