Jeff Smith wrote: ↑Thu Aug 27, 2020 1:56 pm
I still like the idea of a couple trains to GCT, whether off the NEC (BOS-NYG only, no DC), or Empire Service. I think GCT is a destination in and of itself. So now, what services do you need? Commissary? Not for Empire; they don't have cafe cars. If they did, put a commissary back in Albany. Agents? Nah. Machines. Baggage? Nope. Leave the LD's at NYP. A crew base? Yes. You'd need mechanical for sure. And then there are overhead fees and station usage fees.
*looks at a 2018 timetable* Ehhhh... mixed bag there. Here's my reasoning.
Lets look at all the earliest departure times of all the LD trains originating at NYP going south on the NEC, and match them up with Empire Corridor Amtrak trains (pairing up "close" Sat/Sun and M-F trains):
- Palmetto - 5:51a - No trains.
- Carolinian - 7:17a - Empire Service 230 arr 7:03a
- Pennsylvanian - 10:52a - Empire Service 234/252 is best, 260/236 is too tight. (arr 9:24a/9:43a vs 10:48a/10:49a)
- Silver Star - 11:02a - Empire Service 260/236
- Crescent - 2:15p - Empire Service 280 or Ethan Allen Express 290. (arr 12:18p/1:19p)
- Silver Meteor -3:15p - Empire Service 238 (arr 2:18p)
Those make sense to go to NYP to ease transfers to them.
That leaves 232/250 (8:19a/8:43a), 284, 256/242 (4:22p/5:19p), 244(6:56p), the Adirondack, Maple Leaf, and Ethan Allen Express 296. The latter three I'd be hesitant to move (NEC transfers, possibly), and 284 has a cafe. That leaves 3 that can possibly be moved to GCT.
How about arrivals? Earliest train gotten...
- Palmetto - 11:58p - No train.
- Carolinian - 8:38p - Empire 243/259 (8:49P/9:15P)
- Silver Star - 6:50P - Empire 241 (7:15p)
- Pennsylvanian - 4:55p - Empire 253/239 or Ethan Allen Express 293 (5:11p/5:48p)
- Crescent - 1:46p - Ethan Allen Express 291/Empire 255 (2:15p) or Ethan Allen Express 295 (3:10p)
- Silver Meteor - 11:00a - Empire 251/235 (11:15a/12:15p)
Skipping the named LD's... 233 (9:15a), 281, 283, 237(4:38p), 245/261(10:37p//11:34p). 281 and 283 have cafes, so we're down to 3.
Only 232 and 233 pair nicely, being M-F. Everything else needs more equipment and long-term storage at GCT.
I think you'd be reworking a lot of schedules to pull it off nicely.