We have discussed many issues regarding the Vermonter route through MA over on the Amtrak thread, I believe in the "Vermonter" discussions.
1.. The last passenger train on the Conn River Line in Mass (today owned by Pan-Am) ran around 1986 and was the Montrealer. It was suspended around that time, then resumed in 1988/89, using the CV/NECR route from New London all the way up to Vermont and Montreal. Delay was caused with Amtrak acquiring the Conn River Line in Vermont and NH and then selling it to the CV, and associated rehabbing to get speeds up to 59 mph.
2.. Without visiting Palmer, it is easy to say build the nw quadrant of the wye. But when you go there, or ride on the Vermonter, you'll see the diamond is not oriented due n/s - e/w. The NECR line actually runs from SE to NW. Any connector track in the "NNW" quadrant would have to be quite the land acquisition and an extensive track. Not to mention, the tracks at that point are on an embankment and there are wetlands down in the hole. I don't see the railroads going through the hassles of building the connector track.
3.. Best route to improve the Vermonter, timekeeping and schedulewise would be to get off CSX. While the connection between CSX and NECR at Palmer is done fairly rapidly, due to the line being single-tracked to Springfield, I've been on board and waited 30-45 minutes for a CSX freight to clear from the west. Double-tracking the 10 miles or so would help - the ROW is there. Other option would be to send the Vermonter down the NECR right to New London, then over to New Haven on the Shore Line. NECR has no problems hosting Amtrak (at least on the central/northern end) and with some track upgrading, it may make more sense to upgrade south. I don't see the Pan-AM line being upgraded anytime soon, unless the state of Mass gets involved, or Pan-Am sells the line (yeah right), or if they are bought out (again, yeah right).
1.. The last passenger train on the Conn River Line in Mass (today owned by Pan-Am) ran around 1986 and was the Montrealer. It was suspended around that time, then resumed in 1988/89, using the CV/NECR route from New London all the way up to Vermont and Montreal. Delay was caused with Amtrak acquiring the Conn River Line in Vermont and NH and then selling it to the CV, and associated rehabbing to get speeds up to 59 mph.
2.. Without visiting Palmer, it is easy to say build the nw quadrant of the wye. But when you go there, or ride on the Vermonter, you'll see the diamond is not oriented due n/s - e/w. The NECR line actually runs from SE to NW. Any connector track in the "NNW" quadrant would have to be quite the land acquisition and an extensive track. Not to mention, the tracks at that point are on an embankment and there are wetlands down in the hole. I don't see the railroads going through the hassles of building the connector track.
3.. Best route to improve the Vermonter, timekeeping and schedulewise would be to get off CSX. While the connection between CSX and NECR at Palmer is done fairly rapidly, due to the line being single-tracked to Springfield, I've been on board and waited 30-45 minutes for a CSX freight to clear from the west. Double-tracking the 10 miles or so would help - the ROW is there. Other option would be to send the Vermonter down the NECR right to New London, then over to New Haven on the Shore Line. NECR has no problems hosting Amtrak (at least on the central/northern end) and with some track upgrading, it may make more sense to upgrade south. I don't see the Pan-AM line being upgraded anytime soon, unless the state of Mass gets involved, or Pan-Am sells the line (yeah right), or if they are bought out (again, yeah right).