Taking Amtrak to the Berkshires (and an alternative)

Also, south of Croton has the third rail (which I agree should go) - but then it's needed for GCT. AC is better and should be part of a rolling replacement. The Hudson line for this reason should definitely be first, plus for Penn service which is mentioned too.

Wiring Croton to Albany and then Penn to Spuyten (and running bi-modes) might be a bit nuts.

They need to look at the running times and timetabling, especially south of Poughkeepsie, it's painfully slow.

Yes MNRR is not going to hang wire in New York state. It has placed all its bets on the more operationally expensive third rail DC. So Amtrak would need to do all. An additiona expense will be having to change the DC signaling on MNRR's third rail. That is to make it compatible with both overhead 60 Hz and DC third rail. Have no idea how expensive that would be.

The north river tunnels and NYP all have 25 Hz with DC rail. Cannot think of any location of 60 Hz and DC except the short location of the change of New Haven line from DC to AC.

Railjunkie wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 10:00 am Not talking about the passengers on the train. Perhaps the land owners along the shoreline. A side note MNRR I don't believe is going to hang wire for 80mph trains and NYS is broke so where does the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ come from??????

The land owners on a cliff that would obscure the wires or too far away to even care about the Hudson, if I remember way back when.

Sometime Mr Wolf let me tell you a story about a hillside a pool some trees a land owner and how much it cost Amtrak to FIX HER mistakes. Or a rock wall that no one really sees except Gilligan and the Skipper, a court battle with a little burb and lots o cake out of Amtrak's pocket to fix. It really needed to be fixed it was slowly collapsing. I can site more if needed. The people that live along the river want that view just as it is. Be it from 100ft or 10000ft, they do not like nor want change. Unless it improves THEIR view. I think the term was once NIMBY.

Yup. As someone living near a bunch of river communities... NAMR (not along my river) is a real thing.

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STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 7:55 am YOUR view of the Hudson?!? YOU are on a bloody train! It's all over your head!

Mr. Wolf, riding the OBB from Salzburg to Bischofshofen (on the line to Villach and Italy) the route is laid along the Salzach (Salt) River. If this a "haven't been there yet", the next time you go overseas (presumably for a "rail marathon") be sure to include this ride. If you ride Night Jet #295 Munich-Rome during summer, you will catch this view at sundown - and with a fraulein you have met on-board!!!!

It's spectacular.

However, while not a bother to me, the cat poles are there and some could consider an obstruction. I think you will find that Austria also has their NIMBY faction, but for a tourist, i.e. moi, who's there for music during the Festival and Gruner Veltliner at one outdoor bar or the other, that is not my concern.

That would be an idea, taking two weeks off bookending Eurofurance to travel to Germany... but maybe through Rome or Paris and take the train in to Berlin. I'd need to get the money together for that...

DB has a double-track line on each side of the Rhine from around Mainz to Bonn, and I've heard nothing of complaints from tourists or residents about "unsightly" wires -- I never even notice them, and I don't suppose many other people do either. They do, however, provide a useful pretext for NIMBYs who can find no better reason to oppose something they don't like.

WAAAY OT, so I now see, Mr. Wolf, that your furry friends also gather over there?

https://eurofurence.org/EF27/

I guess riding Amtrak, your costumes are not all that much of an issue, but on a plane?

And getting them back in one piece ready to display?

GBN; (one who has not checked anything with an airline in thirty-five years and never with Amtrak)

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Sun Oct 23, 2022 6:57 am WAAAY OT, so I now see, Mr. Wolf, that your furry friends also gather over there?

https://eurofurence.org/EF27/

I guess riding Amtrak, your costumes are not all that much of an issue, but on a plane?

And getting them back in one piece ready to display?

GBN; (one who has not checked anything with an airline in thirty-five years and never with Amtrak)

Yeah, we're an international bunch (there's numerous conventions all over the world). One of the folk who run it also does public videos of the convention.

Still, to get back on track, the costumes generally don't have a problem in ether Amtrak or the airlines... except for the head, with is rather critical. I've seen folk bring them on as seat warmers because they're that concerned over breaking it. This does result in funny photos being pushed out by airline PR teams, though... something you don't see on Amtrak.

Even then... well... it makes me wonder if we need a mitigation tax along routes that have high NIMBY/NAMR objectors, because the only option is diesel (I don't see battery being any good for another few decades).

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Tue Oct 25, 2022 3:24 pm (I don't see battery being any good for another few decades).

Good way to return to topic, Mr. Wolf.

Yes, it's great to talk about all this esoteric stuff like battery powered locomotives, but, judging from the litany of Amtrak procurement boondoggles (yes, airlines have them too), the Coaches on the (yet to be fleet named) Corridor regional sets will be done before these "locomotives".

I trust the Sprinters 601-669 will be compatible with these sets; after all it's all Siemens - and based on the RailJets and some EuroCity sets.

It would be folly for Amtrak to find themselves in a situation of "oh we can't put the cars in service until we have the engines". All I can say from my "railfanning in Riverside" last May (hotel room not ready), the A-I's are looking mighty tired - and after closing in on fifty years of "nickel and diming" their maintenance, can you blame them?