To Philly For Fifty

Philadelphia Inquirer

Fair Use:

• WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is coming to Philadelphia on Friday to mark the 50th anniversary of Amtrak’s founding, according to three Democrats familiar with his plans.
  
  The White House confirmed the trip, saying Biden will visit 30th Street Station in the city.

But, alas, here's Joe's Acela into town.

One must also wonder if the new heritage units will be located there too. One of them, #100, was just brought in on the Capitol Limited to DC, and could likely be delivered to Philly for a 50th Anniversary event.

He will be speaking at Penn Coach Yard, I'm guessing in front the Acela 2.

I thought so. Railfans, get ready for a great event at Philly 30th Street!

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews ... comotives/

An Amtrak special equipment move through Wilmington, Del., at 6:20 a.m. on Wednesday morning with “Salute to Veterans” ACS-46 No. 642 on the point and two P42 diesels in tow carrying two of Amtrak’s six 50th-anniversary paint schemes ... The diesels are reportedly en route to Philadelphia, where President Joe Biden will take part in an Amtrak 50th anniversary event on Friday.

GBN: Good news about President Biden's support for Amtrak with tomorrow's visit celebrating Amtrak's 50th Birthday - which will be on Saturday May 1st.

PF: I expect **VERY TIGHT SECURITY** for ANY event that has POTUS involvement.
This is something that rail enthusiasts will have to be very careful to try and document thru photographs - and it may be better to let the Media cover this ceremonial visit for all to see and remember.

What would be interesting is for example Amtrak had an equipment display open to the public at 30th Street as part of celebrating A Day 50 - such as the open-house type events when the Swedish X2000 and German ICE trains were being tested by Amtrak back in 1992-1993.

Amtrak's 50th Birthday is here for all of US...MACTRAXX

Admin note:

The prudent foamer will

Carry Real ID, a camera, and a bottle of water.

Expect at least an hour to pass through security

Expect at least an hour sitting or standing an waiting.

So, arrive at least three hours before the event.

What time will the event start tomorrow? I might be railfanning in Philadelphia tomorrow and would love to take pictures of the event.

Everyone:

Amtrak is offering a virtual live stream for today's (4/30) Birthday Celebration:

https://www.amtrak.com/50th-anniversary

Time - 1:30 PM EDT

This may be the most convenient way to watch the ceremony and speeches - MACTRAXX

So in his speech today, President Biden said that if three curves were straightened out, we could get from NYP to WAS in under two hours. My instinct tells me that it is hyperbole, but is there any truth to that? I've ridden the Eurostar in France and the UK, and the tracks didn't seem much more of a straight line that the NEC. I'd guess the approach to and from the B$P tunnels, Frankford Junction, and the curve through Metuchen are the culprits if that is true.

EDIT: I'll be surprised if it isn't hyperbole, but if there is some truth, I wonder what would need the most straightening.

Sounds like a bit of a stretch, but I think it's close.

As I recall one big deal for example are the Baltimore tunnels. They really slow things down (30mph limit).

And I seem to recall there being 1-2 other key curves that Amtrak would really like to straighten out, particularly so they can keep a higher average speed longer on a couple of sections.

Mike: You mean the Elizabeth curve in NJ - Metuchen area curves (MET-NBK) are not that big a deal.
That speed restriction between Elizabeth Station and Elmora/South Elizabeth was proposed at one time
to be eliminated in some manner (was it the late 70s/early 80s NECIP program?) to improve service.

I am in full agreement about the Baltimore tunnels with their advanced age and speed restrictions for
trains - I also recall that there was a gauntlet track in the tunnels S/W of BAL that required single track
operation for freight trains - is this still the case if freight trains use this routing?

The prime problem is still the rail infrastructure that exists in the 10 miles between NYP and NWK.
Unless that segment sees massive improvement - most of us all know what that means - the NEC
will never be able to offer the potential of service towards HSR that the NEC needs...MACTRAXX

I think it is a bit hyperbole, but relieving a few choke points speeds things up substantially. I also think you have issues with the overhead wires and going through some of the stations (30th and Wilmington come to mind specifically).

We can all agree, the B&P has to go. 30 mph MAS in Civil War era tunnels. Put in the Circle Tunnels, and the MAS gets raised to 70, and you kill off heavy usage of three switches: BRIDGE, FULTON, and CHARLES. Any faster, and you have to move two stations: West Baltimore MARC and Baltimore Penn. Oh, and you're tunneling anyway.

Philadelphia Inquirer reports on today's event at Penn Coach Yard.

Fair Use:

Standing in an Amtrak railyard in Philadelphia Friday, President Joe Biden called for a major investment in rail service to create jobs and fight climate change as promoted in his sweeping $2 trillion infrastructure proposal.

“Today we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to position Amtrak and rail ... [to] play a central role in our transformation,” Biden said at the blustery facility just outside 30th Street Station.

The president, who for decades made Amtrak a part of his political identity, laid out a vision of new connections like one from Scranton and Allentown to New York, saying such investments would spark the economy and offer cleaner transportation options.

“It opens up enormous possibilities and especially now it makes it possible to build an economy of the future and one that we need,” Biden said, tying rail investments to his pledge to cut emissions in half by 2030. “When I think about fighting climate change, I think about jobs and rail, and hopefully the expansion of rail provides good union jobs, good paying jobs. It also connects people to jobs and economic opportunities that can be reached from wherever you live.”

Further coverage from The Times; anyone surprised to learn The Journal is quite silent?

There's a fairly sharp curve just south of the BWI Airport station (Stoney Run) that Amtrak had planned to straighten out. This was to be done right after the sharp curve midway between Bowie and Odenton was done. Unfortunately the second project got delayed (funding?) and the new BWI station cemented the curve in place.

Another place that could be fixed is at Zoo (or what ever that part is now called in CETC). Going east Amtrak trains must crossover from No.1 River to No.2 main through a No.20 turnout. Westbound this was fixed back in the late 80's with a straight move from No.3 track to No.4 River.

The biggest slow downs are of course through the stations. Places like Baltimore, Wilmington, Philadelphia and Newark all have slow speeds through them if you're not stopping.

Upgrading some interlockings with No.32 turnouts would also help.