We all know Amtrak along the NEC regularly hits well over 100 mph but who is next after them in terms of average speed? I’m a commuter on NJ transit’s service along the NEC and those trains regularly do 90-100 MPH. Is this service the answer to my question or are there other passenger rail routes in the United States (excluding Amtrak) where the top speeds are comparable (or greater) than that? Apologies if this has been asked already.
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MARC hits 125mph on the Penn Line and Brightline will soon hit 125mph on the Coco to MCO segment of its route. Outside of that (and the aforementioned NJT), I’m not aware of any railroads that exceed 80mph in service.
Gui wrote: ↑Tue Sep 27, 2022 7:06 am We all know Amtrak along the NEC regularly hits well over 100 mph but who is next after them in terms of average speed? I’m a commuter on NJ transit’s service along the NEC and those trains regularly do 90-100 MPH. Is this service the answer to my question or are there other passenger rail routes in the United States (excluding Amtrak) where the top speeds are comparable (or greater) than that? Apologies if this has been asked already.If it runs on the NEC, like MARC Penn Line, two SEPTA lines, NJ Transit's Northeast line, CT Rail/Shore Line East, or one MBTA line... well, it's going NEC speeds (up to 160 MPH).
Outside the NEC... well, the only other place would be BrightLine in Florida, which is slated to go 125 MPH.
KTHW wrote: ↑Tue Sep 27, 2022 8:18 am MARC hits 125mph on the Penn Line and Brightline will soon hit 125mph on the Coco to MCO segment of its route. Outside of that (and the aforementioned NJT), I’m not aware of any railroads that exceed 80mph in service.Damn, I don't have photo of 70s cocaine driven Supertrain handy.
Yeah, afaik, the MARC expresses to perryville which have Hippos hauling get up to 125.
I was on one, once.
Shore Line East MUs on Amtrak go 90 New Haven-Old Saybrook, CT
Metro-Link LA-Oceanside and Coaster Oceanside-San Diego, CA go 90 in a few spots over former Santa Fe trackage
Andy
Metro-Link LA-Oceanside and Coaster Oceanside-San Diego, CA go 90 in a few spots over former Santa Fe trackage
Andy
SEPTA can hit between 100 and 110 mph depending on the line and the consist.
Per https://www.thenextmiami.com/brightline ... peed-ever/ Brightline's service Miami to Orlando will reach 125 MPH.
Amtrak's Wolverine service hits 110 MPH in Michigan, and Chicago - St. Louis has some 90 MPH trackage. I know the original question was "not Amtrak", but these are as fast (if not faster) than some commuter services in the NEC.
Amtrak's Wolverine service hits 110 MPH in Michigan, and Chicago - St. Louis has some 90 MPH trackage. I know the original question was "not Amtrak", but these are as fast (if not faster) than some commuter services in the NEC.
NJT ALP46s are rated for 100 on the NEC, Arrows 80.
LIRR has a top speed of 80.
LIRR has a top speed of 80.
Since my friend continues to chain smoke nonstop, she is probably an Alco.
STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Tue Sep 27, 2022 8:28 am If it runs on the NEC, like MARC Penn Line, two SEPTA lines, NJ Transit's Northeast line, CT Rail/Shore Line East, or one MBTA line... well, it's going NEC speeds (up to 160 MPH).This isn't necessarily. To be sure, MBTA doesn't exceed 80 mph even in areas with much higher speed limits. Other railroads are likely similarly slower than Amtrak. MARC is most likely the fastest by quite a bit.
So, what all y’all are saying is HSR in the USA? Nope.
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I've clocked Metra above 70 more than a couple times, even though the timetable max is 70 and the UPRR system max for passenger locomotives is 82....
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Thanks everyone! So it sounds like Brightline will, and currently certain lines of MARC and SEPTA, regularly get up to speeds faster than the typical speeds I see on my commute over the NEC with NJT trains going from/to Trenton. I've only started this route recently but the fastest I've ever clocked it thus far was 102 MPH. I was wondering if this was the fastest service nationwide if you exclude Amtrak but it sounds like it's not!
twropr wrote: ↑Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:04 am Shore Line East MUs on Amtrak go 90 New Haven-Old Saybrook, CTSLE goes from New Haven to New London, CT: about 20 miles east of Old Saybrook.
I imagine SLE would give Metra and NJT express services a run for their money on average speeds. End-to-end trips can get into the high 50 MPH range.
Rode NJT EMU express to Trenton, 100 MPH.
That must of been before their wheels were falling off (not literally), but the Arrow III's have since been reduced to 80 MAS.
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