Kilo Echo wrote:How much did it cost to extend the Fitchburg Line 4.5 miles from Fitchburg to, um, Fitchburg (Wachusett)? Something like $93.3 million? Has there been a dramatic increase in ridership since the extension? While having northern-tier service may sound grand, the price tag would be prohibitively grand.The MBTA station at Wachusett features 369 parking spaces. By my occasional unscientific weekday eyeball observations, I would guess that no more than half the parking spaces are utilized. Re: a rehab of Pan Am Southern District 3 from Greenfield to Wachusett, getting several passenger trains around the yard at E Deerfield each day may require addition of a passing track/crossovers given how frequently PAS freights are parked on main tracks awaiting admission to the yard. Also, I'm guessing both IETM-S and ACSES II PTC schemes would have to be implemented to support NS and MBTA equipment.
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As someone who rides out of Springfield, I would not exactly call the Springfield station "unused." Not saying that it's any major transit hub in the realm of New Haven or Eastern Mass, but between intercity bus usage and the rail ridership I think they are happy with the utilization. And rail ridership has improved with the re-institution of 100% train service as well as added trains as part of the Hartford Line. The parking garage does not get as much utilization as it probably could, but many more passengers at Springfield are dropped off/picked up so you can't go completely by the garage.
Beginning on Monday 4/22 they will be installing the new Platform C at Springfield station. The precast concrete modules have been staged under the I-91 viaduct near Sweeney Interlocking. Details: https://www.springfield-ma.gov/dpw/inde ... fic_alerts" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Remind me, if you fully upgraded Greenfield-Fitchburg or Greenfield-BON, how would speed compare to SPG-BOS? I.e. curviness & grade. Are there lots of grade crossings?
Also, MassDOT might get more bang-for-their-buck upgrading MA-2 highway than Greenfield-Fitchburg, and building massive park & ride garages somewhere near Littleton 495 or Acton, and focus on improving Fitchburg-BON. Although the Feddybucks of an Amtrak upgrade would be a nice balm for the MBTA.
Also, MassDOT might get more bang-for-their-buck upgrading MA-2 highway than Greenfield-Fitchburg, and building massive park & ride garages somewhere near Littleton 495 or Acton, and focus on improving Fitchburg-BON. Although the Feddybucks of an Amtrak upgrade would be a nice balm for the MBTA.
lordsigma12345 wrote:Beginning on Monday 4/22 they will be installing the new Platform C at Springfield station.Any word as to when Amtrak's ticketing operations will move down to the renovated concourse?
Please keep hands off the door
Way I see it, it boils down to numbers.
There are 154,000 people in Springfield and 185,000 people in Worcester.
There are 17,000 people in Greenfield and 40,000 people in Fitchburg.
Restoring corridor service on the B&A links the third and second largest cities in the Commonwealth.
Instating corridor service on the B&M links the county seat of the least-populous county on the MA mainland to the third largest city in Worcester County.
There are 154,000 people in Springfield and 185,000 people in Worcester.
There are 17,000 people in Greenfield and 40,000 people in Fitchburg.
Restoring corridor service on the B&A links the third and second largest cities in the Commonwealth.
Instating corridor service on the B&M links the county seat of the least-populous county on the MA mainland to the third largest city in Worcester County.
Kilo Echo wrote:I do not know, however they have begun the process of tying the Amtrak data into the screens in the new station, so it could be happening soon maybe? They have integrated the feed - it is displaying on the screen behind Amtrak's new counter, but the data has not been appended to the other screens yet (nor is it tied to the speakers) only Ctrail trains showing on the other screens.lordsigma12345 wrote:Beginning on Monday 4/22 they will be installing the new Platform C at Springfield station.Any word as to when Amtrak's ticketing operations will move down to the renovated concourse?
BandA wrote:Remind me, if you fully upgraded Greenfield-Fitchburg or Greenfield-BON, how would speed compare to SPG-BOS? I.e. curviness & grade. Are there lots of grade crossings?That segment of Pan Am is very curvy and has grades. One of the reasons the trial MBTA service to Gardner never panned out due to how slow that section is, with the line looping up to south Ashburnham before coming southwest to hit Gardner. Not that the B&A line is arrow straight either but it is somewhat better.
BandA wrote: Also, MassDOT might get more bang-for-their-buck upgrading MA-2 highway than Greenfield-Fitchburg, and building massive park & ride garages somewhere near Littleton 495 or Acton, and focus on improving Fitchburg-BON. Although the Feddybucks of an Amtrak upgrade would be a nice balm for the MBTA.Agreed, Route 2 still has traffic lights in West Fitchburg. Speeding up that section would help. Outside of the hills and curves in the Fitchburg area, it is a lot more direct than the railroad.
Courage is not the absence of fear; it is the determination that some things are more important than fear.
Platform C lifted into place and other news: MassLive.com
Fair-use snips:
Fair-use snips:
SPRINGFIELD — Cranes this week are lifting sections of precast concrete walkway onto the upper portions of Springfield Union Station for the new handicapped-accessible Platform C.
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The new platform will open in June or July, said Kevin Kennedy, chief development officer for the city. “The platform is really beginning to take shape and obviously we are very excited about that,” he said.
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Included in the $8.2 million project is reopening stairways and building an elevator to Platform C. The train tracks are overhead at Union Station. Passengers move from the grand concourse to a tunnel under the track to get to their trains or exit to Lyman Street.
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The new platform nears completion as the state, along with Amtrak, plans this summer’s launch of expanded commuter rail service north of Springfield to Holyoke, Northampton and Greenfield. Massachusetts authorities announced the two-year pilot program one year ago.
Meanwhile, the state continues to study options that could bring more train service from Boston to Springfield or as far west as Pittsfield. Neal said Gov. Charlie Baker and state Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack have been working hard on both expansion efforts.
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Next stop, Willoughby
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The launch of the shuttle extensions to Greenfield has been pushed back to late Summer/early Fall. Some work needs to be done before the trains can start.
asull85 wrote:The launch of the shuttle extensions to Greenfield has been pushed back to late Summer/early Fall. Some work needs to be done before the trains can start.So if the start date gets pushed to October the test period will shrink from 30 months to 26 months? Normally with Commonwealth funding if you don't spend appropriated money in the fiscal year you lose it.
asull85 wrote:The launch of the shuttle extensions to Greenfield has been pushed back to late Summer/early Fall. Some work needs to be done before the trains can start.https://www.recorder.com/Expanded-passe ... r-25245592
Mullaney and Atwood said the state and Amtrak are still discussing fares, but it appears, at this point, they are not going to change.Please, if you are a resident of MA, contact your legislators! Tell them this pilot program needs flat fares like how Amtrak converted the Shuttle fares for the opening of the Hartford Line, otherwise it won't succeed!
“Our legislators are fighting hard for fare equity,” said Mullaney. “So, we’ll see what happens.
High fares, low fares, or no fares I'm afraid that the grand experiment is going to be a complete waste of taxpayer dollars. Why? Well, the major reason is that there just isn't this pent up consumer demand in Western Mass to go to the big Apple.
The divine thinking on all this is that now that the Knowledge corridor is up and running at high speed, 70 in places, people in the Pioneer Valley will be hopping at the chance to take advantage of all the additional scheduling.
In the article, you will note that the local planner is opining that the new service will allow the public to travel to New York by train and back in one day. One very long day including 10 hours of train travel. Oh sure there may be a few people out there who will take advantage of that service. But how many people is the question.
By the same token, the article also mentions the fact that the service will facilitate people from NYC who want to go to Greenfield. Well I'm sure there must be at least three of those.
The Knowledge Corridor and connections to NYC is just not the same deal as the Downeaster. People from southern Maine do a lot of travel to and from Boston. And a lot of people from Boston do go to and from southern Maine. The NYC to Greenfield traffic dynamics however, just aren't there.
The divine thinking on all this is that now that the Knowledge corridor is up and running at high speed, 70 in places, people in the Pioneer Valley will be hopping at the chance to take advantage of all the additional scheduling.
In the article, you will note that the local planner is opining that the new service will allow the public to travel to New York by train and back in one day. One very long day including 10 hours of train travel. Oh sure there may be a few people out there who will take advantage of that service. But how many people is the question.
By the same token, the article also mentions the fact that the service will facilitate people from NYC who want to go to Greenfield. Well I'm sure there must be at least three of those.
The Knowledge Corridor and connections to NYC is just not the same deal as the Downeaster. People from southern Maine do a lot of travel to and from Boston. And a lot of people from Boston do go to and from southern Maine. The NYC to Greenfield traffic dynamics however, just aren't there.
Some major target markets that the enhanced service will cater to-business travelers going to day meetings along the NEC, especially NYC. There will be non business travelers who might make a long daytrip to NYC but that’s a long day. Many people who head to NYC might want to make their trip a vacation anyway.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like it would be a maximum of 8 hours of train travel to NYC from Greenfield.