July 12, 20231 yr Author That's not correct that an hour has been added to the schedules of the Lake Shore and Capitol limiteds because of congestion between Chicago and Porter, IN (a distance of only 40 miles). I refer to New York Central schedules from 1957. There were 11 passenger trains in each direction between Chicago and South Bend (the latter being the first station stop out of Chicago for the Lake Shore and Capitol), ranging from locals that made stops in every little town (taking 2:18 to travel CHI-SOB) and the 20th Century Limited which made only two passenger station stops between Chicago and New York City (plus mail/servicing/re-crew stops). Back in 1957, South Bend was still in Central Time. The fastest eastbound train (other than the Century which didn't stop in South Bend) was the Commodore Vanderbilt which traveled the 85 miles from Chicago to South Bend in 1 hour, 20 minutes. Most trains -- Pacemaker (1:26), New England States (1:28), Chicagoan (1:33), Fifth Avenue Special (1:35) -- took a little longer and made 2-4 station stops between Chicago and South Bend. Westbound, the trip times were pretty much the same, albeit a few minutes slower. For example, the fastest train, The Commodore Vanderbilt, took 1:27 to travel South Bend to Chicago. The New England States (1:39), The Iroquois (1:40 made only 1 enroute stop), Chicagoan (1:41) and the Prairie State (1:47) all were slower westbound. Apparently New York Central also had some schedule recovery time for its trains into a terminating station, like Amtrak, although not as much. Both the eastbound Lake Shore (#48) and Capitol (#30) take 1:29 to travel from Chicago to South Bend. In the opposite direction, you can see Amtrak's typical schedule padding/recovery time come into play. The westbound Capitol (#29) takes 1:54 and the Lake Shore (#49) takes 2:05 to travel from South Bend to Chicago. Both schedules are based on recovery time typically based 8% of the raw travel time for a given segment, which is why the westbound travel into Chicago is slower. The recovery time is added between the second-to-last stop and the last stop for a given segment. Toledo-Chicago is the westernmost segment of both routes over which recovery time is calculated. There are lots of places where Amtrak can shift over to the South Shore, starting with South Bend for the Lake Shore and Capitol and in Michigan City for the Michigan corridor services. They don't even need any trackwork at Kensington to switch from the South Shore to CN tracks into downtown. Of course, constructing a 10-mile double-track passenger-only line from Kensington-Chicago (near McCormack Place) that allows 110 mph service into Chicago would be preferable. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 12, 20231 yr 8 hours ago, gildone said: Many of you may know that one of the biggest problems holding up passenger rail expansion from Chicago eastward is all of the freight congestion between Porter, Indiana and Chicago. The Lakeshore and Capitol Ltds have around an extra hour or so of running time in their schedules because of this. The proposed service increases from Chicago-east is The fix that is needed is called the South-of-the-Lake Bypass: constructing about 80-miles of passenger-only tracks between Porter and Chicago. This is a billion-dollar project which is going to take years to complete (although the Trump administration killed a grant application for it, which put it further behind). One interesting item to note is that, as an interim measure, Amtrak is currently in talks with the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (operator of the South Shore Line) to use the South Shore Line until the Bypass can be constructed. I don't know exactly where Amtrak would switch over to the SS Line from NS. The segment in yellow below is the problem area: Isn’t restoring the St Charles airline a better way to accomplish passenger-rail-first racks? https://www.hsrail.org/chicago-hub-improvement-program/ “Amtrak is seeking federal funding for a group of projects to upgrade Chicago Union Station (CUS) and create better routes through Chicago into the station. This is the first phase of a program to modernize infrastructure in the Chicago area.” “St. Charles Airline: Existing Track Layout There is a mismatch between the best route options into Chicago and the routes Amtrak actually uses. Better, less congested options are largely inaccessible because they don’t connect well with Chicago Union Station. On the south end of Union Station, the Metra’s Rock Island route and CN’s Lakefront Line offer clearer paths into Chicago. The St. Charles Air Line connects to these routes, but it requires a slow and tedious back-up move.” Current situation: “St. Charles Airline: Proposed Track Layout Amtrak has proposed the following group of projects to create a new Crosstown Connector: A new ramp up to the St. Charles Airline to eliminate the back-up move Upgrading the St. Charles Airline, including restoring an out-of-service bridge A faster connection to the Rock Island line, combined with a new platform at Joliet Upgrading the CN-owned Lakefront Line to Kensington, in the Pullman neighborhood” “The Power of the Lakefront Line Illinois Central: Champaign/Urbana – Carbondale – Memphis, etc. The Connector would save 15 minutes or more from the existing, tortuous routing. The East: Cleveland – Columbus – Detroit – Indianapolis and many more The greatest impacts to intercity service would be for trains headed east, to hundreds of stations including Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Detroit, Indianapolis and New York. Today, eastern trains use a very busy Norfolk Southern mainline to leave Chicago and get around Lake Michigan. Initially, the Connector will allow Amtrak to bypass three delay points within the City of Chicago, and it will open up the option of using the South Shore Line across northern Indiana. Ultimately, gaining high-quality service to eastern cities will require the South-of-the-Lake Reroute—a double-track mainline dedicated to passenger trains (SOTL). The Connector would provide access to two potential rights-of-way for the SOTL.“ When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
July 13, 20231 yr Author @Boomerang_Brian To clarify, the proposed direct connection to the St. Charles Airline is part of the concept of using the South Shore and adding 2 new dedicated tracks from Kensington into Chicago. What's really cool is that there are 2 track spaces along the east edge of the IC/CN route almost the entire 10 miles from Kensington into Chicago. That includes existing available bridge decks and underpasses that are available for the 2 additional tracks. Limited-stop South Shore trains from Michigan City into Chicago take about the same amount of time as Amtrak trains from Michigan City into Chicago via NS. And that's running over the Metra-IC line which would be paralleled by the dedicated passenger tracks Amtrak wants. So that routing should be faster than the current NS route. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 13, 20231 yr Author Republicans remind us how much they hate freedom "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 13, 20231 yr 10 hours ago, KJP said: Republicans remind us how much they hate freedom More voting against your interest GOP supporters! Amtrak can service small town America. Don't shoot yourselves in the foot!
July 15, 20231 yr What Would an Amtrak Revival Look Like? By Angie Schmitt July 14, 2023 "Just four trips a day roll between the two Pacific Northwest cities, a 175-mile journey that takes just over three hours. Limited service and a typically spotty on-time performance means that the Cascades route struggles to compete with driving and flying on this corridor, which sits at the sweet spot for intercity rail. But by US train travel standards, anyway, Cascades is something of a success story. Supported with generous state subsidies, fares hover around $30. Between the two major metros, which are home to a combined 7 million people, Amtrak carried about half a million riders in 2019 — more than all the airlines combined. Soon, however, Pacific Northwest residents could see what’s really possible. Under the national rail carrier’s proposed 15-year, $75 billion expansion plan, Portland-to-Seattle service would be more than tripled to 13 trips a day." https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-07-14/inside-amtrak-s-75-billion-plan-to-revive-us-train-travel
July 17, 20231 yr Author Want more of these in daylight in Ohio? Tell your Congressperson today to kill the GOP's proposed 64% cut to Amtrak's budget and the elimination of important federal rail investment programs that would expand, improve and make more efficient passenger rail services including for private operators like Brightline. Call the the Capitol switchboard today at 202-224-3121, given them your zip code, and they'll connect you to your Representative's office. Ask for the transportation staffer or constituent affairs. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 18, 20231 yr Author EB Lake Shore Limited running 4 hours late today due to the Maumee River Bridge stuck open. Due to arrive Cleveland about now - 9:45 am. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 21, 20231 yr Author Statement from Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner on the Senate Bill https://media.amtrak.com/2023/07/statement-from-amtrak-ceo-stephen-gardner-on-the-senate-bill/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 25, 20231 yr it’s dad train joke time! 😂 A man was riding the train across the country when suddenly everything started rocking and grinding violently. People were being thrown out of their seats and luggage was flying everywhere. Then, after the train seemed to jump around and almost as suddenly as it started, everything is back to the typical calm, smooth ride. Everyone sorted themselves out and their found seats again. When they reach the next stop, the man went forward to the engine car and asked the conductor what had happened. The conductor said, “We hit a lawyer." The man couldn't believe it. "You mean hitting a person caused that?!" The conductor looked at him and explained, “Well, he was over in the ditch, but we got him anyways."
July 29, 20231 yr Author This round of @USDOTFRA workshops on improving the @Amtrak Long Distance network ended Thursday. Thanks to Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) for hosting. Watch for the work product on the project website. #MoreAmtrakMorePlacesMoreOften #NewEraOfRail Amtrak Connects US. Project website: https://fralongdistancerailstudy.org/ The scene at NOACA's offices in Cleveland... "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 1, 20231 yr Author A map that was recently shared at town hall meetings shows a dramatically expanded long-distance network... FRA’s Long-Distance Study Produces Map of Expanded Amtrak Services https://railfan.com/fras-long-distance-study-produces-map-of-expanded-amtrak-services/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 2, 20231 yr I know that equipment shortages are a problem but we need to see some of these Amtrak enhancements come to pass sooner rather than later. One election going the wrong way could derail (pun intended) the whole thing.
August 6, 20231 yr Something you don't see often. Amtrak sitting in front of Muni lot at 5pm. I don't know the story behind this.
August 6, 20231 yr Author There was a freight train derailment at Amsterdam, NY. Chi-Cle is one crew district. Cle-Albany is another. So they terminated the EB Lake Shore here and returned west on its regular schedule this morning. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 14, 20231 yr Had our first experience riding Amtrak last week on vacation, riding from Providence to Boston South Station and back. It's a trip we drove many times when we lived up there, as well as taking the MBTA commuter train once. We were only in Boston for the afternoon, so not exactly the most economical way (at $83 round trip) for three people to make the trip - but taking the train was also kind of the point. This level of service, or really any service at all would be ideal for our semi-yearly long weekend trip from Columbus to Chicago. The lack of hassle and not paying for parking would easily pay for itself. We took the Acela (business class) on the way up, Northeast Regional (coach) on the way back. We got to PVD too early - probably subconscious "get to the airport early" behavior. Both trains were right on schedule, and despite the Acela equipment being near replacement we were very impressed how nice and comfortable it was. The NE Regional was fine as well, both were orders of magnitude more comfortable than a plane. Both trains were very full, so the reserved seating on the Acela was nice to be sure the three of us could sit together. We made sure to board the Regional as soon as possible to ensure we sat together. Per the speedometer app on my phone (and much to our son's amusement), we saw top speeds of 150 mph on the Acela, 125 on the Regional. The Acela hid its speed better, particularly tilting through the turns. Ignoring the overhead of waiting at the station, what would have been a miserable 1-1.5 hour drive was done stress-free in about 35 and 45 minutes - with stops at Back Bay and Route 128.
August 22, 20231 yr Author More Amtrak Airo Trainsets Ordered to Meet Surging Demand https://media.amtrak.com/2023/08/more-amtrak-airo-trainsets-ordered-to-meet-surging-demand/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 26, 20231 yr aaaaand they’re back to tusseling again over the penn station redevelopment — wouldn’t be surprized if the dolan’s are egging that on behind the scenes, but really mta needs no help to do that — 🤡 Penn Station overhaul sparks feud between MTA and Amtrak By Stephen Nessen Published Aug 25, 2023 The MTA’s $7 billion plan to renovate Penn Station got off to a rocky start last month when the agency’s top officials boxed Amtrak executives out of a closed door meeting on the new design of the Midtown train hub, according to an internal letter from an Amtrak leader. The July 17 letter was sent to Amtrak, MTA and NJ Transit leaders by Jennie Kwon, the national railroad’s vice president for capital delivery. The memo details a meeting MTA officials held with a firm hired to consult on the station’s redesign. The letter — which was obtained by Gothamist through a source — states the July 6 “kickoff” meeting was not attended by or approved by Amtrak, which owns Penn Station. more: https://gothamist.com/news/penn-station-overhaul-sparks-feud-between-mta-and-amtrak
August 29, 20231 yr Author All Cleveland Amtrak trains are affected. Eastbound trains 30 & 48 were canceled before leaving Chicago. Westbound trains 29 will be terminated at Pittsburgh and 49 at Cleveland where CSX tracks meet NS. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 29, 20231 yr in good news — no more rat tunnel construction zone shops aren’t back yet, but — the bright new penn concourse — 👍 https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cu1sE_KrF_i/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Edited August 29, 20231 yr by mrnyc
August 30, 20231 yr Author This was just posted by the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission.... note they are recommending restoration of the New York-Kansas City National Limited, which would give Columbus and Dayton an East-West route. Since much of the route between Dayton and Indianapolis has been gone for 40 years, I'm not sure what route they're suggesting. One possibility might be to route it via Hamilton via a new track connection. They are also calling for daily service on the Chicago - Cincinnati - Washington DC - New York City Cardinal route, additional service on the Lake Shore Limited route between Chicago - Toledo - Cleveland - Buffalo - Albany - New York City corridor as well as new east-west service via Detroit and Cleveland. The last one might be the cheapest new long-distance to offer. It could be done with only the added train-miles between Detroit and Buffalo with through cars operating on existing, state-supported Wolverine and Empire corridor trains. Link to their release on long distance corridors they are recommending to the FRA... https://miprc.org/News/MIPRC-News/miprc-member-state-dots-file-comments-on-fras-long-distance-service-study "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 30, 20231 yr 29 minutes ago, KJP said: This was just posted by the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission.... note they are recommending restoration of the New York-Kansas City National Limited, which would give Columbus and Dayton an East-West route. Since much of the route between Dayton and Indianapolis has been gone for 40 years, I'm not sure what route they're suggesting. One possibility might be to route it via Hamilton via a new track connection. They are also calling for daily service on the Chicago - Cincinnati - Washington DC - New York City Cardinal route, additional service on the Lake Shore Limited route between Chicago - Toledo - Cleveland - Buffalo - Albany - New York City corridor as well as new east-west service via Detroit and Cleveland. The last one might be the cheapest new long-distance to offer. It could be done with only the added train-miles between Detroit and Buffalo with through cars operating on existing, state-supported Wolverine and Empire corridor trains. Link to their release on long distance corridors they are recommending to the FRA... https://miprc.org/News/MIPRC-News/miprc-member-state-dots-file-comments-on-fras-long-distance-service-study So these are just recommendations after the study/input correct? What would the next steps be to making this a reality. This would be huge for Columbus to get back on the network.
August 30, 20231 yr Author Yes, it is a suggestion by a significant stakeholder into the FRA's long-distance study. The deadline for submitting input was last week. For this come about, the first thing is to get expressions of support for this in the form of mayoral letters, city council resolutions, county commissioner/board resolutions, chambers of commerce board endorsements, etc. The next step is for a service development plan (cost: probably a few million$). The following step is for preliminary engineering/environmental clearances (cost: perhaps million$ more). The step after that is secure funding for capital construction for stations, track, signals, etc. and train equipment necessary to implement the recommendations from the planning process. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 31, 20231 yr On 8/30/2023 at 8:21 AM, KJP said: This was just posted by the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission.... note they are recommending restoration of the New York-Kansas City National Limited, which would give Columbus and Dayton an East-West route. Since much of the route between Dayton and Indianapolis has been gone for 40 years, I'm not sure what route they're suggesting. One possibility might be to route it via Hamilton via a new track connection. They are also calling for daily service on the Chicago - Cincinnati - Washington DC - New York City Cardinal route, additional service on the Lake Shore Limited route between Chicago - Toledo - Cleveland - Buffalo - Albany - New York City corridor as well as new east-west service via Detroit and Cleveland. The last one might be the cheapest new long-distance to offer. It could be done with only the added train-miles between Detroit and Buffalo with through cars operating on existing, state-supported Wolverine and Empire corridor trains. Link to their release on long distance corridors they are recommending to the FRA... https://miprc.org/News/MIPRC-News/miprc-member-state-dots-file-comments-on-fras-long-distance-service-study To add a little detail about MIPRC and what they are endorsing - they are actually a compact of Midwestern states composed of state legislators and officials and have been around for some time. Until recently, they have mostly been concerned with corridor services, but are now speaking about the need to add or improve long distance services. This includes restoration for four routes: a) National Limited: New York-Pittsburgh-Columbus-Dayton-Indianapolis-St Louis-Kansas City, as mentioned by KJP b) Floridian: Chicago-Indianapolis-Louisville-Nashville-Montgomery-Miami/Tampa c) Lone Star: Chicago-Kansas City-Oklahoma City-Ft Worth/Dallas-Houston d) North Coast Hiawatha: Chicago-Minneapolis-Billings-Seattle These four trains were discontinued in 1979 by the Carter Administration, along with the New York-Miami/Tampa Champion train in an infamous cutback scenario. They never should have been discontinued and it's worth noting that these cuts affected the Midwest disproportionately. Also, MIPRC is calling for increased frequencies for the Lake Shore and Capitol Limited routes - this is important for us. They are also calling for a new Chicago-Detroit-Cleveland-East Coast train as well, probably to New York or Washington DC. This also is important for us.
August 31, 20231 yr amtrak preview of the proposed layout of the new ld car train sets — via amtrak unlimited — amtrak will release this info soon — https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/long-distance-ld-fleet-replacement-discussion-2022-23.83652/page-26#post-1018493
September 1, 20231 yr A European airline has begun charging extra to sit in a child-free zone of the aircraft. How long will it be until Amtrak decides the "quiet car" is worth extra? It IS worth more; but I'm going to hate paying it. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
September 2, 20231 yr Author Nice advertising "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 2, 20231 yr 18 hours ago, Dougal said: A European airline has begun charging extra to sit in a child-free zone of the aircraft. How long will it be until Amtrak decides the "quiet car" is worth extra? It IS worth more; but I'm going to hate paying it. I would gladly pay to not have someone talking on facetime via speakerphone next to me like this morning at CLE
September 2, 20231 yr Fantastic detailed presentation of the Chicago Crossrail proposal from the High Speed Rail Alliance. This proposal is critical to making nearly everything about Midwest passenger rail much better. And here’s the fancy overview video. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
September 7, 20231 yr The Midwest is a fantastic location for high quality passenger rail. As City Nerd points out: ‘“The US is too spread out to support high quality passenger rail” is obviously untrue in the northeast, but also, hidden inside the US is a nation-state roughly the size of Spain, but more populous. (Spain has fantastic intercity rail.) From today’s video:’ https://x.com/nerd4cities/status/1699462327505166759?s=46&t=7i2eCUyWNZMfcPIb8zesTg Imagine the version of this map with 400k+ metro areas - would add Dayton, Toledo, Akron, Youngstown, & Canton OH; Madison and Green Bay / Appleton / Fon du Lac, WI; Ft Wayne, IN; Peoria IL and the Quad Cities on the IL/IA border; and Flint and Lansing MI. I think this is from the below video: When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
September 7, 20231 yr Author "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 19, 20231 yr @KJP said: "That's not correct that an hour has been added to the schedules of the Lake Shore and Capitol limiteds because of congestion between Chicago and Porter, IN (a distance of only 40 miles)." I was speaking from experience riding Amtrak on multiple occasions. Making great time and looking like we're going to be early into Chicago only to hit the Hammond/Whiting area (give or take) and slow to a crawl, sometimes just not moving at all, and all that extra time getting eaten up or winding up late. It has been a while, but I have yet to experience an easy ride into CHI. What would times look like if Amtrak could get into Chicago without slowing down at all?
September 19, 20231 yr Author 2 minutes ago, gildone said: What would times look like if Amtrak could get into Chicago without slowing down at all? 😁 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 22, 20231 yr Author Who gettin' da moolah FRA awards millions in funds to restore Gulf Coast Amtrak service, construct Virginia rail bridge https://www.progressiverailroading.com/federal_legislation_regulation/news/FRA-awards-millions-in-funds-to-restore-Gulf-Coast-Amtrak-service-construct-Virginia-rail-bridge--70241 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 23, 20231 yr Rep Kaptur calls for visionary rail thinking https://www.toledoblade.com/local/transportation/2023/09/22/rep-kaptur-calls-for-visionary-rail-thinking/stories/20230922134 And at the bottom, you can see the typical right wing troll comments that accompany about every article in the blade that's actually about making some type of progress
September 23, 20231 yr I wonder when the rest of the FRA CRISI grants will be announced. The ODRC had applied for a $2.5M study of the Cincinnati Rail network in conjunction with NS, CSX and G&W. Have not heard any news about it recently.
September 24, 20231 yr On 9/22/2023 at 1:59 PM, KJP said: Who gettin' da moolah FRA awards millions in funds to restore Gulf Coast Amtrak service, construct Virginia rail bridge https://www.progressiverailroading.com/federal_legislation_regulation/news/FRA-awards-millions-in-funds-to-restore-Gulf-Coast-Amtrak-service-construct-Virginia-rail-bridge--70241 There's an interesting bit about a pergola style flyover to be built in Virginia as a part of the Washington DC-Richmond line.
September 25, 20231 yr Author This project will have a major benefit to Ohio, allowing for future expansion which is not now possible due to congested freight tracks. $1 billion plan to improve Union Station infrastructure needs quick signature from Biden. President Joe Biden would do well to heed the word of two dozen Midwest lawmakers and sign off on $1 billion in needed infrastructure improvements at Chicago’s Union Station. The Chicago Infrastructure Improvement Program aims for changes that would significantly benefit Amtrak and Metra travelers in and out of downtown — and across the country, given the city’s role as the nation’s rail hub. CHIP’s hefty price tag brings a host of benefits, including the promise of faster travel into Chicago from Indianapolis, Michigan and southern states, plus improved Metra service into Union Station. https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/9/23/23886032/union-station-amtrak-metra-rail-lines-1-billion-federal-funding-biden-durbin-editorial "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 25, 20231 yr Author Yep, last year's awards this year! FRA announces $1.4 billion in FY2022 CRISI grants https://www.progressiverailroading.com/federal_legislation_regulation/news/FRA-announces-14-billion-in-FY2022-CRISI-grants--70260 Full list of awards: https://railroads.dot.gov/sites/fra.dot.gov/files/2023-09/FY 2022 CRISI Program Selections - Project Summaries.pdf "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 26, 20231 yr 21 hours ago, KJP said: Yep, last year's awards this year! FRA announces $1.4 billion in FY2022 CRISI grants https://www.progressiverailroading.com/federal_legislation_regulation/news/FRA-announces-14-billion-in-FY2022-CRISI-grants--70260 Full list of awards: https://railroads.dot.gov/sites/fra.dot.gov/files/2023-09/FY 2022 CRISI Program Selections - Project Summaries.pdf Looks like Cincinnati's terminal did not make it. Bummer, but hopefully it will be addressed as part of 3C+D planning. 21 hours ago, KJP said: CHIP’s hefty price tag brings a host of benefits, including the promise of faster travel into Chicago from Indianapolis, Michigan and southern states... Have you seen any estimates for how much time savings this could be for the Cardinal?
September 28, 20231 yr Author On 9/26/2023 at 9:03 AM, Dev said: Have you seen any estimates for how much time savings this could be for the Cardinal? Might save about 20-25 minutes. Just my guesstimate based on express train South Shore schedules. The Cardinal can stay on the planned South Shore extension to Dyer. Scary thing but I can see Indiana investing in expanded Indianapolis-Chicago service long before a regularly scheduled passenger train ever sniffs the 3C&D Corridor. And it has nothing to do with ridership potential. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 29, 20231 yr wat the hades??! House GOP seeking more than 90% funding cut to Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor By Ben Brachfeld Posted on September 28, 2023 House Republicans want to slash funding for Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, the busiest passenger railroad in North America, by 92%, and are still holding out on the verge of a government shutdown despite bipartisan calls to restore funding. more: https://www.amny.com/transit/house-gop-funding-cut-amtrak-northeast-corridor/
September 29, 20231 yr Author The GOP is not led by serious people "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 29, 20231 yr 6 hours ago, KJP said: The GOP is not led by serious people Unfortunately they are very serious, and if ever given power again would execute these Trumpian modes of revenge on the liberal states.
October 10, 20231 yr hows about some good news? i have to admit i never thought we would see the day anytime soon, but here we are. 👍 Gateway Tunnel Project begins construction, linking New York City and New Jersey Greg Mocker 3 days ago NEW YORK (PIX11) — It has been talked about for decades and the shovels are finally ready. The first phase of the Gateway Tunnel project begins next week on the New York and New Jersey side. Two new tracks will be built during a later phase of the work under the riverbed. It will double the current capacity. Behind the fence between 11th and 12th Avenues at West 30th Street, the transformation is about to begin above ground and 40 feet below. The Gateway Development Commission installed a decorative mesh around the fence at the construction staging site. It features artwork by Marisa Jahn. Riders are anxious to see the work and the benefits of the transit resiliency project. It will cost more than $16 billion and is scheduled to take a decade. In September, the contracts were approved. “Over the past year, a lot of the things that kept me up at night have been worked through,” said Alicia Glen, the co-chair of the Gateway Development Commission. The first section of work in New York is under the High Line. On the New Jersey side, it starts along Tonnelle Avenue. The street will be reconfigured to go over the entrance of the new tunnels. Utilities will also be relocated. Concrete casings are built first. It is a big box that connects to the actual tunnels. The current structure is more than 110 years old. In July, the federal government came through with a $6.88 billion grant. Both states have also contributed and partnered with Amtrak. Boring machines will plow through the muck to create structures for two tracks. That is a later phase of the work. The Portal Bridge in Kearny, New Jersey, is also being rebuilt. more: https://pix11-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/pix11.com/news/local-news/gateway-tunnel-project-begins-construction-linking-new-york-city-and-new-jersy/amp/?amp_gsa=1&_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQGsAEggAID#amp_tf=From %1%24s&aoh=16967872489186&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&share=https%3A%2F%2Fpix11.com%2Fnews%2Flocal-news%2Fgateway-tunnel-project-begins-construction-linking-new-york-city-and-new-jersy%2F
October 14, 20231 yr Unfortunately found on Facebook and I didn't see any Youtube link "Acela trains is pulled from the Alstom facility in Hornell to Olean for temporary storage. The Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad is up front pulling this sleek new set, one of two dozen being assembled in Hornell for eventual use on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor that runs between Boston and Washington, D.C" https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1445055056279181
October 28, 20231 yr this is nice — i hope they build out more electric bus connections — Amtrak just rolled out an incredible new service: ‘A benefit to the entire industry’ Tina Deines Thu, October 26, 2023 Amtrak began operating its first intercity electric bus this August, making it the first electric vehicle in the company’s national network. The bus runs from Seattle to Bellingham, Washington, almost a 200-mile journey round-trip. The Van Hool 45-foot motor coach can make the trip on a single charge and seats up to 60 passengers. This route complements two daily round-trip Amtrak trains. Amtrak is more commonly known for its intercity passenger trains. Previously, intercity buses have faced challenges electrifying their routes due to a lack of bus-specific charging infrastructure. more: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/amtrak-just-rolled-incredible-benefit-190000261.html
November 1, 20231 yr Author 11/1/2023 Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation House bill would slash Amtrak funding by 64% The White House on Monday issued a veto threat for House Republicans' appropriations bill H.R. 4820, which calls for dramatic cuts in funding for Amtrak, rail safety, infrastructure and high-speed rail. The bill sets appropriations for the U.S. Department of Transportation and Department of Housing and Urban Development for fiscal-year 2024, ending Sept. 30. If passed, it would cut Amtrak funding by 64% below the 2023 enacted level. The cuts would reduce or potentially eliminate certain Amtrak long-distance and state-supported services, and risk operations and critical capital expenses on the Northeast Corridor, according to an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) statement issued Monday. MORE https://www.progressiverailroading.com/federal_legislation_regulation/news/House-bill-would-slash-Amtrak-funding-by-64--70550 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 1, 20231 yr On 2/24/2023 at 9:49 AM, Dev said: ^I never thought of Birmingham as a potential regional rail hub but I don't hate it What immediately popped into my head: 🎵"Through Birmingham we have to go now. CHOO -- CHOO -- CHOO."🎵 Y'know, from the Lynyrd Skynyrd song "Rail Hub Alabama." Edited November 1, 20231 yr by LlamaLawyer
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