3 minutes ago, Dev said:

Wasn't there also massive public investment in the infrastructure? More competition would be really good to shake up the current dynamic, but it seems like it would still have a low ceiling given how bad the vast majority of infrastructure is in the the US. Would that competition lead to more political support for increased infrastructure spending?

 

Indeed. But even in the freight industry, there's little competition. Most system users are also the rail system's owners, even at Amtrak (ie Northeast Corridor). If a non-profit B Corporation owned the rail infrastructure and awarded franchises based on earnings and performance, NS after East Palestine wouldn't get its franchise renewed to be the operator of freight service on the A Line between Chicago and the East Coast.

8 minutes ago, KJP said:

If a non-profit B Corporation owned the rail infrastructure and awarded franchises based on earnings and performance, NS after East Palestine wouldn't get its franchise renewed to be the operator of freight service on the A Line between Chicago and the East Coast.

Absolute dream scenario. It's frustrating because it seems like there has to be a lot of failures before there is the political willpower to do the right thing, which is super obvious.

10 minutes ago, Dev said:

Absolute dream scenario. It's frustrating because it seems like there has to be a lot of failures before there is the political willpower to do the right thing, which is super obvious.

 

It's like the old saying: all safety regulations are written in blood.

16 hours ago, Dev said:

Wasn't there also massive public investment in the infrastructure? More competition would be really good to shake up the current dynamic, but it seems like it would still have a low ceiling given how bad the vast majority of infrastructure is in the the US. Would that competition lead to more political support for increased infrastructure spending?

It all started with the Marshall Plan. 

We need the political will to pass our own version of that.  

8 hours ago, Cleburger said:

It all started with the Marshall Plan. 

We need the political will to pass our own version of that.  

Sadly, we did do that, but just for highways and airports

2 hours ago, Dev said:

Sadly, we did do that, but just for highways and airports

The chances of federal control over the rail infrastructure becoming a reality are slim (and none if Trump is reelected).  But it needs to be done.  The states/local governments will lose tax revenue, but the railroads will be relieved of that maintenance expense and we'll have a true national, interstate view for planning and maintenance of the transportation network.

30 minutes ago, Foraker said:

The chances of federal control over the rail infrastructure becoming a reality are slim (and none if Trump is reelected).  But it needs to be done.  The states/local governments will lose tax revenue, but the railroads will be relieved of that maintenance expense and we'll have a true national, interstate view for planning and maintenance of the transportation network.

It's definitely not going to be anything until Baby Boomers are no longer a major political faction, at minimum.

Amtrak Cincy Plans:

 

The Federal Railroad Administration is advancing two new Amtrak routes that would run through Cincinnati and connect it to cities like Tulsa, Indianapolis, Nashville and more.

 

https://local12.com/amp/news/local/new-plan-2-new-possible-long-distance-passenger-rail-routes-through-cincinnati-amtrak-trains-train-union-terminal-federal-plans-stations-railroad-administration-infrastructure-bill-chicago-new-york-columbus-cardinal-line-dallas-expansion-congress-funds

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2024/06/20/amtrak-new-routes-detroit-new-orleans-dallas-nyc.html

Edited June 20, 2024Jun 20 by 646empire

I realize this bridge is an older bridge and probably needed to be replaced. But was it an emergency? Could it be repaired? Is the greatest benefit to this project the modest increase in speed from 45 to 70 mph? I ask these questions because this is a $1.3 billion project. For $1.3 billion, we could provide the infrastructure for a 110 mph passenger services on a route like 3C&D Corridor, or Chicago-Fort Wayne-Columbus. or Cleveland-Toledo-Detroit. 

 

Amtrak awards Connecticut River Bridge construction contract

https://www.progressiverailroading.com/amtrak/news/Amtrak-awards-Connecticut-River-Bridge-construction-contract--72267

Also, it's still moveable?

2 hours ago, Dev said:

Also, it's still moveable?

 

Yes, the new bridge will be movable.

Is there a constraint requiring that? It seems like such a wasted opportunity, not only to increase speeds but have an actual fixed bridge.

7 hours ago, Dev said:

Is there a constraint requiring that? It seems like such a wasted opportunity, not only to increase speeds but have an actual fixed bridge.

 

It's a navigable waterway and the cost of building track ramps to gain enough elevation to have a fixed bridge would be far more than $1.3 billion. If you look at it on a map, it also requires bridging over marshes on both sides of the Connecticut River -- about 1 mile on the east side of the river and a half-mile on the west. Perhaps the only way around this is to build a proposed dedicated high speed rail line from Hartford to Providence. This would also avoid lots of other curving parts of the existing right of way along the shoreline, which is also increasingly subject to more flooding as a result of climate change. The fact that they're building this bridge tells me that any new dedicated high speed line built inland is a long way off if ever.

Amtrak set to break ridership record in 2024

 

 

WASHINGTON — Amtrak has announced it expects ridership to top 2019 — pre-COVID — levels this year and reach a new all-time record high even though it currently has less capacity.

Ridership is reported 20% higher in the first 8 months of Amtrak’s budget year that began Oct. 1, 2023. Ticket revenue is showing a 10% increase versus the same period in 2023, according to written testimony by Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner presented at a hearing of the U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials on June 12.

 

https://www.trains.com/trn/amtrak-set-to-break-ridership-record-in-2024/

AMTRAK AGREES TO BETTER BICYCLE ACCESS

 

https://bikeleague.org/amtrak-agrees-to-better-bicycle-access/

 

 

via gov hochul -- insane money, but it needs to be done and right now -- you know, just in case ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't know when this was launched, but the FRA now has a StoryMap for the CID program. It doesn't have a ton of detailed information, since everything is still pretty early in the process, but it does a good job of visualizing what is on the table, as well as clarifying the scope of each application. Personally, I liked the write-up for the old Kentucky Cardinal.

U.S. Accuses Norfolk Southern of Delaying Amtrak Trains

NY Times - Mark Walker and Peter Eavis - 7-30-24

 

"The Justice Department on Tuesday accused Norfolk Southern, one of the country’s largest freight railroad companies, of violating federal law by delaying Amtrak passenger trains along the route between New Orleans and New York. In a complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the Justice Department said Norfolk Southern failed to give Amtrak passenger trains preference over freight trains, as it is required to do under federal law."

 

 

 

Justice Department Files Complaint Against Norfolk Southern to Stop Amtrak Passenger Train Delays

Department of Justice Press Release - 7-30-24

 

The United States filed a civil complaint today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that the Norfolk Southern Corporation and Norfolk Southern Railway Company (collectively, Norfolk Southern) delays passenger trains on Amtrak’s Crescent Route in violation of federal law.

 

The Crescent Route, operated by Amtrak (also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corporation), is a 1,377-mile passenger line that stops at 33 towns and cities between New York City and New Orleans. Norfolk Southern controls 1,140 miles of rail line on the Crescent Route and handles dispatching for all trains along that segment, including freight trains it operates. Approximately 266,000 passengers traveled on the Crescent Route during 2023. That year, only 24% of southbound Crescent Route passenger trains traveling on Norfolk Southern-controlled track arrived at their destination on time.

 

According to the complaint filed on July 30, federal law requires Norfolk Southern to give Amtrak passenger trains preference over freight trains. The complaint alleges that Norfolk Southern regularly fails to do so, leading to widespread delays that harm and inconvenience train passengers, negatively affect Amtrak’s financial performance, and impede passenger rail transportation. The complaint includes several examples of how Norfolk Southern’s failure to give passenger trains the required preference causes many of these delays. For example, on Jan. 1, an Amtrak train 10 miles outside of New Orleans was delayed for nearly an hour when Norfolk Southern dispatchers required it to travel behind a slow-moving freight train. On another occasion, Norfolk Southern dispatchers forced an Amtrak train to wait over an hour while allowing three separate freight trains to pass. In many cases, Norfolk Southern runs freight trains along the Crescent Route that, due to track limitations, are so long they cannot move to the side for passenger trains to pass them.   

 

“Americans should not experience travel delays because rail carriers break the law. Our action today alleges that Norfolk Southern violates federal law by failing to give the legally required preference to Amtrak passenger trains over freight trains,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will continue to protect travelers by ensuring that rail carriers fulfill their legal obligations.” 

 

“For half a century, federal law has required freight rail companies to give Amtrak passenger rail service preference on their tracks — yet compliance with this important law has been uneven at best,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We will continue to engage the railroad industry and work with Amtrak to ensure that freight railroads comply with their legal obligations and that Amtrak customers are not subjected to unacceptable, unnecessary, and unlawful delays.”

Trial Attorneys Max Goldman, Amber Charles, and Pauline Stamatelos of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are handling the case.

20 hours ago, NorthShore647 said:

U.S. Accuses Norfolk Southern of Delaying Amtrak Trains

NY Times - Mark Walker and Peter Eavis - 7-30-24

 

"The Justice Department on Tuesday accused Norfolk Southern, one of the country’s largest freight railroad companies, of violating federal law by delaying Amtrak passenger trains along the route between New Orleans and New York. In a complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the Justice Department said Norfolk Southern failed to give Amtrak passenger trains preference over freight trains, as it is required to do under federal law."

 

 

Bravo.  Long overdue!

A nice feature on booming rail passenger travel in today's WSJ.  It's mostly a puff piece, but the big news to me was Brightline in Florida.  Their average ticket price in 2023 was $18; in 2024 it was $53. Their revenues have tripled and they say they're on their way to profitability.

 

https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/travel/frustrated-travelers-avoid-airports-choose-trains-7174ab6f?mod=Searchresults_pos1&page=1

1 hour ago, Dougal said:

Their average ticket price in 2023 was $18; in 2024 it was $53.

 

IIRC the increase in ticket price, is from more customers going longer distances. At face value, it looks like they are just surge pricing, but it's not that simple.

Amtrak and NJT partnering to fix more wires in the NEC corridor: https://www.nj.com/news/2024/08/amtrak-asks-for-299m-to-fix-northeast-corridor-problems-that-constantly-delay-commuters.html

2 hours ago, Dev said:

 

IIRC the increase in ticket price, is from more customers going longer distances. At face value, it looks like they are just surge pricing, but it's not that simple.

The article said some of the increase was attributable to price increases, but didn't provide details.

gateway gets rolling -- 

 

 

 

First Gateway contract awarded to drill new Hudson River rail tunnels through the Palisades

 

Updated: Aug. 02, 2024
By Larry Higgs | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

 

The first tunnel boring contract to drill the first new Hudson River rail tunnels in 115 years through the Palisades was awarded for $465 million by the Gateway Development Commission Thursday.

 

The contract was awarded to Schiavone, Dragados Lane Joint Venture, which was selected from five firms that competed for the contract.

more:
https://www.nj.com/traffic/2024/08/first-gateway-contract-awarded-to-drill-new-hudson-river-rail-tunnels-through-the-palisades.html

https://www.enr.com/articles/59066-schiavone-dragados-lane-jv-wins-4656m-contract-for-hudson-tunnel-project

 

 

 

also gateway —

 

2min of nj portal bridge north work —

 

july 27, 2024 —

 

looks pretty far along — 👍

 

 

 

now, err, umm, about those old east river tunnels —

 

 

 

Amtrak's rebuild of busted East River tunnels could strain LIRR service, experts say

 

By Ramsey Khalifeh

Published Aug 7, 2024

 

 

Amtrak’s 114-year-old East River tunnels, which are used by hundreds of Long Island Rail Road trains rolling in and out of Manhattan's Penn Station every day, are slated to undergo years of repairs starting this fall — and experts warn the work could spell big trouble for commuters.

 

The tunnels are separated into four tubes, each carrying a set of tracks. Flooding from Hurricane Sandy in 2012 damaged two of those tubes, and Amtrak last month inked a contract to rebuild the damaged structures as part of a $1.6 billion project.

 

Amtrak plans to fully close one tube at a time while crews “demolish all existing tunnel systems down to the liner, before completely restoring both tubes” over the course of three-and-a-half years, the railroad said in a press release. That means that from the fall until at least late 2027, trains moving between Penn Station and Queens will only have access to three tracks underneath the East River instead of four.

 

 

more:

https://gothamist.com/news/amtraks-rebuild-of-busted-east-river-tunnels-could-strain-lirr-service-experts-say

 

17 hours ago, mrnyc said:

now, err, umm, about those old east river tunnels —

 

Amtrak's rebuild of busted East River tunnels could strain LIRR service, experts say

That seems entirely predictable.

 

Of course, the alternative -- not fixing the tunnels -- would ultimately be far more disruptive. 

A truck hit the westbound Amtrak train near Waterloo, Indiana. 

 

49 minutes ago, Boomerang_Brian said:

A truck hit the westbound Amtrak train near Waterloo, Indiana. 

 

This happens far too frequently. I myself was on the Lake Shore Limited years ago when we hit a pickup truck and knocked it sideways. I do wonder how the driver could not see the train in front of him/her? Distracted driving? On their iPhone? I recall an incident out west some years ago, where a log truck hit the California Zephyr at 80 mph, killing several passengers and derailing the train, setting it on fire. Railroads and highways should be separated to as great a degree as possible and level crossings should be fully gated with barriers to keep intruders off the tracks when a train is coming.

On 7/30/2024 at 4:21 PM, NorthShore647 said:

U.S. Accuses Norfolk Southern of Delaying Amtrak Trains

NY Times - Mark Walker and Peter Eavis - 7-30-24

 

"The Justice Department on Tuesday accused Norfolk Southern, one of the country’s largest freight railroad companies, of violating federal law by delaying Amtrak passenger trains along the route between New Orleans and New York. In a complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the Justice Department said Norfolk Southern failed to give Amtrak passenger trains preference over freight trains, as it is required to do under federal law."

 

I'm really hoping this is not the last we hear of federal enforcement of the law. 

 

It would be even better if Congress could figure out a way to regain true federal control over at least the interstate rail routes without having to pay out trillions of dollars at once -- perhaps make every interstate route that lacks sufficient sidings and/or impairs the on-time schedule of passenger trains subject to forfeiture hearings; set a high standard that forces the railroads to come up with a short time table to fix the problem or lose control of the tracks. 

 

Maybe the federal government could outright buy the tracks from smaller operators, a few routes per year for the next 50 years.

 

I know, states and localities will fight the loss of revenue from taxing the right of way, and the railroads might not be too upset over the loss of maintenance and tax obligations (but they wouldn't like the lack of scheduling control), and it would add maintenance obligations to the federal government/Amtrak -- but the US could control scheduling and impose user fees based on train weight to recover some of the maintenance cost.  And we'd have national route planning and on-time passenger rail.

44 minutes ago, Foraker said:

 

I'm really hoping this is not the last we hear of federal enforcement of the law. 

 

It would be even better if Congress could figure out a way to regain true federal control over at least the interstate rail routes without having to pay out trillions of dollars at once -- perhaps make every interstate route that lacks sufficient sidings and/or impairs the on-time schedule of passenger trains subject to forfeiture hearings; set a high standard that forces the railroads to come up with a short time table to fix the problem or lose control of the tracks. 

 

Maybe the federal government could outright buy the tracks from smaller operators, a few routes per year for the next 50 years.

 

I know, states and localities will fight the loss of revenue from taxing the right of way, and the railroads might not be too upset over the loss of maintenance and tax obligations (but they wouldn't like the lack of scheduling control), and it would add maintenance obligations to the federal government/Amtrak -- but the US could control scheduling and impose user fees based on train weight to recover some of the maintenance cost.  And we'd have national route planning and on-time passenger rail.

The federal government can regulate the railroads, as it does thru the Surface Transportation Board, but it would fall to Congress to enact legislation to nationalize them, which is what you are essentially calling for here. Rail labor is pushing this, but it's a steep uphill climb. I do think re-regulation (at least to some extent) may be what we end up with - if Congress can act.

Making the rounds on Facecrook (click to enlarge)....

2 hours ago, KJP said:

Making the rounds on Facecrook (click to enlarge)....

The 1962 map does not give the viewer the full scope of what we had back then. Service was much faster and had more amenities than today. There were still several all Pullman trains and many trains featured full dining with white tablecloths, china and silverware. Today's "service" is the palest shadow of what once was. True, this was a service in decline and things would become dire by the late 1960's, but we certainly could do much better today.

 

 

13 hours ago, KJP said:

We have heard that BS argument about our supposed lack of population for years and it's still BS. Ohio has the same population density as France, home of the TGV.

 

Also, to get that very high speed as exists between Barcelona and Madrid in the NEC we will have to invest many billions of dollars for new lines in a very congested region. On the other hand, there are some workaounds which should be looked at. A blogger named Lucid Stew has a vid on You Tube proposing to route thru NEC trains via the Jersey Turnpike to bypass Wilmington and Philadelphia, which would slice  a lot of time off the schedule. Even that would cost many billions, but it makes more sense to to me than building an all new line which would be stratospherically expensive.

 

Edited August 22, 2024Aug 22 by neony

Here's Lucid Stew's vid:

 

 

Ohio having the same population density of France is a bit of a misrepresentation of the issue though. This fact is pretty accurate and often gets repeated, but is misleading imo.

 

If you have an area the size of Ohio, and 60% of people live within a 20 minute non-car commute of 6 stops, that's really different than having a populations where only 10% of people live within a 20 minute non-car commute of 6 stops.

 

I don't have the data (maybe someone else could find some good data, the example above was just for demonstrative purposes), but I'm certain that Ohio's population is also less concentrated in walkable, transit oriented communities. Ridership wouldn't be the same in Ohio vs France because of that. 

 

It sucks, and we need to start somewhere, but ridership wouldn't be the same because of how our communities themselves sprawl unlike Europe

2 hours ago, ryanlammi said:

Ohio having the same population density of France is a bit of a misrepresentation of the issue though. This fact is pretty accurate and often gets repeated, but is misleading imo.

 

If you have an area the size of Ohio, and 60% of people live within a 20 minute non-car commute of 6 stops, that's really different than having a populations where only 10% of people live within a 20 minute non-car commute of 6 stops.

 

I don't have the data (maybe someone else could find some good data, the example above was just for demonstrative purposes), but I'm certain that Ohio's population is also less concentrated in walkable, transit oriented communities. Ridership wouldn't be the same in Ohio vs France because of that. 

 

It sucks, and we need to start somewhere, but ridership wouldn't be the same because of how our communities themselves sprawl unlike Europe

Ya look at any of their 20-50k cities and you will still see dense city centers, typically around a train station, and everyone else lives in dense communities branching off from the city center. Most are basically Lakewood, but with a few extra sq miles of farmland surrounding them. Even their small farm towns usually have all of the houses on one or two main streets, and the rest of the land is farmland.

34 minutes ago, PlanCleveland said:

Ya look at any of their 20-50k cities and you will still see dense city centers, typically around a train station, and everyone else lives in dense communities branching off from the city center. Most are basically Lakewood, but with a few extra sq miles of farmland surrounding them. Even their small farm towns usually have all of the houses on one or two main streets, and the rest of the land is farmland.

I actually started making this a few months ago to compare red/blue/green lines to possible new routes to Crocker Rd, Solon, and Bedford. As you can tell, I never finished filling out the rest of the info haha.  Just to show some densities near existing RTA or lightly used freight rail lines in Cuyahoga county.

 

The last numbers for blue and green lines are just total within that distance from the line, as the stops can be fairly bunched and I didn't feel like doing every one of them.  Lakewood and Red line also have total populations within 1 mile of the lines as quite a few of the stops overlap a lot at a 1 mile radius as well.

 

7 hours ago, ryanlammi said:

Ohio having the same population density of France is a bit of a misrepresentation of the issue though. This fact is pretty accurate and often gets repeated, but is misleading imo.

 

If you have an area the size of Ohio, and 60% of people live within a 20 minute non-car commute of 6 stops, that's really different than having a populations where only 10% of people live within a 20 minute non-car commute of 6 stops.

 

I don't have the data (maybe someone else could find some good data, the example above was just for demonstrative purposes), but I'm certain that Ohio's population is also less concentrated in walkable, transit oriented communities. Ridership wouldn't be the same in Ohio vs France because of that. 

 

It sucks, and we need to start somewhere, but ridership wouldn't be the same because of how our communities themselves sprawl unlike Europe

I don’t think anyone is expecting France ridership levels; rather, the point is that Ohio absolutely has the population density to support passenger rail (as does most of the Midwest). 3C&D puts close to 8 million people within a 30 minute drive of a station - that’s plenty of people to generate good ridership on this line. And connecting any of Ohio’s large cities to Chicago would also generate good ridership. 

12 hours ago, Boomerang_Brian said:

I don’t think anyone is expecting France ridership levels; rather, the point is that Ohio absolutely has the population density to support passenger rail (as does most of the Midwest). 3C&D puts close to 8 million people within a 30 minute drive of a station - that’s plenty of people to generate good ridership on this line. And connecting any of Ohio’s large cities to Chicago would also generate good ridership. 

Agree. We won't have French ridership levels, but there will be healthy demand for service once it starts operating, PROVIDED that it is well conceived and executed. Part of that should be to tie local transit into the rail system to make it easier to get around without driving.

"Too much time on my plans" -- if Styx was popular today.

 

 

Trip report:

 

My first post-Covid rail trip was last weekend from New Carrollton, MD (easier for me than going downtown to Union Station) to NY's Penn Station on Friday and back on Monday on regional (not Acela) trains.  Pleasant changes since 2020: spotless cars, clean windows, reasonably speedy Wi-Fi, and on-time performance.  Disappointing: the quiet car isn't any more, the cafe car menu is still ho-hum with slightly higher prices.

 

Mixed opinion on the Moynihan Train Hall: from the passenger point of view, it's brighter and airier, otherwise meh. On the train level, the organization is better.  A small tip to the redcap still gets you a waiting area with seats, an early crowdless boarding of the train, and a big choice of seats ahead of the crowd. If you don't use the redcaps, the waiting lines are looooong without seating and form early. Added plus, the redcaps are cheerful, chatty, and willing to help.

 

Edit: both trains were probably 95% full.

I'll jump in here with a trip report as well. 

 

Also my first post-Covid trip Cleveland to Buffalo a few mornings ago. 

 

The train arrived on time at the Lakefront station.   About 50 people exited in Cleveland, while another 20 of us waited to board. 

 

Once on board the coach car was clean , but the windows not so much.   I  had the car practically to myself with only 3-4 other people in with me.   I did not try Wifi. 

 

After an on-time stop in Erie, we actually arrived into Buffalo Depew approximately 4 minutes early.   Oddly enough, the train stopped short of the station, then pulled the additional 1000 feet or so at exactly the arrival time LOL.   

 

Total trip time was 3 hours on the nose, which is about the same as driving.  No complaints here! 

When I have taken the Lake Shore east, I've noticed that the train is not very full leaving Cleveland buy gets more full the farther east you go into New York state. Heading west, the train seems to be full the entire way with people coming and going and keeping the seats warm.

The last time I rode was last August and was from Albany NY to Cleveland. I noticed there was a fair amount of room when I boarded, but more and more people got on at Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo. It was packed leaving the latter city. Many Amish too. Lounge attendant was very friendly. Coming back, the train zoomed along to Buffalo, where it sat for quite some time. I later learned that stops at Depew are frequently very lengthy, due to having to move the train three times to allow passengers on or off and for a change of crew and to let the PTC cab signal system to boot up. This is a schedule killer. I have not been on a train since moving back to Ohio.

29 minutes ago, neony said:

Coming back, the train zoomed along to Buffalo, where it sat for quite some time. I later learned that stops at Depew are frequently very lengthy, due to having to move the train three times to allow passengers on or off and for a change of crew and to let the PTC cab signal system to boot up. This is a schedule killer. I have not been on a train since moving back to Ohio.

Glad I got off in Buffalo.   I wonder if the stop just short of the station i experienced was a similar problem. 

7 hours ago, Cleburger said:

Glad I got off in Buffalo.   I wonder if the stop just short of the station i experienced was a similar problem. 

It could have been. Depew has been a problem for some time. The platform is too short to allow egress for passengers so they have to move it two or three times. They also had a problem with Homeland Security, who kept getting on, harassing passengers and delaying the train even more. That ended when an Amtrak official ordered the engineer to depart with them still ON the train. That prompted a mad dash for the exits (the train did stop at the end of the platform) and solved the problem.

On 9/11/2024 at 12:28 AM, neony said:

It could have been. Depew has been a problem for some time. The platform is too short to allow egress for passengers so they have to move it two or three times. 

Strange through--I was in the second car from the front and we stopped well short of the platform and sat their for 5-6 minutes.   The conductors came around just before and let everyone know for buffalo to get your things and be ready, and then we all ended up standing there waiting. 

7 hours ago, Cleburger said:

Strange through--I was in the second car from the front and we stopped well short of the platform and sat their for 5-6 minutes.   The conductors came around just before and let everyone know for buffalo to get your things and be ready, and then we all ended up standing there waiting. 

They were probably doing a crew change for the engineer if you were just short of the platform. Once on board, the engineer has to boot up the PTC signaling system and that can take as much as 15 minutes. Before 1968, the New York Central used automatic train stop which was electro-mechanical as opposed to the hi-tech gadgetry we have now. ATS would bring a train to a stop if the engineer ran a signal and he would have to get out of the cab to reset it.