by SwingMan
Just to add to the point of improving the right of way. There is a lot that needs to be re-done, not just the visible rails, ballast and ties. The crossing circuits need to be timed for faster operation, and there are a lot of crossings. Again not easy, but here is just a simple way of actually seeing what can be done if the track speed is raised from the current MAS. That is:
45mph to 65mph from KO to MR (Manorville)
40mph to 55mph from MR to GY (Greenport)
3:49 (KO)
4:05 vs. 3:59 (YA)
4:14 vs. 4:06 (MR)
4:20 vs. 4:09 (AH)
4:29 vs. 4:14 (LD)
4:37 vs. 4:20 (R)*
4:44 vs. 4:23 (K)
4:56 vs. 4:29 (SD)
5:04 vs. 4:35 (Greenport station)*
Time cut: 29 min
* Time added for impending speed restrictions
Add 45 minutes to the bottom end for Jamaica to Ronkonkoma express running and viola, you have a (mostly) direct, 95-100 minute trip to the North Fork from Jamaica, 2 hours from Penn.
Compare this with the current closest thing to direct, express service: Trains 2070 to 256. Combined running time of roughly 2 and a half hours.
The regular Scoot service would see a very dramatic improvement. With the combined running time shaved off the local train from Penn Station and the Scoot, a 2 hour trip to the North Fork is not out of question even on a local.
45mph to 65mph from KO to MR (Manorville)
40mph to 55mph from MR to GY (Greenport)
3:49 (KO)
4:05 vs. 3:59 (YA)
4:14 vs. 4:06 (MR)
4:20 vs. 4:09 (AH)
4:29 vs. 4:14 (LD)
4:37 vs. 4:20 (R)*
4:44 vs. 4:23 (K)
4:56 vs. 4:29 (SD)
5:04 vs. 4:35 (Greenport station)*
Time cut: 29 min
* Time added for impending speed restrictions
Add 45 minutes to the bottom end for Jamaica to Ronkonkoma express running and viola, you have a (mostly) direct, 95-100 minute trip to the North Fork from Jamaica, 2 hours from Penn.
Compare this with the current closest thing to direct, express service: Trains 2070 to 256. Combined running time of roughly 2 and a half hours.
The regular Scoot service would see a very dramatic improvement. With the combined running time shaved off the local train from Penn Station and the Scoot, a 2 hour trip to the North Fork is not out of question even on a local.