Amtrak Vermonter (Montreal Greenfield Boston CT River Line)

[shadyjay]

The Conn River Bridge (Holyoke) caught fire a year or two ago. I was on the NB train which was held south of the bridge for a little bit, until they gave us clearance to cross it, and when we did, it was at a reduced speed. Luckily we were able to cross, and it didn't require any service disruption (ie-bustitution), but it is a "relatively new" speed restriction that cropped up post-rebuilding.

FWIW, there's a thread in the Pan-Am forum called "Conn River Line" which is probably where we should be talking about this, as we're north of the Springfield Line at this point.

[Train60]

FWIW, there's a thread in the Pan-Am forum called "Conn River Line" which is probably where we should be talking about this, as we're north of the Springfield Line at this point.

Good point. Maybe one of the moderators can move the recent off-topic posts over to viewtopic.php?f=55&t=76506&start=1545

[shadyjay]

Did a roundtrip on the Vermonter this past weekend, as part of my trip to ride the Amtrak Autumn Express. Southbound was delayed for a while, as follows: several slow orders after leaving Waterbury, SB, more so than usual. Then more slow orders from Montpelier to White River Jct, mostly due to the rock ledges. I'm not sure what's being done about this, but I did notice what looked like some rock ledge excavation at one point or another. I know the slow orders were as a result of the derailment a couple years ago, but are the slow orders something we're going to have to live with? It's a bummer to be going along at 59 MPH then slow down to 10 MPH then back up to speed, then slow down again.

South of WRJ to Windsor was mostly at speed, except one or two slow spots.

The NH side of the "Conn River" was in great shape, hitting 79 mph for several sections.

Between Bellows Falls and Brattleboro, we were at 30 mph for a good portion of it, per an announcement due to tie replacement. We did hit 59 or 79 mph in one section briefly, then back down to 30.

The connection from the NECR to PAS at East Northfield was definitely faster than my trip on the route last Christmas. Back then it was 10. I didn't do a speed check over it this time, though.

The Mass. portion of the Conn River we moved along at a descent clip, again hitting 79 mph mostly between Greenfield and Northampton. Some sections between Holyoke and Springfield we also were up to (at least) 50 or so but slowed down around the I-91 overpass.

No delays crossing CSX at all. Southbound, we didn't stop until we hit the reverse direction point by the old mail facility. And we were off the advertised, too. Good job, CSX!

Disclaimer: speeds indicated above were from my phone's speedometer app and are approximate)

Still not sure what's going on around Holyoke station where there are still signals turned sideways and new track construction that hasn't been completed. There's also something going on around Bernardston (2nd track?) and stacks of ties laid out between Northampton and Deerfield. Is a 2nd track reactivation planned for somewhere towards Deerfield? Looks like there was some work on the old siding there. Finally, Springfield station has a new track north of CSX Track 1 (future Track 3 or 5?) that is not connected to the main. There's also open platform canopies and the old stairways/elevators removed on two of the platforms. I'm not sure why the existing stairways/elevators couldn't be saved and just "stepped up" to meet the future high level platform height.

[gokeefe]

I'm not sure why the existing stairways/elevators couldn't be saved and just "stepped up" to meet the future high level platform height.

Probably because they no longer met code.

[CVRA7]

The temporary "track 3" at the Springfield Union Station was a "shoefly" track used during rehab construction over the pedestrian subway downstairs. They've had water leakage problems for years from over the subway, so there was a lot of excavation in the area to hopefully repair this problem.

[sullysullinburg]

Have they ever though (or previously had) a baggage car on this route? I feel like it could increase ridership espically in the winter with people wanting to bring their skis and snowboards.

[gokeefe]

There was at one time and it even had its own special Vermonter vinyl decal.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Here we go, Messrs. O'Keefe and Sullenberg:

https://goo.gl/images/xQ5ond

[Backshophoss]

Will need a lot of body work at frame level to deal with the "Rust Cancer",an air brake rebuild and a truck rebuild to regain an Amtrak certification.
The car was pulled when the funding was gone,M&E 180/AMTK 1802 was believed to be the last smooth side Heritage Baggage in Amtrak service

[F-line to Dudley via Park]

The route will have the opportunity to get bag service back with the Amfleet procurement. Ethan Allen Express will already gain future baggage service by default since it'll gain a Metroliner cab when it begins reversing in Rutland for the Burlington extension next year. The Metroliner-replacement cab cars will come in a default cab-bag-coach configuration with half-size baggage room excellent for bikes and skis. To compensate Eastern states with non- push-pull routes who also want baggage space there'll be an optional custom-order livery for the regular coaches to chop out half the seating for the same type of baggage room as the cab cars. Those will probably be dead-last in the 600-car delivery sequence on the option end of the order, so many years away even if they cue up that RFP soon. But VTrans ought to be able to get their hands on a couple of those cheaply for the Vermonter/Montrealer. Especially if New York State ends up ordering a whole fleet of coach-bags to equip all Empire non- push-pull routes and provides some ordering scale for that custom config.


Alternatively, Amtrak still has 70 unexercised options on the V2's that won't have the clock ticking on being picked up or passed on until whatever century CAF finishes the main order right through to the bag-dorms and supplemental sleepers. As much as Amtrak may hold its nose today at the prospect of CAF malingering around a couple more years, any huge shifts in timescale for the salvage job on that Midwest PRIAA procurement affect the timetable for the Superliner III procurement. They may find it good business to just pick up some of the extra V2 bag options while the contract is active to save some grief through 2025 when the Midwest...then Superliners...take turns suffering dire fleet shortages while the replacement plans are in disarray. After all, the V-Bag product so far has been high-quality even if the manufacturer's punctuality hasn't been. So the Vermonter could end up regaining its full-bag almost by accident if extra V2's are ordered to ease the pain from the royal mess Sumitromo and Nippon-Sharyo made of the official Fleet Plan, should those options provide any sort of straightforward net-positive means of easing some acute pressure points on fleet availability. They still have a good 12-18 months before needing to make any final-final decisions on what to do with those 70 options, so their willingness to take on any extra V2's still has to go through the meat grinder that is hashing out the details...and timetable...for the salvage job on the Midwest/Cali order. Anything could come on or off the table as that saga twists and turns so options in-hand, even if it's [*sad trombone*] CAF, are assets for figuring their way out of that conundrum.

[lordsigma12345]

Has anyone heard when they will be starting platform construction at Springfield, MA? I keep hearing Spring is when the work is going to be done but nothing definitive. I did hear recently that Amtrak will have some contractors on site to fit out their new space in the Union Station intermodal center in the next couple months. Not sure if that means they are planning to move in sooner rather than later. Originally before the new station opened I had heard that Amtrak's date of moving into Union Station was tied to the completion of the platform as they didn't want passengers to have to backtrack.

[Jeff Smith]

FWIW, there's a thread in the Pan-Am forum called "Conn River Line" which is probably where we should be talking about this, as we're north of the Springfield Line at this point.

Good point. Maybe one of the moderators can move the recent off-topic posts over to viewtopic.php?f=55&t=76506&start=1545

Done.

Vermonter discussed here: Amtrak Vermonter (Montreal Greenfield Boston CT River Line)

Pan Am Connecticut River line discussed here: Connecticut River Line (Pan Am)

Hartford Line (CtDOT) operations discussed here: Hartford Line CtDOT New Haven-Springfield - NHHS

[Kilo Echo]

Has anyone heard when they will be starting platform construction at Springfield, MA? I keep hearing Spring is when the work is going to be done but nothing definitive. I did hear recently that Amtrak will have some contractors on site to fit out their new space in the Union Station intermodal center in the next couple months. Not sure if that means they are planning to move in sooner rather than later. Originally before the new station opened I had heard that Amtrak's date of moving into Union Station was tied to the completion of the platform as they didn't want passengers to have to backtrack.

Alas, encumbrances abound. In addition to the unresolved six-inch ADA deficiency, the canopy design doesn't appear to jibe with the historical commission's vision. Will we ever see a new Platform C?

[lordsigma12345]

Hopefully they will do something before the service expansion starts. The current setup is an eyesore.

[gokeefe]

They appear to be focused on the ticketing and office space last I was there (within the past four weeks). That area had contractor activity on the weekday I was in the facility.