Official "Maple Leaf" Thread

NS VIA FAN wrote:Today marks the last runs for VIA trains between Toronto and Niagara Falls. Beginning tomorrow there will no longer be VIA equipment making a daily round trip to Niagara Falls. VIA will continue to operate/crew Amtrak’s Maple Leaf and sell tickets on the Canadian portion of the run.

At 89 miles from Toronto…….Niagara Falls could be considered to be within commuter territory and GO Transit currently operates summer weekend trains. Wonder how long it will be before there are year ‘round Go Trains to the Falls? (or at least as far as St. Catharines?)

So will it still be practical for VIA to crew and sell tickets on the Maple Leaf? Or would GO Transit? Perhaps you will be able to buy an Amtrak ticket between two Canadian points once again……I believe the last time Amtrak sold tickets between two Canadian stations was back in the ‘70s.

NS: This is interesting information...VIA is ending its last pair of peak-hour runs between Niagara Falls and Toronto...
The Maple Leaf will be the last VIA operated train service on this route...

This I believe will open the Hamilton-St.Catharines-Niagara Falls route for a permanent takeover/extension by GO Transit...

MACTRAXX

MACTRAXX wrote:This I believe will open the Hamilton-St.Catharines-Niagara Falls route for a permanent takeover/extension by GO Transit...

MACTRAXX

Correct.

http://www.metrolinx.com/thebigmove/en/ ... tegy1.aspx

ThirdRail7 wrote:

MACTRAXX wrote:AH: Interesting news concerning the Whirlpool Bridge trackage...
Is Amtrak going to be in control along with VIA of this track?
What is the length and mile posts of this track?

With Amtrak taking control of the Poughkeepsie-Albany Rensselaer
route they can open it to higher speeds similar to the Albany-Hoffmans
trackage...

MACTRAXX

If I'm reading this correctly, Amtrak has the bridge or whatever is between MP 28.2 and MP 28.57. Restricted speed not exceeding 10mph. Yikes!

Not that it matters, but I'm not a fan of the end result. It seems odd to give this bridge to the same dispatcher that controls the Albany line, but I guess someone has to control it.

Mr Third Rail, I understand your comments about the oddity of giving the bridge to the same dispatcher as the Albany line, but knowing just enough about the corridor to be dangerous, who, in your opinion would be better suited to control it?? and I presume the same dispatcher will be getting the Post Road Branch as well??

AMTK1007 wrote:

ThirdRail7 wrote:

MACTRAXX wrote:AH: Interesting news concerning the Whirlpool Bridge trackage...
Is Amtrak going to be in control along with VIA of this track?
What is the length and mile posts of this track?

With Amtrak taking control of the Poughkeepsie-Albany Rensselaer
route they can open it to higher speeds similar to the Albany-Hoffmans
trackage...

MACTRAXX

If I'm reading this correctly, Amtrak has the bridge or whatever is between MP 28.2 and MP 28.57. Restricted speed not exceeding 10mph. Yikes!

Not that it matters, but I'm not a fan of the end result. It seems odd to give this bridge to the same dispatcher that controls the Albany line, but I guess someone has to control it.

Mr Third Rail, I understand your comments about the oddity of giving the bridge to the same dispatcher as the Albany line, but knowing just enough about the corridor to be dangerous, who, in your opinion would be better suited to control it?? and I presume the same dispatcher will be getting the Post Road Branch as well??

In my mind, it is not really of matter of anyone being better suited. As you mentioned, there really isn't anyone else available. What I find odd is they folded the Empice Connection into this mess. As a result, this new dispatcher has the Niagara Whirlpool Bridge, The Post Road Branch and the new NYP-HUD line, which includes the old Empire Connection.

That's a lot to keep your eye on. I just wish they would have kept the Empire Connection under a different dispatcher.

Is the "Empire Connection"(nee W30th st branch) up to the north end of "DV" movable bridge under the control of PSCC??
It feeds into NYPenn Station, leave that route in their hands. For everything else ,set up a dispatch office at Albany.

Backshophoss wrote:Is the "Empire Connection"(nee W30th st branch) up to the north end of "DV" movable bridge under the control of PSCC??
It feeds into NYPenn Station, leave that route in their hands. For everything else ,set up a dispatch office at Albany.

PSCC controls "Empire" Interlocking while Section A controls everything else.

ThirdRail7 wrote:

AMTK1007 wrote:

ThirdRail7 wrote:

MACTRAXX wrote:AH: Interesting news concerning the Whirlpool Bridge trackage...
Is Amtrak going to be in control along with VIA of this track?
What is the length and mile posts of this track?

With Amtrak taking control of the Poughkeepsie-Albany Rensselaer
route they can open it to higher speeds similar to the Albany-Hoffmans
trackage...

MACTRAXX

If I'm reading this correctly, Amtrak has the bridge or whatever is between MP 28.2 and MP 28.57. Restricted speed not exceeding 10mph. Yikes!

Not that it matters, but I'm not a fan of the end result. It seems odd to give this bridge to the same dispatcher that controls the Albany line, but I guess someone has to control it.

Mr Third Rail, I understand your comments about the oddity of giving the bridge to the same dispatcher as the Albany line, but knowing just enough about the corridor to be dangerous, who, in your opinion would be better suited to control it?? and I presume the same dispatcher will be getting the Post Road Branch as well??

In my mind, it is not really of matter of anyone being better suited. As you mentioned, there really isn't anyone else available. What I find odd is they folded the Empice Connection into this mess. As a result, this new dispatcher has the Niagara Whirlpool Bridge, The Post Road Branch and the new NYP-HUD line, which includes the old Empire Connection.

That's a lot to keep your eye on. I just wish they would have kept the Empire Connection under a different dispatcher.

Got it.. that sort of makes sense... I certainly don't think that the Bridge at CBN will add a lot of work to whom ever controls it, nor will the Post Road branch. I may be wrong. I can see your comments on leaving the EC with the Section A Train Director, that does make sense, Even if the new desk was also going to control Metro North trackage, ( which there is no way that is going to happen) I would also advocate leaving the EC with Section A.. the Draw is a natural dividing point. What will Section A have left.

Side note: Out here the CP river dispatcher controls the Main Line Form River Junction west to Hastings, the Merriam Park Sub ( both the route # 7&8 - to keep this Amtrak related), and the Ford branch.. Additionally they control the orphened trackage in the Duluth Superior Terminal ( much like the new desk having this orphaned Whirpool Bridge trackage) Oh and the CP C&M Dispatcher controls the Metra owned trackage from Canal Street to Rondout in addition to the CP track from Rondout to the Cut Off in Milwaukee

The alternative to albany would be having CSX do it. Guess who wouldn't want to do that? If you guessed CSX you'd be right.

amtrakhogger wrote:Amtrak is scheduled to assume control of the Whirlpool Bridge (CN Grimsby Sub.) on Nov. 3, along with the Post Road Branch And the CSX Hudson Sub between MP 75.8 and MP 169.7.

I wonder if this will occur on the 3rd..

Somehow, I doubt it.

How many dual modes are trapped up in albany?

ThirdRail7 wrote:

amtrakhogger wrote:Amtrak is scheduled to assume control of the Whirlpool Bridge (CN Grimsby Sub.) on Nov. 3, along with the Post Road Branch And the CSX Hudson Sub between MP 75.8 and MP 169.7.

I wonder if this will occur on the 3rd..

Somehow, I doubt it.

The legal handover will probably still happen on schedule. As for the actual practical handover... well, the Hudson Sub is closed right now, so what better time to hand it over? The others may be delayed -- but they might not, that's a pretty small handover, and it's of track only used by Amtrak.

neroden wrote:

ThirdRail7 wrote:

amtrakhogger wrote:Amtrak is scheduled to assume control of the Whirlpool Bridge (CN Grimsby Sub.) on Nov. 3, along with the Post Road Branch And the CSX Hudson Sub between MP 75.8 and MP 169.7.

I wonder if this will occur on the 3rd..

Somehow, I doubt it.

The legal handover will probably still happen on schedule. As for the actual practical handover... well, the Hudson Sub is closed right now, so what better time to hand it over? The others may be delayed -- but they might not, that's a pretty small handover, and it's of track only used by Amtrak.

It has been postponed. All territories revert back to their previous dispatchers until further notice.

25Hz wrote:How many dual modes are trapped up in albany?

Not many. There are trapped in other places though.

The Whirlpool Bridge and the portion of the Niagara Sub affected has been handed over to Amtrak. Saw it in a CSX general bulletin at work at the end of October.

Regarding the new dispatching desk, it's not all THAT much new territory to cover when you consider that the Whirlpool Bridge and the Post Road branch each see only 2 trains a day, one in each direction. And if one CSX desk could handle the Division Post to CP169 as well as the other territories that desk controls not connected to the Amtrak handover, then one Amtrak dispatch desk should have no trouble with just the Hudson, the branch, and the bridge, to deal with.

Silverliner II wrote:The Whirlpool Bridge and the portion of the Niagara Sub affected has been handed over to Amtrak. Saw it in a CSX general bulletin at work at the end of October.

Regarding the new dispatching desk, it's not all THAT much new territory to cover when you consider that the Whirlpool Bridge and the Post Road branch each see only 2 trains a day, one in each direction. And if one CSX desk could handle the Division Post to CP169 as well as the other territories that desk controls not connected to the Amtrak handover, then one Amtrak dispatch desk should have no trouble with just the Hudson, the branch, and the bridge, to deal with.

I'm looking at a bulletin dated 11/5 stating the changeover is on hold until further notice. AS for the territory, the one thing I always point out is there are a lot of dispatchers that control vast amounts of territory. However, most of that territory doesn't involve fast moving equipment. As a dispatcher is writing a form d to protect a grade crossing, that train has almost two miles in a one minute.

There is a slight difference, particularly when you have dense territory moving at different speeds.

The changeover/cut in is supposed to occur tonight.