Acela II (Alstom Avelia Liberty): Design, Production, Delivery, Acceptance

Prior moves have had an engine at each of the Acela II being moved as (I think) the move requires the train change direction at some point.

CraigDK wrote: ↑Sat Oct 08, 2022 10:46 am That should be the move to pick up the next Acela II set.

acela-ii-avelia-liberty-design-producti ... -1365.html

You're right, delivery being made, caught by the Fairport NY Virtual Railfan cam.

RandallW wrote: ↑Sun Oct 09, 2022 12:19 pm Prior moves have had an engine at each of the Acela II being moved as (I think) the move requires the train change direction at some point.

The Virtual Railfan camera shows that the two engines were together, but back-to-back, so there was not an extended reversing move, but (I'm guessing here) there was no place to turn a single engine sufficiently close to the Alstom plant.

videobruce wrote: ↑Sat Oct 08, 2022 12:39 pmWhy not just have the NS tow them down to Amtrak?

It may be that Norfolk Southern's charge for a pilot is less than their charge for a special train. I haven't looked at those charges since I retired 11 years ago, but passenger equipment in freight train service may include a requirement that the customer provide insurance against damage, to protect the freight railroad from paying due to poor handling by its own crews. No matter what the price, Amtrak may think that its own crews will be kinder to the equipment.

Let me get this straight: Two engines and a passenger/office car?

It was a standard coach as far as I could tell with the 2 units. Nothing special, is wasn't a OCS car.
There was another move yesterday apparently a return trip of sorts. The symbol was P9xx With the other unit in the lead. I never got to see it since I didn't know where it was going based on the limited radio conversation..

there was no place to turn a single engine sufficiently close to the Alstom plant.

From Hornell what was the route from there to Fairport and east?

From Hornell I would imagine up to Lyons then onto CSX then Amtrak, Metro North, and back to Amtrak. Came through Albany last night around 725pm change crews gas and go. The set was locked up, there was only a mechanical rider with set just in case and they rode the coach.

It is easier I think for us in Albany to handle the moves the only territory we are not qualified on is the NS. It gives Amtrak a direct route to NYP and Sunnyside or a quick run around in Penn and onto Philly. The last set that was delivered was handled the same way no engines on either end.

It went by Fairport according to the shot from the Fairport VRF camera.
I'm assuming it was on the West Shore at the time at Fairport. If that is correct what connection between the old EL Southern Tier and the WS is there left? Unless someone else has a better handle of it.

Tracing it through via OpenStreetMap.

• Alstom factory to the Southern Tier Line (Conrail)
• Connect to the Rochester & Southern RR at Silver Spring, NY
• Back on Conrail to connect to the Rochester Subdivision and Amtrak known line.
• Haul butt like you were ether Lake Shore Limited, Maple Leaf, or Empire Service (getting caught by the Fairport camera)

That's what I thought BUT, how is the track from the NS to CSX? Class 1 or less?

Apparently, this isn't the 1st trainset that was delivered. The working route is all the way back to Buffalo off the Howard St runner out the CSX main east. I heard the move back, but it was too late to do anything about it.

Surprised no one has yet taken a photo of an Avielia X-ing the Genessee River in Letchworth State Park on that bridge that cost Topper "a few oats" to rebuild. That ERIE line became EL's only access to Buffalo after the DL&W line through Dansville and Mt. Morris (route of the Phoebe Snow) was abandoned.

That's of course Topper's main routing to the NKP and "all points West" for traffic handled over the ERIE (plus whatever he must give up to that "darned feline" at Buffalo).

One would have to know it's coming and get there on time.
Both have odds against them.

What and who was Topper other than a 50's TV series.

Topper was the name of one of the horses in Norfolk Southern promotional material.

Also, as you note, the name of Hopalong Cassidy's horse.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Tue Oct 11, 2022 9:03 am Surprised no one has yet taken a photo of an Avielia X-ing the Genessee River in Letchworth State Park on that bridge that cost Topper "a few oats" to rebuild. That ERIE line became EL's only access to Buffalo after the DL&W line through Dansville and Mt. Morris (route of the Phoebe Snow) was abandoned.

How about a video?

Genesee Arch Bridge
https://maps.app.goo.gl/2KiDJ9dYLwU3C6Pi8

Would be quite a shot; media notwithstanding.