Amtrak Empire Service (New York State)

NaugyRR wrote: ↑Sat Feb 10, 2024 5:16 pm Just drove past South Street in Rensselaer, just south of the station and saw a train stopped with a bunch of police cars and an ambulance. I'm guessing a trespasser got clipped, but I hope everyone's ok.

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Trespasser train intercourse, how the heck you manage to get hit there I will never know. Trains are slowing down for the station and not traveling terribly fast and it is wide open. That spot is a popular cut through for the locals, from what I was told they just walked right out in front of the train. Never looked.
Don't know the condition of the trespasser.

Railjunkie wrote: ↑Sun Feb 11, 2024 12:35 pm Trespasser train intercourse, how the heck you manage to get hit there I will never know. Trains are slowing down for the station and not traveling terribly fast and it is wide open. That spot is a popular cut through for the locals, from what I was told they just walked right out in front of the train. Never looked.
Don't know the condition of the trespasser.

Rensselaer's News 10 says fatal.

RW: ABC10 Albany - "Train Accident" makes this sound much worse then it actually was...
"TRESPASSER Incident" is the description that SHOULD be used...

"Pedestrian" can leave doubts in some minds that the other "party" involved - in this case the TRAIN -
could be somehow at fault for the cause...I have seen "Collision" used in some instances which again
conjures up images that are more serious than the actual situation bad as this one was...

RJ: Was this incident recorded on head-end camera? What would not surprise me is that the person struck
was using a smartphone or other hand-held device - perhaps along with headphones or ear buds...
And was simply NOT paying attention to their surroundings while walking...
Pure speculation on my part...MACTRAXX

MACTRAXX wrote: ↑Sun Feb 11, 2024 3:51 pm RW: ABC10 Albany - "Train Accident" makes this sound much worse then it actually was...
"TRESPASSER Incident" is the description that SHOULD be used...

"Pedestrian" can leave doubts in some minds that the other "party" involved - in this case the TRAIN -
could be somehow at fault for the cause...I have seen "Collision" used in some instances which again
conjures up images that are more serious than the actual situation bad as this one was...

RJ: Was this incident recorded on head-end camera? What would not surprise me is that the person struck
was using a smartphone or other hand-held device - perhaps along with headphones or ear buds...
And was simply NOT paying attention to their surroundings while walking...
Pure speculation on my part...MACTRAXX

The forward facing camera should have it, can't see why not. Also there are cameras at the station that face in that direction.

Not much info in the report, but I just saw there's been another trespasser strike...
https://wnyt.com/top-stories/man-hit-ki ... in-albany/
Fair Use (Basically the whole report...)

A man was hit and killed by a train in Albany on Wednesday night.

The incident happened just before 6 p.m. in the area of Prospect Avenue and Terminal Street, Albany Police said.

I hope your coworkers are faring well, Railjunkie.

NaugyRR wrote: ↑Thu Mar 28, 2024 6:55 pm Not much info in the report, but I just saw there's been another trespasser strike...
https://wnyt.com/top-stories/man-hit-ki ... in-albany/
Fair Use (Basically the whole report...)

A man was hit and killed by a train in Albany on Wednesday night.

The incident happened just before 6 p.m. in the area of Prospect Avenue and Terminal Street, Albany Police said.

I hope your coworkers are faring well, Railjunkie.

Kinda weird how the world works, the young man in question was related to my moms husband through a previous marriage.

As for the crew, from what I've heard they are not taking it well, you never know how you are going to handle such a situation until your in it. We have a program set up for these situations and the gentleman who runs it is awesome at his job. If they need help they will get it.

I always used to laugh at my dad when he'd go on about the ten degrees of separation thing and how small the world gets as you get older. As I've gotten older I experience more and more (although I still laugh at my old man, keeps him on his toes). It's unfortunate that this coincidence for you occurred as it did.

My heart goes out to the crew, and I'm glad that good help is available to them should they seek it.

When did the 28x trains start doing an engine change at Renssalaer? I think when I took it in 2023 they were still using the same P32AC-DM the whole way to Niagara Falls.

mohawkrailfan wrote: ↑Thu Jul 25, 2024 12:17 pm When did the 28x trains start doing an engine change at Renssalaer? I think when I took it in 2023 they were still using the same P32AC-DM the whole way to Niagara Falls.

The beginning of the year it was AMT 280 and 281 that had changes it switched in the spring to 283 and 284. Guess the shop was having issues getting the power out in the morning.

Engine changes as they stand today for westbound service, as always subject to change:
AMT 48-448/49-449 split or double normally. Adds or drops can occur you just never know.
AMT 63/64 AMT 63 inbound dual mode turns for AMT 48 ALB NYP
AMT 283/284 AMT283 inbound dual mode turns for 64s outbound ALB NYP
AMT284 inbound single mode turns for 283 outbound ALB NFL
AMT 280/281 no engine change

State Fair is back

Governor Kathy Hochul, in conjunction with Amtrak and the New York State Department of Transportation, today announced that tickets are now on sale for direct train service this summer to and from the Empire State’s largest annual event – the Great New York State Fair. The daily train service allows Amtrak customers and Fair visitors to combine the benefits of a safe, convenient and environmentally sustainable travel option, with the experience of one of New York State’s premier summer events complete with top musical performances, agricultural exhibits, family fun and delicious food. Four trains will make daily stops at the Fair throughout its 13-day duration, starting Wednesday, August 21 and continuing through Monday, September 2.

By taking the train, Fair visitors will skip tolls, traffic, and parking fees, and save on gas by arriving steps from the fairgrounds via select Empire Service (Trains 281, 283 and 284) and Maple Leaf (Train 64) trains, which will make daily stops at the State Fair (in between stops at Rochester and Syracuse stations). The Amtrak stop at The Fair is in the rear of the fairgrounds, adjacent to the Suburban Park concert area. Train service to the Fair includes:
Maple Leaf Train 64 - Departs Toronto at 8:20 a.m. and arrives at the Fair at 2:28 p.m.
Empire Service Train 281 - Departs New York at 10:21 a.m. and arrives at the Fair at 4:19 p.m.
Empire Service Train 283 - Departs New York at 1:21 p.m. and arrives at the Fair at 7:11 p.m.
Empire Service Train 284 - Departs Niagara Falls at 6:27 a.m. and arrives at the Fair at 9:23 a.m.

And there goes three round trips...
https://www.timesunion.com/business/art ... 823423.php

RENSSELAER — Starting next month, Amtrak will be losing three daily round trips between the Capital Region and New York City, and travelers heading north to Montreal will face airport-style layovers of 90 minutes or more, according to a leading passenger advocacy group.

The schedule is being reduced due to rehabilitation work planned for the East River Tunnels in New York City. Because of that work, there will be limits on the number of Amtrak passenger trains that can travel back and forth from the maintenance/overnight yards in Queens to the Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station Manhattan, said Steve Strauss, executive director of the Empire State Passengers Association.

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Wed Oct 09, 2024 4:31 pm And there goes three round trips...
https://www.timesunion.com/business/art ... 823423.php

RENSSELAER — Starting next month, Amtrak will be losing three daily round trips between the Capital Region and New York City, and travelers heading north to Montreal will face airport-style layovers of 90 minutes or more, according to a leading passenger advocacy group.

The schedule is being reduced due to rehabilitation work planned for the East River Tunnels in New York City. Because of that work, there will be limits on the number of Amtrak passenger trains that can travel back and forth from the maintenance/overnight yards in Queens to the Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station Manhattan, said Steve Strauss, executive director of the Empire State Passengers Association.

As I have been been stating in various threads for the past three or four months. Trust me when I say the employees are no happier than the riding public. There are or could have been ways around this that I shall not go into due to prying eyes and I don't need the hassle.
As the story is behind a possible paywall or wanting some form of info/email that the Times Useless can spam me with constant junk. Did the article state this project could take three to five years?? AMT63/69 and AMT 64/68 will run as combo trains between ALB and NYP possibility of AMT 49 coming up backwards from NYP and needing a spin around the wye once it arrives in Rennselaer.

Why in the world could Amtrak just turn an arrival at NYP back to Albany. Then back to NYP and SSY? Opposite way SSY - NYP - ALB-NYP - ALB and lay over? What is max length of a train NYP <> ALB. Doe anything require a loco on both ends for NYP <> ALB?

west point wrote: ↑Wed Oct 09, 2024 11:29 pm Why in the world could Amtrak just turn an arrival at NYP back to Albany. Then back to NYP and SSY? Opposite way SSY - NYP - ALB-NYP - ALB and lay over? What is max length of a train NYP <> ALB. Doe anything require a loco on both ends for NYP <> ALB?

In the future, the new Venture train sets will have cab cars on the opposite end from the locomotive. But Amtrak does not run cabs on the Empire service trains today. I suppose they could use rebuilt diesel locomotives into NPTU units for the foreseeable future, but alas - Amtrak did not prepare any for the Empire service.

west point wrote: ↑Wed Oct 09, 2024 11:29 pm Why in the world could Amtrak just turn an arrival at NYP back to Albany. Then back to NYP and SSY? Opposite way SSY - NYP - ALB-NYP - ALB and lay over? What is max length of a train NYP <> ALB. Doe anything require a loco on both ends for NYP <> ALB?

With the work that will be going on there will be no way to loop trains in Penn. Thus push pull service for the foreseeable future ans loss of the reported trains. Trains will turn on the platform in Penn, no one knows the turns yet as jobs have yet to be posted. All Empire service trains EXCEPT AMT 49, 63, and 69 layover in ALB there are a few exceptions with equipment. Max length of an Empire Service train is six coaches and a locomotive. Normal service excluding this project NOTHING requires a locomotive or cab car on the opposite end to make a turn.
This is why this project is going to turn Empire service into a mess. Currently there is not enough equipment to make the turns work and the stuff is old and very temperamental.