• AMTRAK NEC: Springfield Shuttle/Regional/Valley Flyer/Inland Routing

  • Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.
Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.

Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, mtuandrew, Tadman

  by Jeff Smith
 
Looks like it won't happen for a few years; no activity in next two. But going back to a two-track bridge will bring the Hartford Line, fka NHHS Rail, closer to final fruition.

No sign of electrification. That would go a long way to making the Inland Route more feasible.

Here's a link to the PDF linked in the Trains in the Valley document: https://trainsinthevalley.org/wp-conten ... cks-CT.pdf
  by shadyjay
 
Noticed on I-91 in Greenfield, MA today that the sign advertising the "Greenfield Olver Transit Center" has been modified. Didn't get a pic, but here is the original:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.5919828 ... ?entry=ttu
In Place of "Exit 43" it now says "COMMUTER RAIL" and the "EXIT" at the top of the sign has a "43" next to it.

The Northampton station sign, of the same design, remains unchanged (still with "EXIT ##" at the bottom, and the blank "EXIT" up top), and Holyoke is of a different design without the two "EXITS".

So does MassDOT think commuter rail is coming to Greenfield in the duration of the sign? Quie the pre-emptive strike, if you ask me! I can see someone pulling up to Greenfield station now and looking for the "T" to Boston!
  by ElectricTraction
 
Jeff Smith wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 6:35 amNo sign of electrification. That would go a long way to making the Inland Route more feasible.
Electrification to Worcester makes sense for the T. Electrification to SPG is right on the edge of what makes sense for CTRail. To do inland route, you'd still have to close the SPG-Worcester gap which would just be for inland route.

Electrification with a DMU shuttle SPG-Greenfield and revamped SPG station with an under or over connection so that passengers could transfer while CSX is running through the mains could really improve service by untying service north of SPG from CSX's schedule of running DPU monsters through. Further improvements to the line SPG-Greenfield could improve service frequency there.
  by lordsigma12345
 
Half hourly service to Greenfield? That seems a little excessive. The Connecticut river bridge in East Windsor did not make the cut this year but I’m sure it’ll be resubmitted for the next round. Electrification out to Worcester may make sense. The entire inland route would be costly and possibly not cost effective and with Amtrak’s future dual mode fleet it’s not essential to have the entire thing electric as you aren’t going to have engine changes to worry about. Additionally this is another area I disagree with the author. With the new dual mode fleet which makes traversing between the Springfield line and New Haven line seamless you might as well just run the train through to New York. Why make people connect.
  by Safetee
 
I'm thinking that since the current ridership figures from Greenfield are not exactly stellar, the powers that b on all this stuff must have concluded that express service is all that is required to get local folks to ditch their cars and jump aboard these speedy trains.

In the meantime, until Rhode island gets a decent tidal surge that covers the corridor, inland service outlays will probably remain at slow approach.
  by ElectricTraction
 
lordsigma12345 wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2024 7:08 amHalf hourly service to Greenfield? That seems a little excessive.
Who said half-hourly service to Greenfield? Now there are 3 trains/day, so there's a lot of space between 3 trains/day and half hourly.
  by daybeers
 
A rail train is waiting on the siding just north of OAKWOOD interlocking; I would assume that is for the Windsor Locks-Conn River Bridge double tracking. There are three separate contracts, the others are for OAKWOOD to PARK in West Hartford and two miles in Enfield.

More details here: https://trainsinthevalley.org/infrastru ... uble-track
  by west point
 
If dual modes were to operate BOS - SPG - New Haven - NYP electrification should only be applied to the portions of the WOR - SPG route that will not be bypassed by track improvements that allow faster speeds,-
  by Jeff Smith
 
Additional trains: gazettenet.com
Amtrak expands Valley Flyer service with evening runs to and from Valley to NYC
...
The new northbound afternoon train No. 486 reaches its terminus in Greenfield at 5:30 p.m. after starting in New Haven at 2:50 p.m. The schedule would allow a passenger to board the train after transferring from a New York City train departing at 12:37 p.m. Stops along the way are made in Springfield, Holyoke and Northampton.

The southbound evening train No. 479, meanwhile, leaves Greenfield at 6:05 p.m. and reaches New Haven at 9 p.m. Passengers can reach New York City at 10:57 p.m. after transferring. Stops along the way are made in Northampton, Holyoke and Springfield.
...
  by jp1822
 
Is this using existing Amfleet equipment assigned to the "Shuttles" - for example, they were able to get greater efficiency out of the equipment and make better turns? Or did Amtrak bring in an additional train set to make this happen?
  by RandallW
 
Overhead imagery in Google Maps suggests they reverse out of Springfield to proceed north, and reverse into Springfield from Greenfield because there are no crossovers west of the station that allow a train to platform at Springfield when approaching Springfield from the north without a reverse move.

Google Maps
  by Jeff Smith
 
Encounter with tractor trailer: https://www.wfsb.com/2024/08/09/tractor ... rth-haven/
Train collides with tractor trailer in North Haven - WFSB



NORTH HAVEN, CT (WFSB) - A tractor trailer and an Amtrak train were involved in a collision in North Haven.

An engineer was hospitalized with minor injuries, police on the scene said.

It happened at a railroad crossing near the 400 block of Sacket Point Road around 5:50 a.m. on Friday.

A Channel 3 crew on the scene reported that Sacket Point Road was closed.
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