Berkshire Flyer: Pittsfield - New York City Service via Albany

I'll still say, I'm sort of supportive of this train, but...
I'm supportive because hey, if Massachusetts wants to pay for it, let them.
But that said, if anything I don't think it's bold enough.

• It definitely needs better marketing, both in NYC and in Albany.
• It appears the Friday and Sunday deadheads are again a deadhead (I recall last year they were selling tickets on it).
• The website is not showing a Sunday morning trip best I can tell, but it's not the worst idea.
• They need to get NYS involved and open a stop at Chatham
• Better "last mile" in Pittsfield
• If they can't coordinate a deadhead, extend to Springfield. Basically, give travelers more options (including possibly connecting to other trains).

When my kids and I rode this on the inaugural ride two summers ago, Pittsfield definitely made an effort to have some sort of "last mile" solution, but honestly it was weak. I think they need to do a better job of integrating with local resources.

The deadhead needs to leave late enough that folks can catch a show at the Barrington Stage Company and at Tanglewood and still catch the train back to Albany (and advertise the hell out of this to the Albany folks).

To me, the biggest problem honestly isn't that it's basically a "backing move" out of Albany (let's be honest, laying new track to connect to line just north of Hudson isn't going to happen anytime soon and would probably actually LOVE customers). The biggest move is that it's a 1/2-assed attempt at building the summer market.

I still hope sometime this summer to bike to Pittsfield and catch it back on a Sunday (or, if they return to tickets available on the deadhead move) take it to Pittsfield and bike home.
I will note that honestly it needs a place to park in Pittsfield and stay out of the way of CSX.

I guess there are those who have their visions of rebuilding the 51 miles of the Berkshire Division - Danbury to Canaan- to FRA Class 3 (now FRA 4 is really dreamland, even if there is a tangent between North end of Hatch Pond and Kent where I guess you could get up to 70mph) and not less than "three a day" stopping at the attractions South of Pittsfield - and of course a stop at Woodrow so I could "walk up The Hill to SKS for Alumni Weekend" (sure is something to go back and see golf carts ferrying guys I knew about Campus, but I hate to think how much the School could be "on tap" for if something happened).

Always hope; CT is "reasonably" pro-passenger rail.

But finally back on topic, just think when the Commonwealth has their "four a day over the B&A" (wow, could that be a slogan), this whole discussion becomes "moot" - that is unless NY decides not to chip in and they go no further West than State Line (that was once upon a time a physical B&A-NH interchange).

HenryAlan wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 9:59 am

Railjunkie wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 8:59 am
Most of the people that are spending money on that train are not tourist. We do have a nickname for this train. Which I shall choose not to share as I know there are lurkers about...

Okay, well that's not a very clear comment. Do you mean to say that most who use it are folks who live in or near Pittsfield, going to Albany instead? Or do you mean that it's people coming from New York that you don't see as a useful contribution in Massachusetts?

The second part of that statement, they do make a contribution just not the type the Fed or the State would like.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Thu May 02, 2024 6:32 am
But finally back on topic, just think when the Commonwealth has their "four a day over the B&A" (wow, could that be a slogan), this whole discussion becomes "moot" - that is unless NY decides not to chip in and they go no further West than State Line (that was once upon a time a physical B&A-NH interchange).

I think those 4 comprise: the Lake Shore + 1 x new Albany-Boston service.

And then two (hopefully) extended regionals from Springfield to Boston.

For now. And maybe east of Springfield they'll have more competitive running times, vs the trundle through New London (nothing beats the 90 on that journey, pro-rail as I am).

But I don't see tons west of Springfield. And yes I would think adding Chatham (which was on Connects and has a lovely station building to boot Berkshire Bank out of, and a new Shaker Museum in the old mill) - and maybe also Westfield (the routing via Beckett, shudder, avoids a lot of the attractions from the Lee 90 junction) - would make it more compelling.

Or a "Berkshires Parkway" type set-up by Loves....basically West Stockbridge/Lenox... could be the move.

Mr. Cle, the structure you note:

Chatham, New York
https://maps.app.goo.gl/FMa1TQwJ5CBeJCGo6

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2024 1:52 pm Mr. Cle, the structure you note:

Chatham, New York
https://maps.app.goo.gl/FMa1TQwJ5CBeJCGo6

good looking station!

I'm very familiar with it! I live within 20 mins drive... what's the point?

Some numbers for yesterdays failure, I mean train. Seven to Pittsfield. Twenty to Albany and points south. On a good note it was on time.

Easy to do when you don't have to worry about loading/unloading a few dozen bags/passengers lol...

Why is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts paying to run trains to New York City? Shouldn't they be running to Boston via Springfield and Worcester?

charlesriverbranch wrote: ↑Tue Jul 16, 2024 7:03 am Why is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts paying to run trains to New York City? Shouldn't they be running to Boston via Springfield and Worcester?

About 66% of Bostonians have a car, while only 45% of New Yorkers have a car, and more New Yorkers vacation in western Mass than Bostonians do as there are simply more New Yorkers than Bostonians (about 4x the number of people are in the NYC MSA than the Boston MSA), so if the Commonwealth wants to get vacationers who are more likely to think of taking a train to spend money in the Pittsfield area (instead of staying just across the line in New York State), they would want to subsidize a seasonal train out of NYC instead of out of Boston.

Mr. Randall W. Is this excuse of a railroad fit to handle passenger trains?


That's the New Haven's Berkshire Div at South Kent CT

RandallW wrote: ↑Tue Jul 16, 2024 7:22 am

charlesriverbranch wrote: ↑Tue Jul 16, 2024 7:03 am Why is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts paying to run trains to New York City? Shouldn't they be running to Boston via Springfield and Worcester?

About 66% of Bostonians have a car, while only 45% of New Yorkers have a car, and more New Yorkers vacation in western Mass than Bostonians do as there are simply more New Yorkers than Bostonians (about 4x the number of people are in the NYC MSA than the Boston MSA), so if the Commonwealth wants to get vacationers who are more likely to think of taking a train to spend money in the Pittsfield area (instead of staying just across the line in New York State), they would want to subsidize a seasonal train out of NYC instead of out of Boston.

Twenty seven passengers rode the train on Sunday. Twenty seven passengers does not pay for the fuel of two locomotives and a three man crew. Twenty seven people does that help the local economy??? Twenty of which may or may not have spent a weekend. If your a struggling business and twenty more people show up in town for a weekend, how many are actually going to spend $$ at your business?? Is that really going to help??? Lastly vacation in or around Pittsfield, not likely.

These are similar numbers to last year, even with this years Sunday train staring out of NYP.

Failure, period.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Tue Jul 16, 2024 9:11 am Mr. Randall W. Is this excuse of a railroad fit to handle passenger trains?


That's the New Haven's Berkshire Div at South Kent CT

I doubt it, and don't know why you're showing it. If it's in relation to why the Massachusetts might prefer to run a train from New York instead of Boston, something in Connecticut isn't relevant.

Railjunkie wrote: ↑Tue Jul 16, 2024 9:53 am

RandallW wrote: ↑Tue Jul 16, 2024 7:22 am

charlesriverbranch wrote: ↑Tue Jul 16, 2024 7:03 am Why is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts paying to run trains to New York City? Shouldn't they be running to Boston via Springfield and Worcester?

About 66% of Bostonians have a car, while only 45% of New Yorkers have a car, and more New Yorkers vacation in western Mass than Bostonians do as there are simply more New Yorkers than Bostonians (about 4x the number of people are in the NYC MSA than the Boston MSA), so if the Commonwealth wants to get vacationers who are more likely to think of taking a train to spend money in the Pittsfield area (instead of staying just across the line in New York State), they would want to subsidize a seasonal train out of NYC instead of out of Boston.

Twenty seven passengers rode the train on Sunday. Twenty seven passengers does not pay for the fuel of two locomotives and a three man crew. Twenty seven people does that help the local economy??? Twenty of which may or may not have spent a weekend. If your a struggling business and twenty more people show up in town for a weekend, how many are actually going to spend $$ at your business?? Is that really going to help??? Lastly vacation in or around Pittsfield, not likely.

These are similar numbers to last year, even with this years Sunday train staring out of NYP.

Failure, period.

I don't know, or care, how Massachusetts spends their money, but was just trying to answer the question.