Shore Line East speeds

Why 90? They are spec'ed to 100, and there are sections where they could run that fast. ACSES has nothing to do with their top speed, they have to have it to run at all on the Shoreline. For now, we don't have double sided platforms, so there are deadheads, and the faster the deadheads can move, the easier the whole thing is to dispatch for Amtrak. I don't know the exact physics on it, but I suspect that it would take too much energy to accelerate above 80ish when they are stopping at every station. Does anyone know when Guilford is getting it's catenary finished? In 2010 will the catenary be up or will they skip Guilford for the first round of tests? That will obviously have to happen before the M8's could be used.

BiggAW wrote:I don't know the exact physics on it, but I suspect that it would take too much energy to accelerate above 80ish when they are stopping at every station.

Actually, when on MNR territory the Acela and HHP-8 engines are restricted to 50K ft-lbs effort. On the M8's that wouldn't be a problem since they're MU's. I do no believe such a restriction exists on Amtrak territory anyway. ACSES does have to do with top speed, since at those speeds you would need longer signal blocks if not equipped with ACSES, and I doubt the FRA even allows it.

BiggAW wrote:Why 90? They are spec'ed to 100, and there are sections where they could run that fast. ACSES has nothing to do with their top speed

ACSES limits the speeds on the shoreline for all trains that operate over the territory. 100 MPH is out of the question because there is no speed higher than 90 MPH for non Acela/Amfleet trains between New Haven and Old Saybrook.

Let's just wait and see what Amtrak decides. I'm betting on 80 MPH.

there is no need for the SLE to go more than 80 you are not going to gain much due to how close the stations are

I take it that means that Dutch's ball park 10 minutes is not very accurate, because 10 minutes out of a 45 minute trip is quite significant. It would make the train faster than driving to new haven even when there's no traffic.

I've always been a little perplexed by the slow-down into osb. leaving in the morning, it's 5 minutes on the nose from osb to westbrook. on the return, however, it's 8 minutes, or on some trains, 13 minutes. on those rare occasions when the train stays on track two into osb, it'll be closer to 5 minutes. whenever that happens, it'll go past the station to cross over around the bend. So what's the exact reason for the slow-down? I assume it has to do with signaling, but i wonder if someone can explain it particularly for someone who doesn't know a thing about signals.

railaw wrote:So what's the exact reason for the slow-down? I assume it has to do with signaling, but i wonder if someone can explain it particularly for someone who doesn't know a thing about signals.

If there's a Strop Signal east of the station the train will have to gradually slow down the closer it gets to the signal, because of the the track speed in the area the signal blocks are longer which means the slow down takes place over a longer stretch. It's not like a car, where you can see a red light or stop sign 500ft ahead and then slam on the brakes, a train following signal indications would have to slow down progressively the closer it gets to the signal sometimes a mile ahead depending on the situation.

RearOfSignal wrote:

railaw wrote:So what's the exact reason for the slow-down? I assume it has to do with signaling, but i wonder if someone can explain it particularly for someone who doesn't know a thing about signals.

If there's a Strop Signal east of the station the train will have to gradually slow down the closer it gets to the signal, because of the the track speed in the area the signal blocks are longer which means the slow down takes place over a longer stretch. It's not like a car, where you can see a red light or stop sign 500ft ahead and then slam on the brakes, a train following signal indications would have to slow down progressively the closer it gets to the signal sometimes a mile ahead depending on the situation.

That makes sense if the train is planning to stop at the signal and wait for it to turn green to proceed, but shouldn't there be a different set of rules for trains that are planning to terminate before the stop signal?

No, because there's no way for the signal system to know whether the train is terminating or continuing.

Jim

Erie-Lackawanna wrote:No, because there's no way for the signal system to know whether the train is terminating or continuing.

Jim

Can't exceptions be made to the signals? I mean they're not like regular traffic lights in your neighborhood. There's a dispatcher who knows what's going on and what that train is going to do.

Dispatchers do not control every signal, infact they don't control the signals at all.
The Dispatcher only sets the route, he gives a interlocking a entrance and exit track and hits ok , this sets signal at better than red.
Occupation of track or interlocking restrictions will set the signal aspect.

Okay signals work the way they work but I know what the gentleman's saying though. It is frustrating to riders -- and I'm certain to crews as well -- when you have to crawl up to a station platform (like eastbounds at Tarrytown when CP25 is against them) because a signal beyond the platform is restricting.

Can't they just add a signal in between, which would allow a faster approach? In the example cited, an extra three minutes, over a year's time that adds up.

no, because based on track speed, each signal has to be a certain distance.

Trains "crawling to a stop" isn't unique to SLE trains. It happens everwhere a train is approaching a stop signal, or the end of the line. Why is this even a topic of debate?

capecodlocoguy wrote:Trains "crawling to a stop" isn't unique to SLE trains. It happens everwhere a train is approaching a stop signal, or the end of the line. Why is this even a topic of debate?

Because for one, this train isn't going past the stop signal. It's terminating before it. And two, it's not the end of the line, it's the middle of a 125 MPH high speed zone.

I think the problem here are Amtrak trains that approach the station on track 1 from the east (causing the stop signal), and then switch over to track 2 a mile before the station to pass the SLE. If Amtrak would switch their trains over back at MP 114 instead, the signal would be clear correct?

you think ??? capecodrailroader has 25 years on railroad and 20 years in seat, he is very well versed in Amtrak procedures and rules and can be made Honorary Qualified on Shoreline without any hesitation.
so you think ?

interlocking before is Saybrook at MP 104.7 and Old saybrook station is at MP 105.1, next interlocking is VIEW with a red signal at MP 105.9