All things Pennsylvanian AND Keystone West

[STrRedWolf]

South of... okay, that's a new one on me. New route near Chicago? Just a pointer please, no need to spend time if it's been explained before.

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

https://www.amtrak.com/chicagogateway" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There is a link to the "South of the Lake" project by Michigan DOT to increase train capacity south of Chicago.

Also in the "Chicago Gateway Blue Ribbon Final Report" discusses the Capitol Limited's connections.

[east point]

Since the Capitol Limited has the highest end to end traffic of any LD route the ability to reduce enroute times could be very beneficial.

[electricron]

Reducing enroute times is important for "every" train.
Let's not go around and set priorities by using vague parameters like highest end to end traffic.
Everytime Amtrak and the host freight railroad company can agree to track upgrades, let's get that upgrade done.

[Jeff Smith]

Railway Age

First time I think I've seen the term coined: "Keystone West". Since this is an expansion of the Pennsylvanian service, I thought I'd fold it in here by renaming the topic.

Pittsburghers, Amtrak, NS and PennDOT
...
“AS WE CONTINUE to get comments submitted on the Keystone West, we’d like to have Amtrak provide PennDOT with a high-level cost estimate for the addition of one to two trains a day to/from Harrisburg. This estimate should include operating and capital costs.

“We know that, ultimately, in order to make this happen, we would need to work with Norfolk Southern and Amtrak to identify timing for the potential trains, get trainsets ordered, and work through proposed labor to run the trains.

“At this time … we only need a high-level estimate. Before we take on any of those bigger picture steps, we need an order of magnitude cost of what it would take to fund an additional one to two trains a day on the Pennsylvanian.
...
At the Aug. 23 hearing, Norfolk Southern Vice President Government Relations Rudy Husband referred to the 204-mile main line between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh as a “premiere corridor” for rail freight between the East Coast and Midwest: “We will coordinate the operational feasibility study. We will provide estimated costs to the sponsoring public agency, but these studies, they’re not cheap, and they take time, at least a year or probably more.”
...

[STrRedWolf]

Someone raised an idea in the Lost and Gone Forever thread of Harrisburg/Baltimore:

Harrisburg to Baltimore is VERY possible from the track all being there. Nothing would need done with it. It would need to be diesel as the wires are gone. (Well the 12.5KV wires are gone, most of the route still caries the 138 kV transmission lines from the Safe Harbor hydro plant for Amtrak)
Since the south end of the Port Road dumps into the NEC to get to Baltimore. NS doesn't run SQUAT daytime hours. Amtrak would have a up to date CTC railroad all to itself. But with one end in PA and the other in MD. Who pays for it is a big question.

And my thought is... this may work. Pittsburgh to Baltimore/DC via Harrisburg and the NS Port Road.

This would be 100% diesel service. Harrisburg will have the hand-off, and depending on how long it takes to travel the Port Road end to end, Baltimore or DC would be the end point. If it's Baltimore, then some work is needed:

• Tracks 2 and 3's platform need work: It's a very neglected(read: abandoned) low-level platform, and Gate A is being used as storage. Gate B is clear but if you're going to raise the platform, you'll need to rebuild the steps and you might as well put in a new elevator.
• I don't know if there's refueling facilities at Baltimore or nearby Martin State Airport. Resupplying is going to be a challenge as well.

Ether way, NS is most likely want to have the Port Road completely double-tracked. There's long stretches of single-track.

Time it right, though, and you'll get that overnight Pittsburgh to DC train, with a transfer at Harrisburg to the Keystone.

[bdawe]

It would seem to me that this would be car-competitive if you could traverse Aberdeen-Harrisburg in an hour.

I suspect that this is not the case?

[ExCon90]

Your suspicion is well founded. The rail distance is 79 miles, requiring an average speed of just 79 mph. Of that, Perryville to Columbia is 44 miles of mostly single track, including 3 segments of double track aggregating 11+ miles, incorporating various 30-mph curves at MP 16, 22, 23, 28-30, and 37-40 (measured from Perryville in an employee TT of 1960). The track is no doubt much better today, but the curves are still there, as are 2 or 3 single-track tunnels and the 15-mph wye at Perryville. The route reaches the Keystone Corridor at Royalton, with 6 miles to Harrisburg still to go--just enough for a diesel to get up to track speed in time to start slowing down for Harrisburg. Way down on the to-do list.

[liftedjeep]

-Today's (3/19) "Pennsylvanian" #43 westbound through the station in Narberth, PA:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=4666929" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ben

[Metzger]

Interesting. I didn't realize they used diesels even under the wires from Philly to Harrisburg. Is that standard practice for the Pennsylvanian, or just occasional due to lack of electric locos, downed wires, etc?

[liftedjeep]

The P42DC's (that are equipped with PTC) are the standard power on The Pennsylvanian between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and return (having replaced the B32-8WH's). The reason for this to my knowledge, is because the overhead catenary ends in Harrisburg. Rather than swap out the electric for diesel there, it's taken care of at 30th St Station. Obviously, a City Sprinter replaces the P42 at 30th St for the final leg to New York.
Ben

[Return to Reading Company Olney Sta]

#120 was on the head end of my last AutoTrain trip in March 2016. Best known though as having led the inauguration special (along with #44) back in Jan 2009.

[east point]

Sometimes when the ACSES on the diesel is not working or not installed Amtrak will put an ACS-64 ahead of the diesel from PHL to HAR pulling the Pennsylvanian .

[STrRedWolf]

The P42DC's (that are equipped with PTC) are the standard power on The Pennsylvanian between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and return (having replaced the B32-8WH's). The reason for this to my knowledge, is because the overhead catenary ends in Harrisburg. Rather than swap out the electric for diesel there, it's taken care of at 30th St Station. Obviously, a City Sprinter replaces the P42 at 30th St for the final leg to New York.
Ben

It may be easier to swap it at 30th (PHL) than Harrisburg (HAR), namely because you have multiple tracks beyond four, so you got room to move stuff around and not interfere with Keystones, NEC trains, and I think the NJ Transit Atlantic line as well is down on the lower tracks.

[ExCon90]

... and since the train reverses direction at 30th St. they have to change power there anyway--better to do it once than twice.