Amtrak to Long Island: MTA agrees to explore

[Jeff Smith]

Hidden within the announcement of Penn Access for MNRR agreement is this gem: NBCNewYork.com

Head explodes:

...
He also said Amtrak and the MTA would begin working to advance "direct Amtrak intercity passenger rail service" to Long Island via the LIRR "in the future." As for the Metro-North expansion, Gardner said the agreement is subject to approval by each agency's Board of Directors before the end of the month
...

[Jeff Smith]

Something that came up in the Empire Service topic the other day: through running to LI/Montauk, etc.

http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=2298" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[NIMBYkiller]

I was coming here to post that same article. I rememeber years ago thinking it would be a good idea if Amtrak were qanting to tap perhaps the Hamptons market, but that's summers only. During Spring and Fall you've got the college students at the upstate schools who are laregly from Long Island, but that's Fridays and Sundays only. It would be interesting to see where they're thinking of running to and on what kind of schedule. Will Amtrak crew their own trains on LI or could LIRR crews take over at Penn?

[Jeff Smith]

Way to early for Amtrak to know that, but it’s an interesting topic to come!

[mtuandrew]

Great opportunity for LIRR to electrify the rest of their west-end lines, junk their entire diesel fleet, and have Amtrak provide Hamptons service with shiny new DM Chargers.

[Jeff Smith]

They’d only use DC in NYP and tunnels... arcing and MAS issues. Plus, Electrification is so costly, and DC would require a LOT of substations. They wouldn’t need it for the couple of trains they’d run.

[Nasadowsk]

They’d only use DC in NYP and tunnels... arcing and MAS issues. Plus, Electrification is so costly, and DC would require a LOT of substations. They wouldn’t need it for the couple of trains they’d run.

I'm wondering if the LI's looking to push the Hamptons(tm) service off the Amtrak.

After that's out of the way, it's a no brainer to electrify to Riverhead, Patchogue (Speonk?), Oyster Bay, and Port Jeff, and dump diesel operation all together. Sure DC sucks, but extending the existing DC is a lot cheaper than changing to AC. Get a few DMU shuttles for the 3 passengers a day to Greenport and between Patchogue (Speonk?) and Montauk...

[Kelly&Kelly]

According to Newsday (if anything it prints can be believed), Governor Cuomo, in his bid for president has brokered a deal with Amtrak:

"Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Tuesday announced that the state, the MTA and Amtrak had reached an agreement on a plan to link Metro-North Railroad to Penn Station.

Under the agreement, Amtrak also will study the feasibility of extending its intercity rail service to Long Island, potentially providing a one-seat ride between the Island and major Northeast cities, including Boston and Washington, D.C.

This is not the first time Amtrak considered through service on the Long Island. Over the thirty years there were investigations into Amtrak trains operating to Shea Stadium events and through service from Washington to Montauk.

[DutchRailnut]

will study .... they done that before, don't get your hopes up , besides no one on Island will be willing to pay Amtrak fares.

[Arlington]

Why would you electrify the minor branches and dangling ends? Electrification is a technology for dense trunk lines.

All the rich, car-lite, trip-makers live along the Port Washington and Oyster Bay branches--LaGuardia's back yard.

Amtrak would be looking at rich business/employment/residential places that'd generate trips to Philly & DC. Say:
Jamaica-Mineola-Hicksville-Islip/Ronkonkoma Done.

[Backshophoss]

A DC to Montauk Cannonball? PRR did offer thru cars(Pullman) back in the day to Montauk/Greenport.
Albany to Montauk/Greenport will be a stretch except during the Saratoga horse racing season.
Any Amtrak service will need to wait for the 3rd main track is in service.
Remember there's the Port Jeff to Bridgeport Ferry,that some of the East Enders use to reach the Mainland.

[Greg Moore]

I have friends that might actually take advantage of this if it comes to fruition.

[4behind2]

There was at least one Amtrak extra which went to Shea Stadium when interleauge play began, from the Boston area. Late 1990's.

Former US Senator Al D'Amato was a proponent of Amtak service from Albany to Port Jefferson. Made much newspaper publicity, but little else.

[SRich]

Why not electrify those portions with overhead catenary, speed up (to 100 mph) and make a connection with new haven so Long Island get Intercity traffic to Boston and DC.

Amtrak can then kill te Intercity traffic over the MNRR and CDot portion and reduces travel time.

[DutchRailnut]

correct, but I see a few problems , cab/atc differences, and new Amfleet 1 replacements would be push/pull with cab car.
Amtrak would need to double end the trains as per their own rules ??
How many LI natives will pay a ticket price twice that of LIRR ??