Penn Station turnaround for Empire Connection?

[Railjunkie]

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As I have posted numerous times before the Central did study hanging wire from Harmon to Buffalo. They didn't do it an account cost and the performance of their locomotives. This study was done 80ish years ago when labor was cheap and there was no such thing as a NIMBY or a small pile of cash couldn't buy. Didn't happen then and I don't see it happening now.

Third rail is fine for getting us into and out of Penn/GCT. Drag an electric to Albany for less than a mile of wire why?? So we don't gap, a one seat ride??? Drag a P42 to Washington you just slowed that train to 110MAS. Everyone on here complains we need higher speeds, so lets slow stuff down for a one seat ride. PURE GENIUS

[twropr]

When the work on JO interlocking (east end of Penn Station NY) begins June 2, why is ADIRONDACK #69 being combined with MAPLE LEAF #63? I haven't heard of any other trains being cut back or rescheduled.
Thanks!
Andy

[east point]

When the work on JO interlocking (east end of Penn Station NY) begins June 2, why is ADIRONDACK #69 being combined with MAPLE LEAF #63? I haven't heard of any other trains being cut back or rescheduled.
Thanks!
Andy

It may be to eliminate one ferry of a trainset from Sunny side to NYP ?

[Allouette]

Empire Connector trains can only use tunnels 1 and 2 from Sunnyside, both of which go to JO. Running one train instead of two means workmen don't have to shut down work on JO twice in a one hour stretch. Presumably other Amtrak and LIRR movements can go via tunnels 3 and 4 (and C) instead. Since a work window requires shutting off and grounding the third rail (and probably the overhead) interrupting it is pretty costly.

[mtuandrew]

Because I feel like jumping into this topic

-How about biofuel-diesels with filtered exhaust? NYSDOT can specify whatever they want for service into NYP and NYG.
-Don’t like that idea? Then how about CNG/LNG/LPG engines? The tech is there, BN was working on those in the 1980s, you’d just have to commit to refueling at the north end of each run because the energy density of those fuels isn’t as high as diesel.
-Still no? Then how about dragging an MU cab car instead of an entire motor? A single 1000 hp M7 could serve to shove a train into PSNY (just gear it for 40 mph maximum) and also control a push-pull train along the entire route.

[DutchRailnut]

FDNY does not even like diesel in NYP , now you want gas ??? right that won't fly.

[BandA]

Compressed Natural Gas (Methane), Liquid Propane Gas, or the worst: Liquid Natural Gas are very dangerous for explosion or displacement of oxygen in a confined environment (tunnel). They are heavier than air and can pool along the ground until they find an ignition source.

[Backshophoss]

As it is,FDNY is unhappy with the on board propane tanks on some of the private cars used for cooking purposes,even the FHA rated fuel tanks
for propane powered vehicles.
As it was,PRR,PC,and CR had special instructions that all gas tanks were drained or pulled off before getting close to Portal or Oak point,
and Wood/coal fired kitchens were banked before entering the tunnels.

[mtuandrew]

Then forget about gaseous fuels.

My point is, there are options short of ALP45DMs that could serve Amtrak well. I’m especially fond of a single car MU leader that could pull a diesel consist into NYP and through the East River (or North River if necessary) tunnels. Short of electrification to Albany, the easiest solution is sometimes not the electro-diesel.

[Suburban Station]

When the work on JO interlocking (east end of Penn Station NY) begins June 2, why is ADIRONDACK #69 being combined with MAPLE LEAF #63? I haven't heard of any other trains being cut back or rescheduled.
Thanks!
Andy

There's a Keystone being cut back at Newark

[SRich]

Why not electrify the Amtrak empire connection with catenary. Then Amtrak can fase out the p32 dm and buy a few dual power like the NJ version.

[rcthompson04]

When the work on JO interlocking (east end of Penn Station NY) begins June 2, why is ADIRONDACK #69 being combined with MAPLE LEAF #63? I haven't heard of any other trains being cut back or rescheduled.
Thanks!
Andy

There's a Keystone being cut back at Newark

Yep. The first Keystone of the morning heading to NYP and the second leaving NYP are terminating and originating our of Newark Penn.

[electricron]

Why not electrify the Amtrak empire connection with catenary. Then Amtrak can fase out the p32 dm and buy a few dual power like the NJ version.

Amtrak does not own the rail corridor, MTA does for almost half the distance to Albany. MTA's trains use third rail DC to power their trains, not the high voltage AC Amtrak uses on its' catenaries. Why would MTA ever electrify their rails twice?

[east point]

Why not electrify the Amtrak empire connection with catenary. Then Amtrak can fase out the p32 dm and buy a few dual power like the NJ version.

Amtrak does not own the rail corridor, MTA does for almost half the distance to Albany. MTA's trains use third rail DC to power their trains, not the high voltage AC Amtrak uses on its' catenaries. Why would MTA ever electrify their rails twice?

The only reason the MTA's Hudson line would get 25 Kv overhead is if it wanted to speed up the route above present MAS of the 3rd rail. What would that save. Maybe 5 minutes. Will not happen in the next 30 years. Also MTA would need to buy M-8 type EMUs to make uses of that overhead which could only be effective Suptyvil north as 3rd rail would be needed south of there. Now if MTA could rebuild the Hudson line for faster MAS then maybe in 40 - 50 years. The 3rd rail MAS is not going to go away,

[ExCon90]

The post states "empire connection." I understood that to mean string wire as far as DV and run as Diesel from there, as now. Not so?