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  • HQ2 - Amtrak "Up For It"?

  • Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.
Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.

Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, mtuandrew, Tadman

 #1491941  by rr503
 
I think it's worth noting that LGA isn't all that much better for LIC than JFK. LIC to LGA is 40 mins via E and Q70; JFK is about 50 via E and AirTrain. In fact, I'd actually argue that the inherent (relative) reliability of the all-rail route to JFK may give it an edge in this respect, as travelers to/from LGA are subject to the vagaries of LGA/BQE road congestion.
 #1491956  by andegold
 
I can get to/from LGA via cab from 59th & 2nd in less than 25 minutes. I'm sure it can be done faster from various parts of LIC. For me rail is the only way to get to JFK, it's just that much more reliable.
 #1491957  by daybeers
 
andegold wrote:There are also pretty strict operating hours imposed by the FAA that could severely curtail the ability to fly into LGA from SEA on a business friendly schedule on certain days of the week.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documen ... ia-airport" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Those guidelines expired October 27, 2018.
 #1497950  by gokeefe
 
I am trying to "connect the dots" on the sudden interest by Amtrak in service to "Long Island" and directly connecting HQ2/Long Island City with HQ2/Crystal City is the only common denominator.

Thoughts?
 #1497956  by ryanov
 
When they say "Long Island," do they mean Queens? Because, yeah, but, not really.
 #1497973  by benboston
 
I think that they will, they haven't because Long Island City didn't use to have so many people, but now all of the new development that has spurred has lead to a lot more people than previously, and a lot more jobs than previously. On the other hand, you can just take the subway from LIC, but it would be nice if Amtrak makes a stop there.
 #1497979  by EuroStar
 
Amtrak will not build a stop there. The state (read the MTA) might if Amazon asks for it, but Amtrak won't. A stop at Long Island City is in the worst possible place for throughput being so close to Penn. Just look at the history how much slower trains got between Newark and NYP after Secaucus was opened. Any decision to build a stop at Long Island City will be political and will come from the state. The state might have enough leverage to even make Amtrak stop there once the stop exists, but any such stop will not be because of the economics, but because of politics.
 #1498000  by Jeff Smith
 
The MTA discussed an MNRR stop at SSYD as part of PSA, but dropped it.

Enough acronyms for you? :wink:

Now that New Haven’t (TM LoL) Line access to Penn is approved, and part of the deal includes potential access for Amtrak to LI proper (more than just looking out the window at the Manhattan skyline on the way to Boston), who knows? But it seems unlikely. There are simpler solutions at the north end of this “shuttle”.

Discussion of Amtrak-LI: http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=169095" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Discussion of Metro-North Penn access: http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=67&t=17711" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (pretty long but not as long as Mssr. Norman’s birthed Lackawanna Cutoff topic :-D .
 #1498111  by NIMBYkiller
 
I'd say it's a toss up between Amtrak, airlines, and whatever bus company decides to start a Midtown-Crystal City route. I think everyone is overhyping HQ2 though. This is not something that alone is going to garner enough ridership for a whole new train service or air service or whatever, but it adds nicely to the existing portfolio of potential customers. Regarding travel between HQs, are people who have to travel going to go from office to office, or will they go from home to office? That's going to be a huge factor in what mode they take. For Amtrak to win out overall, I'd say Amtrak is going to need to add Crystal City to its Virginia trains. HQ2s location in LIC is nowhere convenient for an Amtrak/LIRR station unless a new tunnel was built to get NYP tracks 1-4 onto the island with an underground stop in LIC, and that's a VERY long ways away if it were to ever be remotely considered (and that's still a bit of a hike to Anabel Basin).
 #1498130  by Backshophoss
 
All this HYPE over Amazon's HQ-2 was to get the cities targeted to offer up tax concessions,Taxpayer funded bonds, what ever was needed to get Amazon to build at their city. Have yet to see Amazon doing any real estate deals for property!

SO FAR,NOTHING! IT WAS ALL HYPE! LET IT GO! :( :( :(
 #1499881  by EuroStar
 
The New York half of HQ2 seems to be going down fast. There are reports in the media that Amazon is reconsidering given the local community board , city council and state representatives/senators opposition. Cuomo and de Blasio are still supportive, but it is not clear if either wants or can overcome the opposition effort. With that I pronounce any Amazon induced Amtrak service demand dead for good. There is no way Amazon wants to deal with this crap. They have more important things to do running a business and there are another 18+ cities around the country which want Amazon. For comparison, the Virginia half of HQ2 has been a relatively smooth sailing.
 #1499899  by andegold
 
What DCell said. New Jersey needs this in a very bad way - New York does not. Newark hits just about every bullet point on Amazon's list:
- Real city
- Mass transit
- Commuting in from the burbs
- local buses as well
- International airport (with transit connections)
- Amtrak
- Universities
- Rutgers
- Seton Hall
- NJIT
- Stevens Tech
- Culture
- NJPAC
- The Rock

The only way for NJ to solve their tax and transit problems is to bring jobs into the state, not to ship the residents to jobs elsewhere. NY could use the jobs but the incentives offered were unnecessary and unfordable. NJ can't afford not to offer them.