If you love trains, then help them!

[boc61]

Actually one could almost go from Boston to Washington via commuter trains. We would have to take a short bit of Amtrak in Rhode Island between Providence and New Haven, but other than that it's commuter all the way.

Leaving Boston South Station. we could hop the MBTA commuter train to Providence.

Take an short Amtrak ride to New London then hop on a Metro North Shoreline East Commuter train to New York City, then hop on a NJT then SEPTA to Baltimore to pick up a MARC to Washington.

I don't know how long the trip would be, but it sounds like fun.

John

Can you get to Baltimore on Septa? I thought it only went to Wilmington.

 

[nicky9499]

But Amtrak is not the only passenger railroad

Re-read the thread, or at least Dusten's post. It is the only long-distance intercity passenger service.

 

[RRSignal]

It goes to Newark, actually. There has been some talk about possibly extending MARC to Newark. In the past, I've heard "what-ifs" about MARC going to Elkton (15 miles south of Newark) instead and SEPTA meeting there. Frankly, Newark is more realistic, if not Wilmington.

 

[amtrak2041864]

But taking to trip along the whole nec VIA commuter rail services will take way too long and may cost more then an Amtrak Regional. But it sounds like great fun any way.

 

[AMTRAKwannabe]

Re-read the thread, or at least Dusten's post. It is the only long-distance intercity passenger service.

I've never heard of "Amtash" though...

 

[amtrak2041864]

Amtrak is a great service but it is government ran. So we already have problems, like those tunnels under the hudson can be built with half of the amount reqired. The Germans are building a 34 mile long tunnel for the same price.

 

[AMTRAKwannabe]

The real problem is we are spending to much time building NEW stuff when we can just REBUILD old stuff.

 

[H222]

What do you suggest? Rebuild PRR's K4's? Rebuilding outdated and less efficient equipment isn't that great

P42-more efficient than an F40PH.
P42-lower than an F40PH, meaning they can travel on the NEC
P42-25% More Powerful than an F40PH, can carry more with less units
P42-Cleaner and more modern looking, can improve PA
P42-22% more fuel-efficient than the F40PH
P42-More aerodynamic than an F40PH
P42-harder to repair than an F40PH
P42-Bolt-on nose, easier to fix after crossing incidents than an F40PH
P42-Faster than an F40PH

P42>F40PH

 

[Bluewater]

What do you suggest? Rebuild PRR's K4's? Rebuilding outdated and less efficient equipment isn't that great

P42-more efficient than an F40PH.
P42-lower than an F40PH, meaning they can travel on the NEC
P42-25% More Powerful than an F40PH, can carry more with less units
P42-Cleaner and more modern looking, can improve PA
P42-22% more fuel-efficient than the F40PH
P42-More aerodynamic than an F40PH
P42-harder to repair than an F40PH
P42-Bolt-on nose, easier to fix after crossing incidents than an F40PH
P42-Faster than an F40PH

P42>F40PH

I agree with H222 on this one eek. As much as I like a good F40PH, the '90s are long gone. The P40s and the P42s trump the F40s in nearly every category.

 

[AMTRAKwannabe]

I meant the track and tunnels, reinforce them, although, it would be kinda cool to see the K4's back in service...

F40's = my least favorite loco.

 

[amtrak2041864]

I agree with H222 on this one eek. As much as I like a good F40PH, the '90s are long gone. The P40s and the P42s trump the F40s in nearly every category.

Soon the P42 will be outdated.

 

[AMTRAKwannabe]

With what? A P50?

 

[wkwood]

What do you suggest? Rebuild PRR's K4's? Rebuilding outdated and less efficient equipment isn't that great

P42-more efficient than an F40PH.
P42-lower than an F40PH, meaning they can travel on the NEC
P42-25% More Powerful than an F40PH, can carry more with less units
P42-Cleaner and more modern looking, can improve PA
P42-22% more fuel-efficient than the F40PH
P42-More aerodynamic than an F40PH
P42-harder to repair than an F40PH
P42-Bolt-on nose, easier to fix after crossing incidents than an F40PH
P42-Faster than an F40PH

P42>F40PH

Granted the electronics and engine management system on the P42 are better but Amtrak has been converting F40PH's into cab cars that are all over the NEC and used where they don't have a wye or don't have a turntable, so they'll fit under the catenary wires. The P42 also suffers from the same problem all diesel electrics have with one prime mover and that is HEP. More often than not you'll see an extra P42 in a three or four loco set pulling a long distance passenger train on Amtrak because there's not enough electrical power for all the A/C, Ovens, Water heaters and wall sockets for all the customer goodies.

If you compare the P42 to the Wabtec MP36 you'll see that there's two diesels, one for traction and the other for HEP. That way the commuter coaches get the A/C and Heat as well as power for all the electrical goodies. Unfortunately the MP36 isn't a long haul locomotive and lacks the same traction capabilities. There's one spot on the VRE that if they don't get a running start they can't over the hill, AFAIK that's on the Manasas line. It was the same with the GP35s/40s they had too.

I don't know about aerodynamics, we're talking about heavy metal and the the EMD F59PHI is more streamlined than a P42 but yes about 1000HP less but 12 Cylinder vs 16 and less weight/traction but if you're out on the flat, it can move a train and it's more fuel efficient.

Oh and since most of Amtrak as an example doesn't own the tracks off the Harrisburg or NEC, there's not many places the P42s can stretch their legs because they're on Freight lines usually stuck behind a long haul. Granted there are places you can get them moving but really it's not that often.

 

[wkwood]

Amtrak is a great service but it is government ran. So we already have problems, like those tunnels under the hudson can be built with half of the amount reqired. The Germans are building a 34 mile long tunnel for the same price.

Amtrak is booming but it's a public/private company that was the best compromise when members of Congress realized that the PRR was going belly up and all those congressmen/senators were going to lose their golden ticket. Wilmington Station DE wasn't named Biden Station recently for nothing, right? They do get a government subsidy and actually have oversight by the FRA but there are a minority private shareholders (old PRR stockholders?) Anyway the NEC wouldn't have been electrified all those years ago had not the Government paid for it either, it was a Depression Era works project and the PRR took advantage of it. Unfortunately they were saddled with a whole bunch of other responsibilities when all the railroads were allowed to give up their passenger service and since then every congressman or senator with a special problem gets a route added or removed. What a lot of folks don't realize is that a lot of off corridor routes have some level of state sponsorship. There's also those funny things like budget mandates where some senator writes in an ammendment saying "You get $10 million in FYxy to study how to make trains quieter but you have to spend that money in my state." Try running a business with those kinds of rules and you'd have financial troubles in a hurry.