E60JPC
Train Attendant
Does anyone know if Amtrak ever considered these ideas? If not, would they be feasible?
1. Divert NYC/DC NE Regionals from NY Penn Station to Hoboken, NJ via NJT's Waterfront Connection. There are currently 8-9 roundtrips weekdays and 4-5 on weekends. Could 5 of the weekday and 3 of the weekend NE Regional roundtrips run Hoboken to Washington? This could act as a "safety valve" relieving some of the traffic through the Hudson River tunnels until the Gateway tunnels are someday operational.
2. Divert NYC/Harrisburg Keystones over an alternate route between Hoboken, NJ to Harrisburg. There are currently 9-10 weekday roundtrips and 6 weekend roundtrips. Could 5 of the weekday and 3 of the weekend roundtrips be diverted as above for the NE Regionals, thus further reducing trans-tunnel traffic to/from Penn Station. This option would come with a re-route though. Hoboken, NJ to Newark via the NJT Waterfront Connection & NEC, Newark to Bound Brook, NJ via NJT's Raritan Valley line, Bound Brook, NJ to West Trenton, NJ via the old Reading Lines route (now CSX), West Trenton to Philadelphia via SEPTA's West Trenton line to 30th Street Station (upper level), then west on the present day Keystone route to Harrisburg.
WB trains would run with a diesel locomotive on the rear of the train, facing towards Hoboken, then switch to an electric locomotive on the front of the train the rest of the way to Harrisburg. EB trains would run cab car forward with the electric locomotive at the rear Harrisburg to West Trenton, then exchange for a diesel locomotive on the front of the train from West Trenton to Hoboken.
On this route, Hoboken would replace NYC, Bound Brook would replace Metropark, Belle Mead would replace New Brunswick, Hopewell would replace Princeton Jct., West Trenton would replace Trenton, Jenkintown-Wyncote would replace Cornwells Heights, Temple University would replace North Philadelphia and Suburban Station would return to the Amtrak map. Newark Penn Station would continue to be served by both Keystone routes. Furthermore, Bound Brook, NJ would be a much more convenient place for NJT Raritan Valley passengers to transfer to Keystone's than going all the way into Newark. Jenkintown-Wyncote would be a convenient place for Lansdale-Doylestown, Warminster, and West Trenton SEPTA commuters to transfer to Keystones. And Temple University would be a more convenient place for SEPTA Chestnut Hill and Norristown line commuters to change to Keystones.
3. Originating/terminating Acela Express trains at Philadelphia Suburban Station. There are 4 stub-end tracks serving Suburban Station which don't get that much use as most SEPTA trains are run-throughs to Jefferson Station and beyond. There are at least 6 weekday NYC/DC roundtrips, 8 BOS/DC weekday roundtrips, 2 NYC/DC Sa roundtrips, 2 BOS/DC Sa roundtrips, 3 NYC/DC Su roundtrips, and 1 BOS/DC Su roundtrip. Would it be possible to replace 1 daily NYC/DC roundtrip with a NYC/PHS roundtrip, replace 1 daily NYC/DC roundtrip with a PHS/DC roundtrip, replace 1 daily BOS/DC roundtrip with a BOS/PHS roundtrip, replace 1 PHS/Harrisburg Keystone with an Acela Express, replace 1 NYC/DC roundtrip with a NYC/Harrisburg roundtrip via the NY-PGH subway and North Philadelphia station, and 1 daily NYC/DC roundtrip with a DC/Harrisburg roundtrip via 30th Street Station?
1. Divert NYC/DC NE Regionals from NY Penn Station to Hoboken, NJ via NJT's Waterfront Connection. There are currently 8-9 roundtrips weekdays and 4-5 on weekends. Could 5 of the weekday and 3 of the weekend NE Regional roundtrips run Hoboken to Washington? This could act as a "safety valve" relieving some of the traffic through the Hudson River tunnels until the Gateway tunnels are someday operational.
2. Divert NYC/Harrisburg Keystones over an alternate route between Hoboken, NJ to Harrisburg. There are currently 9-10 weekday roundtrips and 6 weekend roundtrips. Could 5 of the weekday and 3 of the weekend roundtrips be diverted as above for the NE Regionals, thus further reducing trans-tunnel traffic to/from Penn Station. This option would come with a re-route though. Hoboken, NJ to Newark via the NJT Waterfront Connection & NEC, Newark to Bound Brook, NJ via NJT's Raritan Valley line, Bound Brook, NJ to West Trenton, NJ via the old Reading Lines route (now CSX), West Trenton to Philadelphia via SEPTA's West Trenton line to 30th Street Station (upper level), then west on the present day Keystone route to Harrisburg.
WB trains would run with a diesel locomotive on the rear of the train, facing towards Hoboken, then switch to an electric locomotive on the front of the train the rest of the way to Harrisburg. EB trains would run cab car forward with the electric locomotive at the rear Harrisburg to West Trenton, then exchange for a diesel locomotive on the front of the train from West Trenton to Hoboken.
On this route, Hoboken would replace NYC, Bound Brook would replace Metropark, Belle Mead would replace New Brunswick, Hopewell would replace Princeton Jct., West Trenton would replace Trenton, Jenkintown-Wyncote would replace Cornwells Heights, Temple University would replace North Philadelphia and Suburban Station would return to the Amtrak map. Newark Penn Station would continue to be served by both Keystone routes. Furthermore, Bound Brook, NJ would be a much more convenient place for NJT Raritan Valley passengers to transfer to Keystone's than going all the way into Newark. Jenkintown-Wyncote would be a convenient place for Lansdale-Doylestown, Warminster, and West Trenton SEPTA commuters to transfer to Keystones. And Temple University would be a more convenient place for SEPTA Chestnut Hill and Norristown line commuters to change to Keystones.
3. Originating/terminating Acela Express trains at Philadelphia Suburban Station. There are 4 stub-end tracks serving Suburban Station which don't get that much use as most SEPTA trains are run-throughs to Jefferson Station and beyond. There are at least 6 weekday NYC/DC roundtrips, 8 BOS/DC weekday roundtrips, 2 NYC/DC Sa roundtrips, 2 BOS/DC Sa roundtrips, 3 NYC/DC Su roundtrips, and 1 BOS/DC Su roundtrip. Would it be possible to replace 1 daily NYC/DC roundtrip with a NYC/PHS roundtrip, replace 1 daily NYC/DC roundtrip with a PHS/DC roundtrip, replace 1 daily BOS/DC roundtrip with a BOS/PHS roundtrip, replace 1 PHS/Harrisburg Keystone with an Acela Express, replace 1 NYC/DC roundtrip with a NYC/Harrisburg roundtrip via the NY-PGH subway and North Philadelphia station, and 1 daily NYC/DC roundtrip with a DC/Harrisburg roundtrip via 30th Street Station?