So, I know that Amtrak got the money to upgrade a segment of the NYP-WAS track to 160 MPH in New Jersey. I'm wondering...other than CTC, what needs to be done to this section to get it upgraded that costs so much? Is it straightening out a few curves?
In this vein, I'm left wondering if it would be possible/practical to upgrade a track to the 110-125 MPH range while ensuring that the alignment is "HSR capable" (i.e. you don't have to rework half of the alignment to speed things up...the most you have to do is rework some superelevation and improve track conditions).
AFAIK there is no curve straightening involved in the current project. The high speed work is only between New Brunswick and Morrisville. You have to remember that the total funding is for many things, including substantial replacement of interlocking A in Penn Station. New and additional converters in Metuchen to beef up power feed. Total replacement of Midway, Ham and Fair interlocking plants, shortening of signal blocks and removal of all trackside block signals, installing ACSES on all tracks etc. The Constant Tension Catenary work will include placing of additional posts between the existing ones to shorten the span length at many places, and of course more or less total replacement of catenary between New Brunswick and Morrisville, and all this to be achieved in about 4 years without substantially curtailing service. That in itself adds substantially to the cost.
BTW, the current alignment cannot be made HSR capable for more than 160 mph without substantially tearing down all electrification posts and stations and re-building from ground up. Upto 160 is what one can get without taking that drastic step and that is what the goal of the current project is. And BTW, the track is actually already more or less good for that.
