Amtrak Inland Route restoration and Albany - Boston corridor service

[Fenway]

The holy grail in this would be for New York State and Massachusetts to work out something between Pittsfield and Albany.



A long-proposed idea that could transform the landscape of Massachusetts is closer to execution than ever before.

State House News Service (SHNS) reported Tuesday that federal and state officials came to an agreement on how to create an east-west passenger rail line that would connect the eastern and western parts of the state.

SHNS reported that Gov. Charlie Baker and Richard Neal, the U.S. Representative for Massachusetts’ first district — which covers all of western Massachusetts — spoke to reporters after a meeting at Springfield’s Union Station.

They reportedly described creating a new rail authority that would extend Massachusetts rail lines to Springfield and Pittsfield.

SHNS reported that the officials said the new rail authority would be funded using recently allocated federal infrastructure funds, but did not give a timeline for the rail authority’s creation.

“The governor has made a full commitment to East-West Rail,” Neal told SHNS, calling the meeting a “historic moment.”

Agreement reached to create east-west rail in Massachusetts

Gov. Charlie Baker and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal reached an agreement Tuesday to create an east-west rail line in Massachusetts.

www.boston.com

 

[Deni]

I wish this had existed when I lived in Boston. My wife and I would have used it all the time since we went to Springfield all the time to see her family.

 

[daybeers]

This is good news, but I'll believe it when I see real action. Baker has been in bed with Peter Pan to block this project for years.

Don't understand why they can't just run more frequencies now.

 

[bratkinson]

Don't understand why they can't just run more frequencies now.

Reason 1: Conrail removed the 2nd track ALB-WOR in the '90s, I think. Or was it the '80s?
Reason 2: The tracks are owned by CSX.

 

[AmtrakMaineiac]

Reason 1: Conrail removed the 2nd track ALB-WOR in the '90s, I think. Or was it the '80s?
Reason 2: The tracks are owned by CSX.

If Conrail removed the track then it had to be in the 80's as the takeover by CSX was 1988.
As recently as the 2000's there were still Inland Route trains running to NYC via Springfield and Worcester so the capacity is still there to run more trains. I'm sure CSX would squawk anyway, maybe when and if the situation in Mobile is resolved in Amtrak's favor that would help.

Inland Route train stopping in Worcester in 2001:

 

[lordsigma]

MassDOT, Amtrak, CSX seek $108 million in rail improvements between Springfield and Worcester

The plan is to add two new daily Amtrak trips between Boston, Worcester and Springfield as a first phase of east-west rail.

www.masslive.com

 

[lordsigma]

First step towards new east - west Amtrak service in Massachusetts. Figured I’d start a thread for these two potential related Amtrak corridors in Massachusetts. This initial phase 1 will include siding expansion and other track improvements raising the MAS to 79 MPH from the current 60 MPH, and includes a new siding in Grafton for the interchange point between CSX and the Grafton and Upton railroad to reduce freight and passenger conflicts at this point.

MassDOT, Amtrak, CSX seek $108 million in rail improvements between Springfield and Worcester

The plan is to add two new daily Amtrak trips between Boston, Worcester and Springfield as a first phase of east-west rail.

www.masslive.com

 

[niemi24s]

I suppose it's safe to assume this has no bearing on any restoration of checked baggage service twixt ALB and BOS.

 

[Eric S]

Here's a link to a MassDOT press release.

 

[MikefromCrete]

I suppose it's safe to assume this has no bearing on any restoration of checked baggage service twixt ALB and BOS.

Why in the world would these two things be related?

 

[jis]

I suppose it's safe to assume this has no bearing on any restoration of checked baggage service twixt ALB and BOS.

Correct. No bearing at all.

 

[lordsigma]

To elaborate further as you can see in the postings if this CRISI grant goes forward it will enable two inland route round trips and improve trip times on the Lake Shore between Boston and Springfield. This is also a necessary first step for the later phase which includes two additional round trips that would run from Albany to Boston (bringing the total Springfield to Boston round trips to 5.)

 

[west point]

Is there any correlation with Inland service ending about the time electrification of the shore line was completd?

 

[west point]

Any estimate of enroute times on upgraded Inland route vs coast line times ? As well times now ?

 

[Lonnie]

To elaborate further as you can see in the postings if this CRISI grant goes forward it will enable two inland route round trips and improve trip times on the Lake Shore between Boston and Springfield. This is also a necessary first step for the later phase which includes two additional round trips that would run from Albany to Boston (bringing the total Springfield to Boston round trips to 5.)

This is great news. What's your estimate of how soon I can finally go to Boston from Springfield in the morning and return in the evening?

 

[Fenway]

MassDOT, Amtrak, CSX seek $108 million in rail improvements between Springfield and Worcester

The plan is to add two new daily Amtrak trips between Boston, Worcester and Springfield as a first phase of east-west rail.

www.masslive.com

Here is the MassDOT PR release

MassDOT, Amtrak, CSX Seeking More Than $108 Million for Corridor Improvements Between Springfield and Worcester

Application filed for funds from the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program (CRISI)

www.mass.gov

 

[lordsigma]

Any estimate of enroute times on upgraded Inland route vs coast line times ? As well times now ?

No very preliminary - only detail available is that which is in the press release.

 

[AmtrakMaineiac]

I would hope that there would be consideration of additional stops, for example Palmer and perhaps Warren, to provide more travel options for people living in Central/Western Mass. Of course adding stations would require more funding with the local communities chipping in.

 

[lordsigma]

I would hope that there would be consideration of additional stops, for example Palmer and perhaps Warren, to provide more travel options for people living in Central/Western Mass. Of course adding stations would require more funding with the local communities chipping in.

Palmer is almost certain to happen as there is a very loud advocacy group there that’s been pushing for a stop like crazy.

 

[Lcon]

East-West rail: The state and feds both need to chip in - The Boston Globe

Massachusetts can’t rely solely on federal aid to pay for the proposed passenger rail service between Worcester and Springfield. The state needs to put its money where its mouth is, too.

www.bostonglobe.com

Boston Globe Oped with updates on East West connection work.

 

[wxmeddler]

They aren't wrong. FRA is going to go elsewhere in state-supported services if there is no cost sharing.

 

[Lcon]

I agree, I am not knocking that. I am just posting it with the clear context that it is a Oped.

 

[AmtrakMaineiac]

It is sad that the state government cannot come up with $12 million to get this project rolling, basically chump change for a budget the size of theirs. I wonder if Peter Pan is using its influence again.

 

[fdaley]

I see the Globe editorial at some point was updated to say that, although the Legislature failed to appropriate the requested $12 million, the Healey administration found an alternate source of funding to advance the project. It doesn't say what that alternate source is or whether it adds up to the full $12 million requested.

 

[NES28]

I'm all in favor of passenger trains between Albany, Springfield, Worcester and Boston. But the historic Western RR of Massachusetts route, built 1837-1841, between Worcester and Palmer is extremely circuitous, making trip times on this segment that are vaguely competitive with Peter Pan buses on the Mass Pike impossible. The RR comes within 400 ft. of the Pike south of Auburn (SW suburb of Worcester). The Mass Pike alignment should be followed from here to Palmer (requiring electrification to cope with the grades). A fringe benefit would be to facilitate a new direct Worcester-Hartford route. This new inland route would bypass the Shoreline route through eastern CT and RI, allowing it to be significantly faster than the Shoreline route. Worcester, the second biggest city in New England would get its first fast, direct rail service to NYC, PHL, and WAS.