"New" Buffalo Station

[MikefromCrete]

I would think a backup move might add an hour or move to the LSL's already overlong schedule. It's really not worth the effort for the number of passengers that would be served. Buffalo Central Terminal is too big a white elephant to be revived (with no big pockets corporation around to fund the effort like Ford is doing in Detroit), so it seems the two station situation in Buffalo will continue far into the future.

 

[jiml]

While I would like the idea of the LSL serving BFX instead of Depew, how much additional total time would that backup move take? In the rather leisurely schedule of the LSL, I would say twenty minutes or less wouldn't bother thru passengers much. It would certainly save Amtrak a bundle, if they could then close the Depew station....

Theoretically it could be done without a backup move. Referring to @niemi24s latest map above, the westbound LSL could make a northbound turn just before old Central station, following that track until a southbound turn near the "To Toronto" arrow. BFX could then be served southbound before rejoining the main. Obviously reverse the process for the eastbound train.

 

[Palmetto]

The backup move would be quicker, and there's less chance of conflict with other movements it seems as the train makes the "Buffalo loop.:

 

[jis]

The backup move would be quicker, and there's less chance of conflict with other movements it seems as the train makes the "Buffalo loop.:

Not to mention those few short segments of 10mph inevitably sitting there in moves through yards and what not.

Even in Richmond where it was a no brainer affecting many trains, it took a long time to get the transit of Acca Yard fixed. This would be just one train running in the wilderness, which would be entirely Amtrak's national network problem, so probably not much forthcoming from NYSDOT either, who should really working on adding more intrastate frequencies and food service rather than worrying about the LSL

 

[PVD]

Depew is very convenient to where lots of people live and work, the airport, and has parking, why give that up? The Buffalo metro area is way more than downtown Buffalo. Passenger counts for Depew are way higher than BFX, and I doubt it's just from the LSL.

 

[jiml]

Depew is very convenient to where lots of people live and work, the airport, and has parking, why give that up? The Buffalo metro area is way more than downtown Buffalo. Passenger counts for Depew are way higher than BFX, and I doubt it's just from the LSL.

Much easier access from the Interstate and free, safe parking. I don't believe BFX has any of those. It's certainly where we park when headed to NYC or intermediate stops on Empire services.

 

[IndyLions]

It would only make sense to stop at both - not one. As I’ve mentioned on this board many times - our major cities should have stops at both downtown and airport stations. I know it slows things down - but it adds invaluable connectivity. Just adjust the dwell time accordingly to minimize schedule impact.

 

[jis]

It would only make sense to stop at both - not one. As I’ve mentioned on this board many times - our major cities should have stops at both downtown and airport stations. I know it slows things down - but it adds invaluable connectivity. Just adjust the dwell time accordingly to minimize schedule impact.

I think the simple act of improving dispatching reliability could absorb additional time needed for a stop or two, specially on routes where trains really don't run all that fast and do not have a very demanding schedule to adhere to, if only they could keep moving when they are supposed to be moving instead of waiting for dispatching snafus to clear.