Search results

Brightline needs to get I-ETMS certified for 125 mph next year to be able to use their new 35 mile long railroad from Cocoa to Orlando as intended. This will establish a template for how to get FRA approval for higher speed.

High level platforms (generally at 48 inches above top of rail) have been spreading around the country in the years since U.S. DOT's publication of level boarding requirements and inclusion in many Federally-funded projects. These now include stations at most Upstate NY cities, Springfield, and...

Another interesting tidbit that appeared in today's Railway Gazette International feed is the order "includes 50 electro-diesel sets and 15 diesel-battery sets, with the rest [8] being EPA Tier 4 compliant diesels capable of using biodiesel fuel. The batteries can be charged from regenerated...

If you are spending the money to build a railroad it doesn't cost much more to build true HSR. It makes particularly good sense in this case since there has never been a direct railroad between Macon and Jacksonville.

The FRA SE Regional Rail Study found that Atlanta - Macon - Jacksonville - Orlando would justify hourly high-speed rail service, making construction of a new passenger-only alignment, like Houston-Dallas, feasible. Similarly, there would be no major obstacles to construction (like a mountain...

Note that none of the proposed routes are more than about 500 miles to ensure that they will be "state supported" services and, thus have to be paid for by the states (after the "introductory offer" expires). This ignores the fact that some long distance services are, in reality, 2 corridors in...

I imagine that the reason the sleepers are closed off south of WAS is that segment of the route is treated as a "state-supported service". None of these have sleepers. Certainly Virginia is not going to pay for this; Amtrak probably wouldn't even ask. Amtrak is required to operate the Corridor...

It's clear that what the new Amtrak represents only shows expansion of "state supported services" (as established in PRIIA 2008 sec 209). Thus they must be under 750 miles and states must pay vast majority of their cost. Nothing is shown that will increase the Amtrak operating deficit in the...

My reading of the map is that the only added service is in in the state-supported service category (i.e. the routes of <750 miles, where the states pay virtually all of the cost). The light blue lines are on routes where such service does not exist today and the yellow is where such service...

I will remind people of the case in the late 1980s where Amtrak took ownership of the Connecticut River line from the Boston & Maine RR by eminent domain when it refused to maintain it to safe passenger train standards. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the action. After the line was upgraded Amtrak...

People interested in alternatives that could be considered for the Lake Shore corridor should look at the Lakeshore page at www.hsrail.org.

This discussion confirms my opinion that passenger and freight service do not mix well. East of Worcester works much better than it used to when it was dispatched by CSX although there were fewer trains. My vision is that the next step going west should be be a new shortcut to Hartford, built...

The beautifully restored historic waiting room is only used as a rental event space. There are 3 separate waiting areas: MBTA commuter rail/Amtrak, intercity bus, and city bus. None are very big. I doubt that there is a place offering bag storage.

A few days ago there was discussion of sleeping cars, comparing European vs. U.S. standards of privacy. People should watch this High Speed Rail Alliance webinar originally presented March 5, 2021 hosted by Kurt Bauer, Director, High Speed and Long Distance Passenger Services and New Rail...

Yes, converting Superliner trains to single level would require building longer platforms, in some cases restoring ones that used to be there.

Please explain why this is true. Siemens Brightline cars apparently are wheelchair accessible throughout.

None of the ideas discussed for lower level handicapped rooms provide any access to the the diner or sightseer lounge. Which is why I suggest that they will, eventually have to be replaced by single level cars. What can be done to make make them attractive?

I like the Superliners but, realistically, there is no way to make them ADA compliant. It would also be nice have a standard long distance car. But there should be some sort of lounge that's kind of "experiential", to coin a phrase. Maybe a dome of some sort. And rather than just replacing...

There is one thing that must be kept in mind when planning more trains in the U.S. The freight railroads don't want more passenger trains on their main routes. If they are forced to take them it is crystal clear that speed will be limited to 79/80 mph (possibly 90 on CSX or BNSF). The only way...

Should Amtrak move to Brightline's Miami Central Station, instead of the Airport? I believe that all of the necessary track connections have been constructed.