448 transferred to Amtrak bus at Albany ?

[Railroad Bill]

Just noticed that today's LSL 448 was transferred to Ambus at Albany. Anyone know what the story is there?
Planning trip to Worcester in a couple weeks and hoping they havent changed over to the busing between Albany and Boston as has been the case in previous years.

 

[PVD]

 

[Railroad Bill]

View attachment 21364

Thanks for the information.

 

[daybeers]

It was less than two day's notice I believe. Nice.

 

[Railroad Bill]

After looking at the MBTA site, it looks like there may be more weekend delays due to bridge construction near Framingham.

 

[SubwayNut]

Any word on why Amtrak at least run the train to Springfield? Hartford Line and Northeast Regional Trains turn-around there.

 

[B&Ofan]

My guess is that they don't have the facilities in Springfield to deal with the sleeper cars, my guess is they will just keep the full train ans service the cars at Sunnyside. What I would like to see is they take the line to Ayer and go to North Station on the Fitchburg line (stopping at porter Sq so those who need to go to South station can do so on the Red line) But I'm sure there are many good reasons for not doing that as well.

 

[railiner]

My guess is that they don't have the facilities in Springfield to deal with the sleeper cars, my guess is they will just keep the full train ans service the cars at Sunnyside. What I would like to see is they take the line to Ayer and go to North Station on the Fitchburg line (stopping at porter Sq so those who need to go to South station can do so on the Red line) But I'm sure there are many good reasons for not doing that as well.

Detouring that way would be great for rare mileage fans, but probably the least likely alternative for Amtrak. It would take much longer than the regular route, it would require pilot crews, and would miss the intermediate stations, all for just a relative few thru passengers.

 

[Palmetto]

The late cancellation notice happened because there was a rock slide on the CSX main line in the Berkshires. Rock slides usually don't give much advance warning.

 

[Palmetto]

My guess is that they don't have the facilities in Springfield to deal with the sleeper cars, my guess is they will just keep the full train ans service the cars at Sunnyside. What I would like to see is they take the line to Ayer and go to North Station on the Fitchburg line (stopping at porter Sq so those who need to go to South station can do so on the Red line) But I'm sure there are many good reasons for not doing that as well.

It would take forever and a day to do that. The Pan Am railroad is a 10 MPH railroad in many places on its West End. But it would be great for the "rare mileage" fans.

 

[Rasputin]

448 and 449 are the Rodney Dangerfield of the Amtrak system. They get no respect and if fhey get out of their time slot on the MBTA it is all over and becomes a third world operation between Worcester and Boston.

 

[railiner]

It would take forever and a day to do that. The Pan Am railroad is a 10 MPH railroad in many places on its West End. But it would be great for the "rare mileage" fans.

Indeed. They could get the train to Boston quicker, by running it all the way to New York City, and then up the NEC to Boston, if they wanted to...

 

[B&Ofan]

Actually the current route is so slow, I'm not sure that it wouldn't be quicker then current route.

 

[Palmetto]

448 and 449 are the Rodney Dangerfield of the Amtrak system. They get no respect and if fhey get out of their time slot on the MBTA it is all over and becomes a third world operation between Worcester and Boston.

I'd bet that a competent dispatcher might be able to run Amtrak around a slower, all stops local if there was no opposing traffic.

 

[Rasputin]

I'd bet that a competent dispatcher might be able to run Amtrak around a slower, all stops local if there was no opposing traffic.

I am sure that there is a way to get it done. Railroads have been doing it competently and safely for over 150 years. But on this section of track there just seems to be no will to get it done (based on my admittedly occasional observations).

 

[west point]

IMO this route is just one example of a dispatcher having too many miles to take the time to get trains over the road. The constant demands of various maintenance persons for track and time just gums up their territory. As i understand it Amtrak uses up to 6 dispatch positions from WASH - NYP for just 249 miles. Granted they are also responsible for maintaining the CAT as well. Off hours there are fewer persons dispatching.
Is the B&A under just one dispatch position. If so does that dispatcher also have other locations?

 

[Rasputin]

IMO this route is just one example of a dispatcher having too many miles to take the time to get trains over the road. The constant demands of various maintenance persons for track and time just gums up their territory. As i understand it Amtrak uses up to 6 dispatch positions from WASH - NYP for just 249 miles. Granted they are also responsible for maintaining the CAT as well. Off hours there are fewer persons dispatching.
Is the B&A under just one dispatch position. If so does that dispatcher also have other locations?

I do not have a good understanding of the dispatching. I believe that Worcester to Boston is dispatched by MBTA but corrections are welcome. I have never encountered significant delays in 449 but 448 can be a real horror if it gets out of its time slot. After several poor experiences on 448, I have all but given up on that train and prefer to fly back.

 

[Palmetto]

Yes, Worcester to Boston is now dispatched by an MBTA dispatcher, but I don't know which one.

West of Worcester, on the CSX, the railroad is dispatched by the CSX NC dispatcher, that person is responsible for moving trains between Worcester and Oneida, NY [east of Syracuse] on the main line, plus some lesser important branch lines.

Some people would like to see MBTA control all the way out to Springfield.