This is indeed the long term plan and is under consideration as part of the Corridor ID program - MassDOT won a selection for this.Why not three trains a day BOSTON-SPRINGFIELD-ALBANY. It would open up so many possibilities.
Reading that, I had hoped for a train using the former B&M across the northern part of the stateand a possible new route between Boston and Albany, New York."
Amtrak ran a Fall Foliage Special to East Deerfield from Albany on that Northern Route in its pre-Anderson more customer friendly days under Boardman.Reading that, I had hoped for a train using the former B&M across the northern part of the state![]()
The problem with that route is that it misses major population centers (Worcester, Palmer, Springfield, Pittsfield) instead you get Gardner, Athol, Deerfield, North Adams and not much else. It would be cool to go through the Hoosac tunnel though.Reading that, I had hoped for a train using the former B&M across the northern part of the state![]()
Fitchburg and Troy?The problem with that route is that it misses major population centers (Worcester, Palmer, Springfield, Pittsfield) instead you get Gardner, Athol, Deerfield, North Adams and not much else. It would be cool to go through the Hoosac tunnel though.
Fitchburg still not in the same league as Worcester and Springfield. Troy is part of the Albany Metro area so is served by the current ALB station.
Seem like someone was listening.Reading that, I had hoped for a train using the former B&M across the northern part of the state![]()
Well I guess if the Commonwealth is that flush with cash that they can spend $$$ to create a second passenger route going through a relatively sparsely populated (by Massachusetts standards) area, all power to them. As long as the focus remains on Boston - Springfield - Albany as the first priority.Seem like someone was listening.
https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/boston/news/northern-tier-rail-service-massachusetts-study/
https://www.mass.gov/doc/draft-northern-tier-passenger-rail-study-report/download
A route from Boston North station extending the Fitchburg line all the way to at least North Adams. Potentially Albany with one option being electric. This would establish a second east west route though mass in parallel to the Lakeshore Limited’s Albany Springfield Boston. With options on electrification.
I'm not sure how practical it is to try to make these towns along the northern tier bedroom communities given the commutes that would be involved. Having lived near Gardner and commuted for a while to a job along the Route 128 belt, it was an hour commute by road (when traffic was cooperating). Fortunately I was able to WFH most days.Based off reporting it seems like the aim is to try and combat the population decline along the northern route.
Living along the southern passenger tier the population is going through high property values and rents though it’s still a super commuter range for Hartford and Boston.
With Mass living up to that abbreviation by being the third state in population density, the aim seems to be to try and make ease of transit to those northern Passenger tier communities so as to make them more accessible to potential residents in hopes that by being able to get to the Boston metro area as well as NY state directly and with transfers south to NYC.
They could encourage people to move back into those rust belt communities and better distribute the population.
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