Amtrak replacing 2 northeast regional trains with Palmetto??

[Eric S]

It is good to see at least one LD (though daytime) stop at more NJ stations. NJ-ARP has campaigned for such for a while now.

Perfect ... for the New Jersey ite who wants to go to Savannah!!!

Because that train runs nonstop from Princeton Junction to Savannah?

 

[jis]

It is good to see at least one LD (though daytime) stop at more NJ stations. NJ-ARP has campaigned for such for a while now.

Perfect ... for the New Jersey ite who wants to go to Savannah!!!

Or to the 15 or 20 other stops between NJ and Savannah. I think you are too focused on end point to make any general sense of anything. Just IMHO.

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

It is good to see at least one LD (though daytime) stop at more NJ stations. NJ-ARP has campaigned for such for a while now.

Perfect ... for the New Jersey ite who wants to go to Savannah!!!

Or to the 15 or 20 other stops between NJ and Savannah. I think you are too focused on end point to make any general sense of anything. Just IMHO.

Name one relevant stop between NJ and Savannah that is worth stopping at that isn't served by another train at a reasonable hour.

 

[A Voice]

It is good to see at least one LD (though daytime) stop at more NJ stations. NJ-ARP has campaigned for such for a while now.

Perfect ... for the New Jersey ite who wants to go to Savannah!!!

Or to the 15 or 20 other stops between NJ and Savannah. I think you are too focused on end point to make any general sense of anything. Just IMHO.

Name one relevant stop between NJ and Savannah that is worth stopping at that isn't served by another train at a reasonable hour.

Florence, South Carolina to name just one, served by the Meteor at 3:05 a.m.. But I would imagine the residents of Yemassee, Charleston, Kingstree, Dillon, and Fayetteville all consider their communities to be "worth stopping at". By what criteria are those cities any less important or less deserving of reliable passenger rail service?

 

[Ryan]

The standard "ZOMG people who live in small markets don't deserve decent train service" crap that he peddles.

 

[neroden]

Stopping every Acela in the middle of the few and far between real high speed segment would seem like an overkill.

OK, fine, every Regional.
The station would have to be rebuilt with platforms on the express tracks, obviously. Long-term thing, and it is only worthwhile if Princeton University and Princeton Government fix their longstanding hostility to public transportation.

Princeton *Junction* as the center of a vibrant bus & light rail system would be a "stop lots of trains here" kind of stop. But with the repeated attacks on the Dinky, cutbacks in bus service, and refusal to build any housing in town, Princeton is set on a bad course.

 

[Eric S]

Name one relevant stop between NJ and Savannah that is worth stopping at that isn't served by another train at a reasonable hour.

Well, Charleston for one. Metro of about 728,000 people. Assuming "relevant" means major city/metro area. Although dismissing small cities/metro areas as "irrelevant" is rather offensive.

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

It is good to see at least one LD (though daytime) stop at more NJ stations. NJ-ARP has campaigned for such for a while now.

Perfect ... for the New Jersey ite who wants to go to Savannah!!!

Or to the 15 or 20 other stops between NJ and Savannah. I think you are too focused on end point to make any general sense of anything. Just IMHO.

Name one relevant stop between NJ and Savannah that is worth stopping at that isn't served by another train at a reasonable hour.

Florence, South Carolina to name just one, served by the Meteor at 3:05 a.m.. But I would imagine the residents of Yemassee, Charleston, Kingstree, Dillon, and Fayetteville all consider their communities to be "worth stopping at". By what criteria are those cities any less important or less deserving of reliable passenger rail service?

It's all about R & R (Ridership and Revenue). If you have limited trains available, you want to maximize both.

 

[jebr]

It's all about R & R (Ridership and Revenue). If you have limited trains available, you want to maximize both.

Not necessarily. It's also possible to put some emphasis or money towards coverage demands (basically, making sure an entire geographical area has some service.) This is evident in many cities by looking at lower-frequency bus routes...most of these are in place not because they're the most ridership or revenue-generating uses of the buses, but because there's a desire to spend some money to ensure everyone has at least some service. It'd be foolish to presume there isn't some of that in play when Congress considers funding Amtrak long-distance routes, especially across the mountain west.

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

It's all about R & R (Ridership and Revenue). If you have limited trains available, you want to maximize both.

Not necessarily. It's also possible to put some emphasis or money towards coverage demands (basically, making sure an entire geographical area has some service.) This is evident in many cities by looking at lower-frequency bus routes...most of these are in place not because they're the most ridership or revenue-generating uses of the buses, but because there's a desire to spend some money to ensure everyone has at least some service. It'd be foolish to presume there isn't some of that in play when Congress considers funding Amtrak long-distance routes, especially across the mountain west.

Translation: The Cardinal.

 

[neroden]

If coverage gets you political support (which it often does), great. If it doesn't, well, what's the point? You're spending money subsidizing people who will vote to cut your budget, which is silly.

 

[Thirdrail7]

It is good to see at least one LD (though daytime) stop at more NJ stations. NJ-ARP has campaigned for such for a while now.

Perfect ... for the New Jersey ite who wants to go to Savannah!!!

Actually, people are starting to utilize the additional stops on 89 for through travel. This is not entirely surprising since 89 and 79 made local stops and had a decent amount of through travel, particularly from BWI and MET.

Once there is more notice, the numbers will continue to grow.

 

[AmtrakLKL]

90 is operating 2.5 hours late today. An on-time section will operate WAS-NYP as train 1090.

 

[west point]

Extra section of 90 is meeting your passenger's needs. The passengers will long remember if Amtrak tells them what happened.

 

[Thirdrail7]

90 is operating 2.5 hours late today. An on-time section will operate WAS-NYP as train 1090.

Extra section of 90 is meeting your passenger's needs. The passengers will long remember if Amtrak tells them what happened.

Let the good times roll...or something like that.

 

[CSXfoamer1997]

Is there a particular reason why the Palmetto still has the baggage car on the rear but the Carolinian kept the baggage car on the front?

Also, when should the Palmetto return to its normal consist with the baggage car on the front?

 

[jis]

Because it provides baggage service? Or is that a trick question?

 

[Thirdrail7]

Is there a particular reason why the Palmetto still has the baggage car on the rear but the Carolinian kept the baggage car on the front?

Yes.

Also, when should the Palmetto return to its normal consist with the baggage car on the front?

The Palmetto's bag is normally on the rear end. It has been this way for a few months. A casual search of this board (using Palmetto and Baggage car) will tell you why. If you are unable to find the reason, come back and we'll do all of the research for you.

 

[jis]

Is it to keep the last passenger car from too much to and fro swaying?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Is it to keep the last passenger car from too much to and fro swaying?

As I recall, which could be wrong, the baggage car is on the rear because they combined the Palmettos with regionals and they need to add/remove the regionals in Washington with the engine swap.

 

[Acela150]

Is it to keep the last passenger car from too much to and fro swaying?

As I recall, which could be wrong, the baggage car is on the rear because they combined the Palmettos with regionals and they need to add/remove the regionals in Washington with the engine swap.

HEY!!!! That makes a ton of sense...

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Is it to keep the last passenger car from too much to and fro swaying?

As I recall, which could be wrong, the baggage car is on the rear because they combined the Palmettos with regionals and they need to add/remove the regionals in Washington with the engine swap.

HEY!!!! That makes a ton of sense...

So, then that's not why Amtrak is doing it?

 

[Acela150]

Is it to keep the last passenger car from too much to and fro swaying?

As I recall, which could be wrong, the baggage car is on the rear because they combined the Palmettos with regionals and they need to add/remove the regionals in Washington with the engine swap.

HEY!!!! That makes a ton of sense...

So, then that's not why Amtrak is doing it?

No going down the wrong path now..

 

[CSXfoamer1997]

How long is this gonna go on? This combining the Palmetto with the NE Regionals?

 

[Acela150]

How long is this gonna go on? This combining the Palmetto with the NE Regionals?

They're not really combined. They just cut a train and added cars between NYP-WAS on 89 and 90 to accommodate those passengers. Part of the reason is the 188 and 55 incidents. The cars are added and taken off at WAS.