Emp Serv to GCT, LSL NYP Suspended, Other NYP Changes 2018

[neroden]

My guess is that the AGR rep was speculating, maybe not 100% realizing that there's a number of Empire Service trains that run along that corridor. I doubt there's any new information there; the agent was probably just internally thinking about substitutions in general and knows that buses are an option Amtrak uses from time to time.

I'd be truly shocked if Amtrak did a bus bridge; I can't imagine they'd stop running Empire Service trains entirely, and it seems easy enough to add a few extra coach cars to an Empire Service train as needed.

Most Empire Service runs are rarely full between NY and Albany, so they probably won't even need to add extra coaches. I guess it depends which train ends up being the connecting train.

 

[PVD]

They are pretty busy certain times of day, but it still shouldn't pose a problem. I've seen add/drop cars on the ADK.

 

[cpotisch]

If they don’t change the schedule much, it seems like ES #244 would be the eastbound connecting train, departing ALB at 4:10 PM. Westbound would be ES 235, leaving NYP at 3:15 PM.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[PVD]

235 doesn't run weekends, it is a Mo-Fri train The EA (295) runs its schedule on Sa-Su until Albany, before it heads to Rutland...

 

[Thirdrail7]

You will need additional equipment for these moves. They'll likely have to swap AM-2s for AM-1s and as someone mentioned, you'll may need some sort of protection for a late arriving 48.

 

[cpotisch]

You will need additional equipment for these moves. They'll likely have to swap AM-2s for AM-1s and as someone mentioned, you'll may need some sort of protection for a late arriving 48.

How hard, time consuming, or expensive would it be to add push-pull wiring to the affected AM-IIs?

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

You will need additional equipment for these moves. They'll likely have to swap AM-2s for AM-1s and as someone mentioned, you'll may need some sort of protection for a late arriving 48.

How hard, time consuming, or expensive would it be to add push-pull wiring to the affected AM-IIs?

Even if they had the wiring, at a time with such limited capacity it may make sense to use Amfleet Is anyway since they can hold more people.

 

[Palmetto]

235 doesn't run weekends, it is a Mo-Fri train The EA (295) runs its schedule on Sa-Su until Albany, before it heads to Rutland...

What happens when 48 is running a couple of hours late?

 

[cpotisch]

You will need additional equipment for these moves. They'll likely have to swap AM-2s for AM-1s and as someone mentioned, you'll may need some sort of protection for a late arriving 48.

How hard, time consuming, or expensive would it be to add push-pull wiring to the affected AM-IIs?

Even if they had the wiring, at a time with such limited capacity it may make sense to use Amfleet Is anyway since they can hold more people.

But don't the Empire trains generally run (as was mentioned) with plenty of seats available? So putting aside the push-pull issues, I would be surprised if the lower capacity of AM-IIs makes much of a difference.

 

[cpotisch]

So just so I understand, the likely plan is to have a MARC or ex-Metroliner cab on one end of the trains, and a P32 with an FL9 or cab car in front at the other end? So that they can run the train from both ends and escape in the event of an emergency? If that's the case, that'll be some consist.

 

[keelhauled]

I had heard that the FL9 plan fell through and Amtrak is contemplating chopping holes in the front of their P32s.

 

[Seaboard92]

The FL9s did fall thru band stay tuned folks plenty of interesting discussions coming.

 

[cpotisch]

That's a shame. Would have loved to be able to look at the FL9s a few times this summer. I gotta say, I find rundown 20 year old GEs with the front cut open a lot less cool than a 60 year old F-unit.

 

[Thirdrail7]

I had heard that the FL9 plan fell through and Amtrak is contemplating chopping holes in the front of their P32s.

The FL9s did fall thru band stay tuned folks plenty of interesting discussions coming.

You guys are a week late to the party

:

NYC is doomed for another ‘Summer of Hell’

Amtrak on Tuesday announced a massive, multimillion-dollar repair project scheduled for this summer that will force changes on several commuter lines.

“Critical reconstruction” work will be performed on the Empire Tunnel, Spuyten Duyvil Bridge and Track 19 in New York Penn Station, Amtrak said.

As a result, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Adirondack and Maple Leaf trains will be rerouted from New York Penn Station to Grand Central Terminal between May 26 and Sept. 4.
The Lake Shore Limited will only run between Boston and Chicago, with New York City and Hudson Valley travelers connecting from Empire Service trains at Albany-Rensselaer.

The repairs will cost between $45 million and $50 million.
“While the schedules have yet to be finalized, there will be fewer service impacts and schedule changes compared to Summer 2017,” Amtrak said, referring to the eight weeks of repairs that sparked a “Summer of Hell” at Penn Station.

Time is ticking and there are still issues with the GCT plan. We'll see how this turns out. Who knows? Maybe, they'll cut doors in the noses of the P32s before this is all over.

I believe one is almost (if not entirely) completed. Things with the MARC cars have also taken a weird turn.

 

[Seaboard92]

I had heard that the FL9 plan fell through and Amtrak is contemplating chopping holes in the front of their P32s.

The FL9s did fall thru band stay tuned folks plenty of interesting discussions coming.

You guys are a week late to the party

:

NYC is doomed for another ‘Summer of Hell’

Amtrak on Tuesday announced a massive, multimillion-dollar repair project scheduled for this summer that will force changes on several commuter lines.

“Critical reconstruction” work will be performed on the Empire Tunnel, Spuyten Duyvil Bridge and Track 19 in New York Penn Station, Amtrak said.As a result, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Adirondack and Maple Leaf trains will be rerouted from New York Penn Station to Grand Central Terminal between May 26 and Sept. 4.

The Lake Shore Limited will only run between Boston and Chicago, with New York City and Hudson Valley travelers connecting from Empire Service trains at Albany-Rensselaer.The repairs will cost between $45 million and $50 million.

“While the schedules have yet to be finalized, there will be fewer service impacts and schedule changes compared to Summer 2017,” Amtrak said, referring to the eight weeks of repairs that sparked a “Summer of Hell” at Penn Station.

Time is ticking and there are still issues with the GCT plan. We'll see how this turns out. Who knows? Maybe, they'll cut doors in the noses of the P32s before this is all over.

I believe one is almost (if not entirely) completed. Things with the MARC cars have also taken a weird turn.

If that isn't the truth. I'll probably come up to work one of those runs if Amtrak approves our move request. Of which I strongly doubt.

 

[kdeschner]

That's a shame. Would have loved to be able to look at the FL9s a few times this summer. I gotta say, I find rundown 20 year old GEs with the front cut open a lot less cool than a 60 year old F-unit.

I would agree with you on that!

 

[PVD]

Actually, depending on which P32s get the nose job, some of them have been off to the paint shop for the "Empire Service" livery, and don't look half bad. Not sure how many have been completed.

 

[lonewolfette9847]

NYC is doomed for another ‘Summer of Hell’

Amtrak on Tuesday announced a massive, multimillion-dollar repair project scheduled for this summer that will force changes on several commuter lines.

“Critical reconstruction” work will be performed on the Empire Tunnel, Spuyten Duyvil Bridge and Track 19 in New York Penn Station, Amtrak said.As a result, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Adirondack and Maple Leaf trains will be rerouted from New York Penn Station to Grand Central Terminal between May 26 and Sept. 4.

The Lake Shore Limited will only run between Boston and Chicago, with New York City and Hudson Valley travelers connecting from Empire Service trains at Albany-Rensselaer.The repairs will cost between $45 million and $50 million.

“While the schedules have yet to be finalized, there will be fewer service impacts and schedule changes compared to Summer 2017,” Amtrak said, referring to the eight weeks of repairs that sparked a “Summer of Hell” at Penn Station.

Time is ticking and there are still issues with the GCT plan. We'll see how this turns out. Who knows? Maybe, they'll cut doors in the noses of the P32s before this is all over.

So basically anyone making a connection in NY & coming into NYPenn that needs one of the GCT rerouted trains has to find their own way from NYP to GCT?

I had this scenario on May 30 but couldn't get a straight answer from Amtrak so I moved my travel earlier one week. It's my vacation & I don't want a headache like that when I'm trying to get away from the headaches at work.

 

[Thirdrail7]

So basically anyone making a connection in NY & coming into NYPenn that needs one of the GCT rerouted trains has to find their own way from NYP to GCT?

 

[zephyr17]

Yep, about a 10 minute walk.

 

[lonewolfette9847]

So basically anyone making a connection in NY & coming into NYPenn that needs one of the GCT rerouted trains has to find their own way from NYP to GCT?

Love it! Yeah... glad I changed my timing. Thank you for clarifying that.

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

So basically anyone making a connection in NY & coming into NYPenn that needs one of the GCT rerouted trains has to find their own way from NYP to GCT?

I had this scenario on May 30 but couldn't get a straight answer from Amtrak so I moved my travel earlier one week. It's my vacation & I don't want a headache like that when I'm trying to get away from the headaches at work.

You're probably better off CL to WAS. It sucks but it's the lesser of the two evils. Welcome to what it's like being in Philly all the time.

 

[Palmetto]

Yep, about a 10 minute walk.

I don't think so. I've done it a few times when I lived in Manhattan. More like 20-25. The subway is even slower than 10 minutes.

 

[Ryan]

Welcome to what it's like being in Philly all the time.

All of Amtrak’s trains stop in the same station in Philly, so a cross town self transfer is nothing like what it’s like being in Philly.

 

[kdeschner]

I just hope I can have eggs and bacon on the lsl this summer....