Pre-Electrification speeds between New Haven and Boston

[Crowbar_k]

I'm doing a reaserarch project and I need to know what types of speeds passenger trains ran at on northern part of the Northeast Corridor between New York and Boston. The only info I found was that the Turnotrain service hit speeds of 100 mph, but that that service didn't last too long. After the Turbotrain was suspended, did any other services hit those speeds on the line? Looking at timetables from after the service was withdrawn showed that the trip was now 30 minutes longer than the previous Turbotrain, so I'm guessing only the turbotrain ran at 100 mph. But I'm still curios. What service north of B
NYC like before electrification? Does anyone also have links for further reaserarch?

 

[railiner]

Not sure, but IIRC, Amtrak later on for a period operated an LRC train between New York and Boston that while not as fast as the TurboTrain, ran somewhat faster than conventional, non-tilting trains.

Also, if it helps, then as now, speeds on the MNCRR governed segment between New Rochelle and New Haven, are lower than east of New Haven on Amtrak property…

 

[jis]

Not sure, but IIRC, Amtrak later on for a period operated an LRC train between New York and Boston that while not as fast as the TurboTrain, ran somewhat faster than conventional, non-tilting trains.

Also, if it helps, then as now, speeds on the MNCRR governed segment between New Rochelle and New Haven, are lower than east of New Haven on Amtrak property…

East of NHV there were segments where trains ran at 100mph powered by F40PHs which were geared for a maximum speed of 103mph.

As for whether that had any effect on the timetable, it is hard to tell. Even after LRC there were Amfleet New England Expresses that had a more aggressive schedule than normal trains.

 

[BlackDiamond]

The only info I found was that the Turnotrain service hit speeds of 100 mph, but that that service didn't last too long.

They ran from 1968 to 1976.
They were capable of running up to 170 mph, but only ran a maximum of 100 mph Boston to New York.

 

[George Harris]

Do a search for employee timetables. There are several sites that have various timetables on line, or that can be printed in pdf format. Include the section you are interested in. Ask for New Haven, or NYNH&H or even Penn Central or Amtrak. Generally they will have somewhere in them a list of speed limits and speed restrictions by mileposts on each segment.

 

[JLChicago]

Hi. Not sure if you are still working on this project (sorry I just saw your post today), but check out the link below. It's a history of NEC running times published by the FRA. It only goes thru 1984 but that covers much of the non-electrified history. Note this shows running times/average speeds but not top speeds.
https://railroads.dot.gov/sites/fra.dot.gov/files/fra_net/2763/history2.pdf
For top speeds allowed check out this site that has Penn Central (1969-1976), Conrail (1976), and Amtrak (1976-today) Employee Timetables as well as Track Charts that also show max speeds along the NEC. Note that Conrail briefly controlled the NEC in mid 1976 before Amtrak took it over in September.
http://www.multimodalways.org/archives/rrs/rrs.html
Lastly check out page 4-50 in this file from the FRA re: electrification of the NYC-BOS NEC. It compares max speeds on the corridor of 1991 and 2010, before and after electrification.
https://railroads.dot.gov/sites/fra... CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT PROJECT ELECTRIFICA.PDF

 

[JLChicago]

They ran from 1968 to 1976.
They were capable of running up to 170 mph, but only ran a maximum of 100 mph Boston to New York.

And just for a few miles of 100 in Rhode Island and then just eastward only between Davisville and East Greenwich. Otherwise just 90 max east of New Haven to Boston. West was 79. Probably a political or contractual requirement to have a max speed of 100 mph. Silly really.