Railway Age Article on Organizational Structure for the NEC

[jis]

Railway Age has this interesting article about the organizational structure of the NEC. Its primary premise is separation of the Infrastructure from Train Operations along the European Model. The direction is apparently inspired by conversations with Mr. Boardman. It is at least a well thought out interesting read. It might send a few rail advocates into catatonic fit though.

https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/nec-infrastructure-unification-by-separation/

 

[Maglev]

...and hosts some 7,500 commuter and 1,200 Amtrak trains daily

This seems high to me.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Actually, I think it makes sense.

Of course, I work with researchers who are really into big data (although they tend to forget to put periods at the end of their sentences, which is why they have me

), so maybe that has influenced me.

The only problem with a new model like this is the tendency to get caught up in meeting after meeting about it, instead of just getting it done.

 

[west point]

This idea has some merit. However we can see a real problem. A separate owning entity might want to do maintenance including closing tracks during the day which would be cheapest for the track owner but the most disruptive for operating companies. Can you imagine closing one North river tunnel during a week day daytime ?

 

[jis]

This idea has some merit. However we can see a real problem. A separate owning entity might want to do maintenance including closing tracks during the day which would be cheapest for the track owner but the most disruptive for operating companies. Can you imagine closing one North river tunnel during a week day daytime ?

Such things are, or should be spelled out in the contract for slots. Train Operating Companies contract for slots at specific times of the day and the Infra provider contracts to do so. If they are unable to do so because they chose to take a track out of service they have to pay penalty to the TOC as specified in the contract. So it is not like the Infra company can do whatever it likes whenever it feels like it without incurring a steep cost for breaking contract.

 

[cpotisch]

...and hosts some 7,500 commuter and 1,200 Amtrak trains daily

This seems high to me.

From everything I can find, Amtrak runs a grand total of about 100 trains on the NEC each weekday (both ways). I have no idea how they could have possibly gotten 1,200. Commuter trains I can't speak to, but "1,200 Amtrak trains" just can't be right.

 

[Maglev]

...and hosts some 7,500 commuter and 1,200 Amtrak trains daily

This seems high to me.

From everything I can find, Amtrak runs a grand total of about 100 trains on the NEC each weekday (both ways). I have no idea how they could have possibly gotten 1,200. Commuter trains I can't speak to, but "1,200 Amtrak trains" just can't be right.

I just found this:

Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor (NEC) is the busiest railroad in North America, with approximately 2,200 Amtrak, commuter and freight trains operating over some portion of the Washington-Boston route each day.

from

https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/corporate/nationalfactsheets/National-Fact-Sheet-FY2016-0717.pdf

 

[cpotisch]

...and hosts some 7,500 commuter and 1,200 Amtrak trains daily

This seems high to me.

From everything I can find, Amtrak runs a grand total of about 100 trains on the NEC each weekday (both ways). I have no idea how they could have possibly gotten 1,200. Commuter trains I can't speak to, but "1,200 Amtrak trains" just can't be right.

I just found this:

Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor (NEC) is the busiest railroad in North America, with approximately 2,200 Amtrak, commuter and freight trains operating over some portion of the Washington-Boston route each day.

from

https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/corporate/nationalfactsheets/National-Fact-Sheet-FY2016-0717.pdf

Yeah, so Amtrak + Commuter rail + freight trains sum to around 2,200 trains. Unless the 1,200 Amtrak trains and 7,500 commuter trains are accompanied by -6,500 freight trains each day, Railway Age's numbers don't check out.

 

[railiner]

Another anecdote I heard from the early days of Amtrak....Then newly appointed president, W G Claytor was taking a ride on the NEC, and talking to various employees, along the property.

When he spoke to one worker about how he felt working for Amtrak, the worker replied: "I don't work for Amtrak...I work for the North East Corridor Region"....

The story goes Mr. Claytor was disturbed enough by this response, that apparently was shared, that he quickly reorganized the entire management of the NEC, moving people around, so that the NEC organization was more integrated into the rest of the company...

 

[PeeweeTM]

In the Netherlands negotiations for the 2020 timetable maintenance windows are just starting.

For all planned trains in 2019 the Railway Undertakers (passenger and freight) know all the timings to the minute. And the contractors know their maintenance work and capacity expansion work windows.

We had some growingpains and still (as freight operator) need some more flexibility, but I'm not unhappy with our system.

If Amtrak needs an excursion, I'll happily show them around...