Temporary service changes between ALB and SDY (July-August 2022)

[Just-Thinking-51]

Outer layer of concrete failed, with the rebar showing. If they decide to tear it down, the people making that decisions are also the people who issues permits.

Amtrak been a bit lazy with the blanket cancelations again. Seem a lack of trying/effort strikes again.

 

[Amtrak25]

They should honor Ethan Allen Burlington - NYP tickets on the Vermonter for the duration of this.

I just took 281, with 63's equipment, to Albany, now on VTL Thruway bus to Burlington as planned.

 

[west point]

Just in time the ferry of AX=2 go tthru befpre this mess.

 

[daybeers]

Amtrak been a bit lazy with the blanket cancelations again. Seem a lack of trying/effort strikes again.

While they could terminate the LSL in Buffalo instead of Cleveland, I'm not sure there's an easy alternate way to get across the Hudson from Albany to Rensselaer. Would have to use CSX crews to go to Selkirk yard and top and tail engines to Castleton-on-Hudson and then go north. Seems complicated and expensive, let alone if CSX would let them. They're probably trying to run extra trains today since Amtrak is out of the way lol.

I'm not quite sure what passengers are to do to get from Buffalo to Albany, though. The alerts don't mention any bustitutions other than Saratoga Springs-Albany for the Ethan Allen.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

The press photos have been updated since the last time I checked the story.

That concrete spalling is pretty serious. It looks like it's a reinforced concrete structure which is typically monolithic (I guess this was a cold storage facility).

My assumption is that the concrete has failed due to rusting reinforcing bars (water infiltration probably due to lack of maintenance, i.e. paint, caulking of cracks & not repairing small spalls) from the pictures. There are fair number of 'make safe' repairs which can be done to allow traffic on the tracks. One quick and easy solution would be to attach metal mesh and external straps so that any pieces of concrete that might be prone to falling stay in place. It won't be quick and easy to demolish and would probably require the tracks to be closed during the work, at least when the wall adjacent to the tracks was done.

I'm a fan of this kind of building and it has a lot of uses if it was repaired - residential, storage, call center, data farm, etc, etc.

 

[zephyr17]

If it is going to be torn down, I wonder how long it will take to get the permits. Hopefully the permits are already in place.

If it is a public safety issue, which this clearly is, the city can move fast if it chooses. They can inspect, condemn and red tag the building. If an uncontrolled collapse appears imminent, they can move in and demolish it and sort out the bills later (although from the stories it looks like the owner is a deadbeat).

 

[glensfallsse]

I may go over to Fort Edward tonight to get a shot of the northbound Ethan Allen for our paper, then cobble together a story with the help of an AP report that just landed. Does anyone know how far south the VIPs went with this morning's train out of Burlington? Also, can anyone confirm that the Ethan Allen is indeed going back north from Saratoga? The Amtrak reservation system won't let me buy a ticket, though it could just be the train was sold out.

 

[JWM]

This brings to mind the old D & H right of way that went up the Hudson to Saratoga Springs without the Schenectady "detour". Shame it is either no longer there are no longer used.

 

[thully]

It looks like they will be running the Lake Shore Limited Chicago-Schenectady for the next week, with alternate transportation provided for the rest of the route. No word as to whether Empire Service or Maple Leaf will be doing the same west of Albany…

 

[thully]

According to a post on Trainorders:

From 7/29 until at least 8/5:

Empire Service and Maple Leaf trains will run New York - Albany only with service west of Albany canceled.

The Ethan Allen Express will operate between Burlington and Saratoga Springs. Bus service will be provided between Saratoga Springs and Albany.

The Lake Shore Limited will operate between Chicago and Schenectady. Bus service will be provided between Schenectady and Boston with connecting train service between Albany and New York.

Kind of surprised they aren’t offering any alternative for Empire Service and Maple Leaf west of Albany - while the Lake Shore Limited could serve some Empire Service trips, there is nothing for the Maple Leaf west of BUF.

 

[user 14106]

Something could still come for the other trains but this is what they’ve come up with so far. Some of the bus companies are short staffed at the moment so there may be some limitations on availability. This is why they’ve failed to get some bus bridges on the western train as of late. There’s also the question on whether New York State wants busses run and the associated costs or to just cancel.

 

[PVD]

They probably need NYS signoff on any plan for the Leaf and Empire trains, since they fund them.

 

[glensfallsse]

The Ethan Allen went north through Fort Edward earlier this evening. There was a rear-facing engine on the back, which I don't recall seeing on the Ethan Allen in the past, but maybe that's part of the new service to Burlington. The conductor said they were running that train south tomorrow, but she wasn't sure about service beyond that. I'd attach a video, but can't figure out how.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

The Ethan Allen went north through Fort Edward earlier this evening. There was a rear-facing engine on the back, which I don't recall seeing on the Ethan Allen in the past, but maybe that's part of the new service to Burlington. The conductor said they were running that train south tomorrow, but she wasn't sure about service beyond that. I'd attach a video, but can't figure out how.

It’s running in push-pull mode which is why it was able to run to Sarasota Springs.

 

[fdaley]

The Ethan Allen went north through Fort Edward earlier this evening. There was a rear-facing engine on the back, which I don't recall seeing on the Ethan Allen in the past, but maybe that's part of the new service to Burlington. The conductor said they were running that train south tomorrow, but she wasn't sure about service beyond that. I'd attach a video, but can't figure out how.

I believe there are engines at both ends because the train has to reverse direction at Rutland. So if you're facing forward from New York to Rutland, you'll be facing backward from there to Burlington unless you change seats.

 

[Amtrak25]

They probably need NYS signoff on any plan for the Leaf and Empire trains, since they fund them.

Are local transit systems, like CDTA, allowed to charter buses out for another entity ?

 

[NYP2NFL01]

So, Albany and Schenectady are only 19 miles apart, as the crow flies. Now, the bigger question for those booked in sleepers is: will we travel in coach between NYP and ALB, take the bus between ALB and SDY, and get into our room at SDY?

 

[zephyr17]

So, Albany and Schenectady are only 19 miles apart, as the crow flies. Now, the bigger question for those booked in sleepers is: will we travel in coach between NYP and ALB, take the bus between ALB and SDY, and get into our room at SDY?

Unless Amtrak runs a stub 48/49 between NYP and ALB, which they've not announced, coach is all there is.

 

[PRR 60]

I believe there are engines at both ends because the train has to reverse direction at Rutland. So if you're facing forward from New York to Rutland, you'll be facing backward from there to Burlington unless you change seats.

The Ethan Allen is wye'd at Rutland. Engine one end.

 

[PVD]

Are local transit systems, like CDTA, allowed to charter buses out for another entity ?

I don't know, some agencies have prohibitions by charter, sometimes there are restrictions imposed by the funding source. Would not surprise me though.

 

[thully]

According to Amtrak’s latest tweet, it looks like there will be some kind of bustitution for the Maple Leaf in addition to the Ethan Allen and Lake Shore Limited, though not for Empire Service.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

So some effort has been applied. Nice.
Will they be saving a trainset with the LSL by turn it in Schenectady. Seem so, a sliver lining in this situation. Of course it’s going to be a short term thing, but imagine the possibility.

 

[glensfallsse]

Someone asked earlier about CDTA, and that shouldn't be relevant to someone who has already has a ticket, since Amtrak is (I assume) taking care of bus arrangements. But it might be relevant to someone who's trying to get to central or western New York and can't get there.

For instance, I looked for ticket on Aug. 2 from Schenectady to Syracuse and found one, but couldn't book a ticket from NYP to Syracuse. So an enterprising person might take an earlier train to Rensselaer, take CDTA to Schenectady and join the Lake Shore Limited there, though it's going to be quite a headache to do so.

It is not an easy trip on CDTA. There's no direct connection. You take a bus to downtown Albany and transfer to another bus (I do this often when I fly out and take the train back, and it's about an hour and a half between the train station and the airport). The problem is, the CDTA trip planner wants you to use Empire Service to get between the two stations, which is, or course, no help at all, so you have to break up the trips to figure out the bus route.

 

[user 14106]

Just noticed also that they are also adding a bus bridge for the Maple Leaf.

 

[Amtrak25]

I wasn't suggesting people make the own journeys on CDTA buses, but can Amtrak use them as a charter bus fleet for bus bridges between Saratoga or Schenectady with Rensselaer.