The next few years, take 2

[neroden]

Followup to http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/59434-the-next-few-years/page-5

The purpose of this for me is again to keep track of *dates*, to see when I should expect things to open, to watch for early openings or delays. So I haven't included much with really unclear schedules (though see the end of the list) -- where I couldn't find a projected completion date, or where future groundbreaking dates seemed wildly speculative. This includes nearly everything done by the MBTA. If you've got a project I'm missing, please link me to a recent report with a projected completion date, or at least a groundbreaking date. Year is sufficient.

Improvements to "commuter" rail services are welcome on the list where the rail service provides service between cities. Improvements on lines Amtrak does not run on are in parentheses.

I included urban (within-city) rail improvements selectively: only where they provide new rail connections to the intercity network (so, an extension of HBLR to a new station qualifies, new rolling stock for HBLR doesn't, and the Cincinnati streetcar doesn't because it doesn't connect to the Amtrak station.) This is because I am looking at it from the point of view of "where can I get to by train without renting a car at the destination".

It's time to look past 2018, so I'm looking as far as 2021.

There was some progress in the last year:

-- nearly all the North Carolina projects opened

-- Raleigh is under construction

-- SEPTA has completed a lot of projects, more than I can actually keep track of

-- The Texas Eagle is finally on TRE, yay!

-- West Detroit Junction opened (December 2015), yay!

-- Holyoke station opened, yay!

-- Blaine WA customs siding opened

-- Tacoma Trestle and Point Defiance Bypass are in fact under construction

-- new Milwaukee platforms opened (all low-level, so it would be nice if they replaced the Hiawathas with bilevels)

-- Dearborn station opened

-- new Chicago Union Station Metropolitan Lounge opened and main waiting room resumed its proper function

-- ACS-64s were delivered

-- Denver's opened some commuter lines, double yay!

-- KC Streetcar opened and I rode it, yay!

-- in LA, Expo Line Phase II and Gold Line Foothills extension opened, yay!

-- Seattle Link to the University opened, yay!

-- Toronto airport train opened

-- Montreal Mascouche line opened

On the other hand:

-- permanent Greenfield and Northampton MA platforms appear to have been postponed to "never"

-- the Vermonter schedule still has mysterious delays from slow orders in Massachusetts

-- hotel power at Albany-Rensselaer, what's that?

-- Van Nuys double tracking and second platform is postponed indefinitely

-- indefinite delays to Schenectady new station

-- bilevel corridor cars delayed indefinitely by the "crush test" failure

-- nobody has any idea when Amtrak will get to Miami airport

-- massive Viewliner II delays

-- Chicago Loop Link bus lanes are sort of half done, but the bit at Union Station isn't done

-- Sunrail Phase 2 North is indefinitely delayed

-- Joliet Union Station moved to a new temporary boarding area, but there's no date for building the permanent platform or station. Yuck.

-- NY Penn Station A interlocking ladder track realignment didn't happen

-- Waterloo IN new platform was cancelled

-- Rockford Amtrak was suspended indefinitely

-- Dearborn station direct connection to The Henry Ford was never built. This caused me to not visit The Henry Ford, and I told them that, but they don't care.

Supposedly 2016:

-- Springfield Union Station. Nice photos of the building but remarkably little information on the platform work. Betting this slips into 2017.

-- Birmingham AL new station building. Keeps being delayed

-- Niagara Falls new station. Ready for Amtrak, Amtrak is being stupid about money.

-- Siemens Charger (new diesel loco) deliveries supposed to start. Even though we've seen one complete one, I'm betting 2017.

-- "fall": WA Toteff siding extension supposed to open

-- end of year: Detroit M-1 Streetcar opens (likely to actually happen on time!)

-- (end of year: Second Avenue Subway in NYC -- probably will be a few months late)

Supposedly 2017:

-- Albany-Rensselaer is now promised only by the ARRA deadline

-- Albany-Schenectady double-tracking is promised only by the ARRA deadline

-- Rochester station is promised only by the ARRA deadline (but will probably open early)

-- All Aboard Florida supposed to start operations (a year late so far)

-- Kingston RI high level platforms (looks likely to be done on time)

-- MI trackwork supposed to finish (they're being very closed-mouthed about progress)

-- Point Defiance Bypass supposed to open
-- Tacoma Trestle replacement supposed to open
-- Seattle King St. Station track improvements phase 2 supposed to open

-- Charlotte NC maintenance facility supposed to have opened already (did it?)

-- Moline Amtrak (delayed by Governor Rauner)

-- Arkendale to Powells Creek third track (VA) required to be done

-- Raleigh Union Station supposed to open

-- Roanoke VA service supposed to start (I don't believe this for a minute, maybe 2018)

-- Deadline for ARRA-funded improvements

-- (More Denver commuter rail)

2018

-- Revised PTC deadline. MBTA won't meet it, everyone else will
-- Hartford Line in CT supposed to open (delayed by 2 years)

-- Sunrail Phase 2 South opens (delayed 2 years)

-- "summer" -- Exton PA high platforms (delayed almost 2 years)
-- WA "Kelso Martins Bluff new siding" and "Kelso to Longview Junction third main" supposed to open
-- LA Union Station run-through tracks ("SCRIP") supposed to open
-- New Paoli station (required by lawsuit settlement!)

-- (More Denver commuter rail)

2020:

-- Vermont Western Corridor (Albany-Burlington) year for opening (delayed by 3 years). This is fully funded. The sources of delay are currently (a) station design and construction and (b) the Middlebury Tunnel NIMBYs.

-- Moynihan Train Hall scheduled to open in New York City. Thank you Governor Cuomo.

2021:

-- (Mid-Coast Trolley Extension opens in San Diego)

No dates, but definitely happening:

Chicago Union Station Master Plan Phase I (they don't announce target dates, they just do work and open stuff. Lovely.)

Middletown PA new station (fully funded), two years after Amtrak completes track relocation
Downingtown PA new station (fully funded)
Coatesville PA new station (fully funded)
Mt Joy PA new station (fully funded)

Ardmore PA new station (fully funded), waiting for Amtrak to complete track relocation
(NJT Raritan River bridge replacement on North Jersey Coast Line)
(MBTA upgrade to Fitchburg Line)
(MBTA upgrade to Fairmount Line)
(MBTA upgrade to Haverhill Line) (notice a trend here?)

(MBTA Boston Landing station)

(MBTA New Balance Station)
(3rd track from Ragan to Yard interlocking project south of the Wilmington DE station on the NEC)

Funded but AFAICT indefinitely delayed:
RF&P line, 3rd track from Arkendale to Powells Creek
Newark DE new station

Definitely happening but god knows when:

MBTA Green Line Extension Beyond Lechmere (which we've been owed since 1996)

LA Union Station Run Through Tracks (going through revised EIS in 2017, dammit)

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P.S. Amtrak's stations where wheelchairs still can't get to the platform or on the train. All stations were required to be ADA compliant by 2010. There were 17 with serious "can't get to the platform or on the train" deficiencies back in 2014.

Since then, 4 were done: Windsor, CT, Windsor Locks, CT got high platforms recently; Windsor-Mt. Aschney VT and Glenwood Springs CO got wheelchair lifts. This left:

Coatesville PA (being done by PennDOT, see above)
Mount Joy PA (being done by PennDOT, see above)
Paoli PA (being done by PennDOT/SEPTA/Amtrak, see above)

Newark DE (legal responsbility shared by City of Newark, DELDOT, Amtrak, and possibly SEPTA, plans in development hell)

Buffalo Exchange Street NY (all it needs is a wheelchair lift, but it's more likely they'll do nothing until they build a new station)

Clifton Forge VA (controlled by CSX, all it needs is a wheelchair lift)
Elko NV (controlled by UP, all it needs is a wheelchair lift)

Parkesburg PA (legal responsibility 100% Amtrak, but probably will be done by PennDOT)
Phildelphia-North PA (100% Amtrak responsibility, planned for 2015, but Amtrak did nothing)
Westerly RI (legal responsibility shared by State of Rhode Island & Amtrak, not doing their job)

Ashland, VA (city responsibility)

Harpers Ferry VA (National Park Service responsibility)
Marshall TX (controlled by UP)

However, all the flagstops were added to the to-do list. Two are OK already:

Laurel, MS

Slidell, LA

Some of them just need lifts to comply:

Gastonia, NC

Toccoa, GA

Crawfordsville, IN

Fulton, KY

Newbern-Dyersburg, TN

Yazoo City, MS

McComb, MS

Essex, MT

Malvern, AR

Arkadelphia, AR

Deming, NM

Lordsburg, NM

Benson, AZ

Shriever, LA

New Iberia, LA

Some, however, have bigger problems:

Picayune, MS

Tyrone, PA

Latrobe, PA

Alderson, WV

Thurmond, WV

Hazlehurst, MS

Sanderson, TX

 

[Eric S]

Sometime in 2018 - Milwaukee Streetcar opens, linking Amtrak station to city's Lower East Side neighborhood - http://milwaukeestreetcar.com/

Sometime in 2019 - Milwaukee Streetcar extension opens

 

[afigg]

It's time to look past 2018, so I'm looking as far as 2021.

There was some progress in the last year:

-- nearly all the North Carolina projects opened

....

-- bilevel corridor cars delayed indefinitely by the "crush test" failure

....

Supposedly 2017:

-- Charlotte NC maintenance facility supposed to have opened already (did it?)

....

-- Arkendale to Powells Creek third track (VA) required to be done

....

-- Roanoke VA service supposed to start (I don't believe this for a minute, maybe 2018)

Comments on a few of the projects on your long list.

NC Piedmont corridor: Checking the NC DOT rail project webpages, many of the projects are not yet completed. But should see a flurry of project completions by the end of 2016 through the Spring of 2017. I think the 3rd daily Piedmont service is still supposed to start in the Fall of 2017.

Charlotte NC maintenance facility: Phase 1A has slipped to projected completion in August, 2017. Just getting under the September, 2017 ARRA deadline provided it doesn't get delayed further. Project matters because the longer storage track will allow a longer Carolinian consist once it opens.

Under Supposedly 2016, should add Indiana Gateway projects although there has been little news on the status of the overall project,

Quote from the NGEC Executive Committee August 30 minutes on the Nippon-Sharyo bi-level contract: "The Mid-West states and Caltrans are working with Nippon Sharyo to extend the contract through 2022 for delivery. The delivery period for the cars would be from 2018-2022, “keeping us under contract for delivery of the base order through 2022."

The last I read Roanoke VA service is scheduled to start in the last half of 2017. Track work is underway, Amtrak was in the process of selecting a contractor for the Roanoke station in August with station and platform construction to start in the Fall of 2016.

For Virginia projects in circa 2017 to 2018, you can add Acca Yard Bypass and 10 miles of double tracking south of Petersburg (have to look up the specifics). For by 2020, since VA did get $165 million in federal FASTLANE grants to complete the funding package:

- Adding a 4th track from the Potomac River through Alexandria to AF interlocking

- Adding approx 8 miles of 3rd track from Franconia-Springfield to north of the Occoquan River

Edit: under 2020, add completion of the Concourse Modernization Project with an expanded passenger concourse and new Acela lounge for WAS.

Under 2017, add Delaware 3rd track project from Ragan to Yard interlocking (this is taking how many years for 1.5 miles of 3rd track?) and completion of the constant tension catenary project for the New Haven line.

 

[me_little_me]

On the other hand:

Atlanta Amtrak station still 50 years in the future.

 

[Eric S]

CHI-STL station improvements - http://www.idothsr.org/2010_const/improvements.aspx:

Dwight station - completed in 2016

Pontiac station - completion expected in 2017

Normal station - second platform completion expected in 2017

Alton station - completion expected in 2017

Others with improvements but no projected completion dates mentioned.

 

[Carolina Special]

Is the Charleston, SC Amtrak station rebuild still happening for 2017? I haven't seen anything on that dated later than January.

 

[jis]

Substantial completion of the slightly scaled down NJ High Speed upgrade on the NEC is still happening by the end of 2017 AFAICT. They lose funding after that.

 

[amtrakpass]

I think most if not all of the indiana gateway projects are either finished or very near completion. I hope they were smart enough to get an agreement to add the second grand rapids train and 4th wolverine when done with it.

 

[railiner]

2112....To celebrate the 200th anniversary of its first run, Amtrak finally brings back The Broadway Limited...

 

[afigg]

Is the Charleston, SC Amtrak station rebuild still happening for 2017? I haven't seen anything on that dated later than January.

When there is no news or no website updates, it can be useful to search for executive board documents and meeting materials for information. The boards for public transit agencies typically have to make much of the board meeting documents public. For the Charleston SC station, that would be the CARTA board.

Reading the meeting agenda packets for the July 20 and September 28 meetings, the Intermodal Transportation Facility project is slowly advancing with station and site design plans completed, a purchase/sale agreement has been submitted to CSX, but "A third party cost estimator is reviewing the plans and will submit an estimated cost to construct the facility." So the local agency has not yet acquired the station property nor put out the construction project for bids. So construction might start in 2017. Maybe.

 

[Triley]

Just a small note that there is a lift on the platform in Ashland now, and has been for at least a month.

 

[neroden]

Just a small note that there is a lift on the platform in Ashland now, and has been for at least a month.

Cool. Amtrak's website says it's not possible to get *to* the platform, however.

 

[MisterUptempo]

CHI-STL station improvements - http://www.idothsr.org/2010_const/improvements.aspx:

Dwight station - completed in 2016

Pontiac station - completion expected in 2017

Normal station - second platform completion expected in 2017

Alton station - completion expected in 2017

Others with improvements but no projected completion dates mentioned.

Carlinville broke ground on its new station last month. It's expected to be complete by June 2017, which is when the ARRA funds dry up. The station is budgeted at $3.74 million, and its construction was delayed in part because Carlinville had trouble coming up with the $70,000 it needed to kick into the project to spend the ARRA cash.

Regarding Joliet Gateway Center (formally Joliet Union Station), a hopeful note, as the new station finally started construction as of Monday. I was in the area about three weeks ago, and saw crews digging earth out from around the base of U-D tower in preparation of the start of construction.

From what I understand, U-D tower is part of the reason the Joliet Gateway project has been delayed. Originally, plans called for tearing down the tower to make way for the new station, but apparently no one was unaware that the tower plays a vital role in the structure of the rail embankment upon which Amtrak, Metra, UP and BNSF run. This meant an expensive redesign for the station, which will now be built around U-D tower. The tower itself will be turned into a rail museum of some sort.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Just a small note that there is a lift on the platform in Ashland now, and has been for at least a month.

Cool. Amtrak's website says it's not possible to get *to* the platform, however.

Ashland has a platform? Have not been there in a bit, but don't they load / unload from the street?

 

[afigg]

Did a search for info on the two Delaware NEC projects.

3rd track from Ragan to Yard Interlocking: Now slated to be completed by January, 2018. Was delayed by ground instability discovered in 2015, new supporting wall to be built, and Amtrak not able to take a track out of service due to project work elsewhere. Source: September 1, 2016 DelDOT 3 page PDF status report.

Newark Delaware Regional Transportation Center (new Amtrak station): DelDOT project page claims construction to start in 2017, year old presentation projects completion by Fall of 2018 but with Amtrak work continuing through 2019.

Another major project that is supposed to be completed in 2016 is the expanded West End Concourse at NYP with 2 new street entrances. Have not seen any news on this recently that I can recall.

 

[A Voice]

Just a small note that there is a lift on the platform in Ashland now, and has been for at least a month.

Cool. Amtrak's website says it's not possible to get *to* the platform, however.

Ashland has a platform? Have not been there in a bit, but don't they load / unload from the street?

A quick glance at Google street view shows the (low) platform easily accessible from the station and street (handicapped parking spaces). However, do trains stop here only on the track nearest the station building or on the far track, where a very narrow platform (more like a sidewalk) might be difficult (though it doesn't look impossible) to reach from the station building?

 

[neroden]

Just a small note that there is a lift on the platform in Ashland now, and has been for at least a month.

Cool. Amtrak's website says it's not possible to get *to* the platform, however.

Ashland has a platform? Have not been there in a bit, but don't they load / unload from the street?

A quick glance at Google street view shows the (low) platform easily accessible from the station and street (handicapped parking spaces). However, do trains stop here only on the track nearest the station building or on the far track, where a very narrow platform (more like a sidewalk) might be difficult (though it doesn't look impossible) to reach from the station building?

Oh, that's almost certainly going to be the issue.

 

[Ashland Train Enthusiast]

Just a small note that there is a lift on the platform in Ashland now, and has been for at least a month.

Cool. Amtrak's website says it's not possible to get *to* the platform, however.

Ashland has a platform? Have not been there in a bit, but don't they load / unload from the street?

A quick glance at Google street view shows the (low) platform easily accessible from the station and street (handicapped parking spaces). However, do trains stop here only on the track nearest the station building or on the far track, where a very narrow platform (more like a sidewalk) might be difficult (though it doesn't look impossible) to reach from the station building?

Oh, that's almost certainly going to be the issue.

Swung by the station earlier this week, and the lift is there but only on the western track (eastern platform is too narrow for it. The crossing walkways are certainly not handicapped accessible, so the lift could only be used by a northbound train if it stopped on the western track. From experience, they use both tracks interchangeably, so if Amtrak had advance notice about a handicapped customer I would presume (although this is Amtrak, so who knows if it's actually true) that they could possibly spot the train to board from the western platform. It would be an issue with a late purchase passenger, and the train already en-route.

Overall I think both the town and State are waiting to see the results of the SEHSR Tier II EIS recommendations for ASD service prior to investing any further $$.

~ ATE

 

[AmtrakLKL]

Delray Beach, FL just received wheelchair lifts on both platforms within the last month or so.

 

[Triley]

Just a small note that there is a lift on the platform in Ashland now, and has been for at least a month.

Cool. Amtrak's website says it's not possible to get *to* the platform, however.

Ashland has a platform? Have not been there in a bit, but don't they load / unload from the street?

A quick glance at Google street view shows the (low) platform easily accessible from the station and street (handicapped parking spaces). However, do trains stop here only on the track nearest the station building or on the far track, where a very narrow platform (more like a sidewalk) might be difficult (though it doesn't look impossible) to reach from the station building?

Oh, that's almost certainly going to be the issue.

Swung by the station earlier this week, and the lift is there but only on the western track (eastern platform is too narrow for it. The crossing walkways are certainly not handicapped accessible, so the lift could only be used by a northbound train if it stopped on the western track. From experience, they use both tracks interchangeably, so if Amtrak had advance notice about a handicapped customer I would presume (although this is Amtrak, so who knows if it's actually true) that they could possibly spot the train to board from the western platform. It would be an issue with a late purchase passenger, and the train already en-route.

Overall I think both the town and State are waiting to see the results of the SEHSR Tier II EIS recommendations for ASD service prior to investing any further $$.

~ ATE

Wouldn't that much of a problem for the conductor to contact CSX dispatch and ask to be lined up for that platform, whether or not CSX complies or not, however... And yes, provided a passenger reports the disability the crew will know about it, as it is printed on the manifest. Even if it's purchased afterwards, the crew is made aware that someone boarding at that stop is going to need assistance (it notifies them on their device), but I'm not sure if it actually tells them WHAT assistance is going to be required.

 

[StriderGDM]

As far as hotel power at Albany, I believe it's there (it may not be in use yet though).

 

[Eric S]

NARP's Hotline from today (Oct 7) states that the Amtrak and Greyhound portion of the Birmingham station will open in March 2017, after the BJCTA transit portion opens in December.

 

[Palmland]

The opening of Birmingham as part of a transit center provides a lot of opportunity for expanded Thruway service. Interstates radiate out from B'ham: Nashville- 3 hrs, Montgomery-2 hrs, Mobile or Memphis-3.5 hours. A mid afternoon arrival from the east on the Crescent could have you in Memphis in time to catch the CONO to Chicago, Montgomery is the state capitol, and Mobile puts you in the middle of the gulf tourist areas.

Birmingham also has a lot more room to switch the Crescent than Atlanta. The ability to take cars on/off the Crescent in conjunction with more Thruway connections would improve both equipment utilization and ridership.

 

[afigg]

Update for the Chicago - St. Louis corridor project: Link to a September 27, 2016 IDOT viewgraph presentation (~1.3 MB). The presentation is a useful summary of the project status, funding source & expenditure breakdown, track and grade crossing project segments.

Synopsis: Even after this many years, only $1 billion of the $1.9 billion in funding has been spent as of the Q2, 2016. With $132 million projected to be in the 3rd quarter, so they are spending money this year. With several of the track projects and segment upgrades not scheduled to be completed until December, 2017, the full 50 minutes of trip time reduction won't happen until early 2018. Still, some of the double tracking and project segments are to be completed by the end of this year and early 2017; perhaps IDOT and Amtrak will opt to implement a faster schedule in early to mid-2017 to show progress.

 

[DisgustedinDC]

For what it's worth, I was in the Arkendale, VA area several months ago and there was a massive amount of construction activity connected with the third rail project. It seems like it really should be completed by the end of 2017.