AMTRAK reservations has 2 trips each way starting about 3;00 PM today Saturday.
one trip is a #1049 that has only coach and business class posibilly conecting to 449 and a regular empire trip.
southbound is the MAPLE LEAF continuing to NYP and a empire trip.
will be interesting to see how timekeeping goes.
I may have spoke in haste. AMTRAK status does show the 2 round trips for Saturday but reservations are not open yet for sunday.
It appears AMTRAK is being very cautious about opening reservations until they see the results of todays' trips. It may be the trips will take a very long time to finish their runs.
They may even take various crafts on the trips to fix any problems especially signal maintainers ?
amtrak's website posted last night they would attempt service from Albany to NY today but cautioned that they weren't certain what they could do. They noted reliance on others as owners of the tracks to be of question but I think they were referring more to CSX and CP where applicable to both Montreal and Rutland trains. The announcement did not elaborate on trains running, schedules, or equipment but I gather we can get that when checking for seat availability and reservations.
They also said they would post Sunday's operations late on Saturday. I suppose that is because they have to position crews and equipment as well as operate at the mercy of CP, CSX, and MNRR in various places.
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Henry; 1049 NYP - ALB has not left NYP as of 5;45. may be some probem at sunnyside or NYP ?
244 LEFT ALB 24 late and already expected at Rhinecliff 45 late.
appears that there are a lot of slow orders? Or maybe there is a suspension of signals limiting max speed to 59 mph?
about NJ TRANSIT ---- It may be with the computer failure there is no record of where each piece of equipment is located. ( did anyone make a hard copy ?) There may not even be a way to contact all personell if all contact information was in the computer ? A possible decision is that NJT does not want to admit to a certain number and then as more information comes in will have to revise upwards any number. That would probably cause a hoard of media to descend ?
does anyone have an accurate count of all the pieces of NJT equipment ?
dispatching is going to be a real bucket of worms and some of our dispatching qualified persons probably can find many problems than ---------.
1. train orders & all the various items
2. suspension of signals
3. track warrants
4. setting up mid - town direct intersections
5. what the situation at Hoboken is
1.
There is a more exhaustive NJT and commuter conversation in the Transit pages...So rather than me keep repeating myself and forgetting where I said what...I am asking those interested to please check there.
Amtrak we'll keep here. But I have nothing to report. I am sure there are a lot of slow orders, signals out, grade crossing to be walked, and surprises around every bend...especially since this line is 95% on the Hudson shore...
for sunday AMTRAK has 6 northbounds listed in reservations and 5 southbound trips including the adarondiac and maple leaf. The extra nrthbound is a 1049 trip. 1049 of today never made it out of NYP.
THE 244 today left albany 24 late and was supposed to get to NYP ~ ;54 late not bad.
From Amtrak website this evening:
Other plans - modified service, for Sunday, November 4:The northbound Adirondack (Train 69) will operate normally New York-Monteal, Québec, Canada. Lake Shore Limited (Trains 448 & 449) will operate normally Chicago-Boston, with connecting train service available points south of Albany-Rensselaer. The westbound Maple Leaf (Trains 63) will operate between New York and Toronto, Ontario, Canada on a modified schedule. The Ethan Allen Express (Trains 290 & 291) remains cancelled to and from Rutland, Vt.
following is AMTRAK service for Nov 5th. Highlights
1. reduced service on NEC and ALBANY.
2. lakeshor will still connect to shuttle at ALBANY
3. ETHAN ALLEN operate northbound - evidently no equipment in Rutland ?
November 4, 20124:15 p.m. ET
Amtrak will provide Acela Express and Northeast Regional service on the Northeast Corridor between Boston-New York City-Washington, D.C. with reduced frequencies on Monday, November 5. Amtrak continues the restoration on the Empire Service operating between New York City and Albany-Rensselaer on a modified schedule.
Amtrak services to and from New York City are subject to delay while repairs continue.
To avoid the possibility of long lines at ticket offices and sold-out trains, passengers should make reservations and payment in advance through Amtrak.com, through the Amtrak app on a smartphone, or by calling 800-USA-RAIL. Amtrak will update this statement, as necessary, throughout the day on Monday, November 5.
Other plans for Monday, November 5:
Sounds good....I think Sunnyside Yard can't handle the servicing of long distance trains, so unless they can run through NYP, they won't send them there. Is Ethan Allen a push-pull train set or regular?
Here is an AMTRAK ANNOUNCEMENT
AMTRAK TO RE-OPEN THREE TUNNELS TO
PENN STATION NEW YORK BY LATE FRIDAY, NOV. 9
Expanded train service north, south and west of NYC to follow
WASHINGTON – By late Friday, Nov. 9, Amtrak intends to re-open three tunnels that provide access to/from Penn Station New York (PSNY) which were significantly flooded and damaged by Hurricane Sandy. All Amtrak PSNY tunnels will then be in operation and will allow expanded Amtrak and commuter rail service north, south and west of New York City. Individual tunnels are expected to open at various times during the next three days.
"The return of all tunnel access to New York City will be a major milestone in the continued restoration of Amtrak and commuter rail service and for the larger recovery efforts of the Northeast region," said President and CEO Joe Boardman.
Two of the tunnels (known as Line 1 and Line 2) that will re-open this week are located under the East River and will support more Northeast Corridor service north of New York and
Empire Service
and other trains that operate to/from Albany and further west. When the two tunnels open, each will operate at 80 percent capacity, or at a peak level of about 32 trains per hour, as repairs continue. Two other East River tunnels did not flood and are operating at 100 percent capacity, or at a peak level of about 40 trains per hour.
The other tunnel (known as the North Tube) to re-open is located under the Hudson River and will allow expanded Amtrak and New Jersey Transit commuter rail service south of New York. In combination with the South Tube, which re-opened on Oct. 31, the two Hudson River tunnels will operate at about 63 percent capacity, or a peak of about 24 trains per hour which doubles the capacity of a peak of 12 per hour today. A normal peak is about 38 trains per hour.
The ability to further increase capacity through the Hudson River tunnels is currently limited by significant flooding damage at a key electrical substation located near Kearney, N.J. On Nov. 6, with the assistance of the Army Corps of Engineers, Amtrak brought the flooding under control and de-watered the facility. The equipment is now being cleaned and will be
- more -
- 2 - ATK-12-104
tested to determine the damage, the next course of action and estimated time for repair. Amtrak is able to bypass this substation, but because the power used for this section of track now has to supply a longer distance, the number of trains allowed to take power in the longer supply section is to be restricted in order to protect the catenary wires from over heating or tripping the supply breakers on overload until the substation is back on line for full restoration of service.
In addition, the 1930s-era electrical system was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad and inherited by Amtrak when it took control of sections of the Northeast Corridor in 1976. It uses unusual 25 Hz current; most modern electrical components are designed for 60 Hz current, thus limiting the ability to easily substitute electrical components or bring in alternate power sources.
The Hurricane Sandy storm surge flooded four of six 102-year-old tunnels under the
Hudson and East Rivers for the first time in their history. In particular, signal and electrical systems in three of the four flooded tunnels were severely damaged by the salt water. Amtrak crews have designed a bypass for the signal system to allow the tunnels to re-open and provide safe operations, but more repairs are needed.
While Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor received unprecedented levels of storm damage from Hurricane Sandy, investments made since 2002 helped mitigate the damage and are assisting in the recovery. For example, fire and life safety improvements in the New York tunnels including better emergency ingress/egress points and an enhanced ventilation system have supported the
Opening the North Tube is certainly good news for New Jersey commuters. Two tunnels at 63 per cent capacity is not as bad as only one tunnel (or no tunnels at all in the beginning). But even at 100 per cent capacity New Jersey Transit trains run with standing room only during the rush hour.
It seems clear the current repair are temporary and will have to be redone. However, it sounds like they may be planning to substitute 60Hz equipment for the 25 Hz equipment before they are finished.
The hoped for opening of the tunnels by Friday is very good news...as is the use of the PRR 25hz system if that is indeed what they are doing. Simply, the system allows for jumping from section to section so that the power plant in Willimington DE, for instance, can supply power straight through to Sunnyside. An exaggeration today maybe, but is what used to be done by the PRR back when Nelson Bowers of Lancaster PA and an electrical engineer for the PRR , PC, and Conrail, proudly explained the system and how it worked not along after CR took over. He also was not happy that newer systems proposed then were not going to be as efficient.
What is good that the tunnels won't be ready until Friday is that it will give NJT a chance to experiment in expanding services, most notably being transfers from Port Jervis and Suffern trains instead of them having to skip Secaucus. It may also herald the reimplimentation of service from Woodbridge and maybe even increase Trenton line service...all this can be explored and refined over the weekend in anticipation of Monday's beginning of a new work week.
Not to mention, Henry, that the airports are closed down due to the weather but the trains are up and running.
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