And they can start by going just to 30th Street with conventional diesel.
It might be said that any railroad being made to accommodate three round trips a day, plus layover shenanigans, would want to 'get Amtrak off their line' unless the price was right. The recent STB hearing show indicates to me that no one at DOT, or FRA, or Amtrak, has a reasonable conception of what a 'right price' ought to be, and NS is going to inflate and cost-plus any work done, while quietly optimizing the line for their own revenue generation.
What to watch is the behavior of this new 'regional rail' group, and the bridges they build with NS management to enable support for the idea at the projected density. I do think, and I'll admit with a certain amount of surprise, that the ALP45-DP is reliable enough to execute this service without more than incidental road failure and delay -- I don't know if NJT has had to do unusual maintenance on these, but it would be relatively easy for the group to find out.
The only thing on my mind as to whether is going to work is who own the tracks. Looking at the map I can see it's the old Reading, however those tracks are now owned by N-S. Just how receptive they're going to be about passenger/commuter trains is problematic. I suppose if you throw enough money at them they'd give the approval but otherwise I'd say it's not going to happen, unless it's a lightly used line and passenger traffic could be another source of revenue.
Given the choice I'd say N-S would love to get Amtrak off their other lines.
Leasing even one ALP45DP would give you the necessary capability, given the parameters you're using. I suspect the operating situation, and perhaps maintenance, repair, and operating-integrity statistics would be comparable to the NJT Raritan line (and presumptive extension of it to ABC and West Trenton extension via Bridgewater...)
Running only Reading - 30th Street can be done with existing equipment and 3-times-a-day service reqires only one Amtrak train-set, probably available once Amfleet is overhauled and in good repair, instead of regtired.
But Reading - Center City requires dual-mode locomotives. Amtrak's only existing dual-modes are for Penn-Station access and are eqipped for LIRR overrunning third rail and 600V DC.
Possdibly some high-voltage AC dual-modes are on order specifically for NE Regionals that run through to Newport News, Roanoke, and Charlotte. One wold be required to reach Center City (Market East Station).
It might even be do-able. But I wouldn't hold my breath.
https://www.phillyvoice.com/commuter-train-philadelphia-reading-chester-berks-montgomery-amtrak/
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