Sam1The estimated cost to achieve the stated improvements is $151 billion.
Sam,
Right now the Northeast timetable shows the Acela takes about 6 1/2 hours between Boston and Washington, DC. The approximate cost is $200 to $225. Along the current route the speed could be reduced and will be reduced when the whole catenary is replaced. However, I don't know what the travel time will be then.
No doubt, a new high speed track on the Northeast Corridor would be expensive. When or if it will be accomplished is questionable right now.
You give flying time Boston to Washington, DC as 1 hour and 24 minutes. A close friend of mind flies on domestic flights fairly often and I take her to the airport. Our experience at Newark Airport is that you need to be there at least 2 hours before flight time in order to be sure you will get through security and other details and be on your flight. It usually takes less than 2 hours but if you do not allow that amount of time you risk missing your flight. (My friend had a joint replacement several months ago. She missed one flight because the TSA security officer suspected she was trying to smuggle something aboard the plane and simply refused to hear her explanation. If she possibly could she would ride Amtrak rather than flying but Amtrak no longer serves her destination).
I fly occasionally but not very often at all. When I do I find air line seats extremely small and confining to the point where they make the trip difficult and uncomfortable. I know air fares are now relatively low and you get what you pay for.
If Amtrak were to build a new high speed track in New England as I understand their plan the train would run from Boston to New York with probably a single stop at Hartford. However, there could not possibly be any stops on the Shore Line (Providence, New London, New Haven or Bridgeport) because the new rail line would not pass those stations. Because of that people in Rhode Island and Connecticut are not very enthusiastic about that proposed high speed rail line.
John
John WR RayG8Has anyone seen or is anyone aware of a study that compares the actual difference in running time NYP to South Station between the proposed new alignment and the existing Shoreline? The Washington Post reports a new alignment would reduce the Boston to Washington time from 7 hours to 3 hours. That would offer real competition with the airlines. The article contains a link to Amtrak's Vision Report. Unfortunately, that link doesn't work Here is a link to the newspaper article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/07/10/who-will-get-high-speed-rail-first-california-or-the-northeast/
RayG8Has anyone seen or is anyone aware of a study that compares the actual difference in running time NYP to South Station between the proposed new alignment and the existing Shoreline?
The Washington Post reports a new alignment would reduce the Boston to Washington time from 7 hours to 3 hours. That would offer real competition with the airlines. The article contains a link to Amtrak's Vision Report. Unfortunately, that link doesn't work
Here is a link to the newspaper article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/07/10/who-will-get-high-speed-rail-first-california-or-the-northeast/
The current flying time from National Airport in DC to Logan in Boston is 1 hour, 24 minutes. A booking for coach class on September 18th can be had for $72.90. Of course, the walk-up fare would be much higher.
The author does not mention whether the three hour train from Washington to Boston would be making stops or whether it would run non-stop. The author claims that the current New York to Washington Acela schedule is three hours. The 12 noon Acela makes it to Washington from New York in 2 hours, 45 minutes; most of the others do it in 2 hours, 47 minutes.
The estimated cost to achieve the stated improvements is $151 billion. Not exactly! As is the case with the California High Speed Rail Project, the proponents have overlooked or at least failed to state the debt service costs. If the project were to be funded at the current Treasury long bond rate of just a bit over three per cent, the total cost of the project with debt service would be $228.9 billion. Of course, the total cost of the project would depend on how the funding was arranged, when the debt was issued, as well as numerous other variables..
RayG8 Has anyone seen or is anyone aware of a study that compares the actual difference in running time NYP to South Station between the proposed new alignment and the existing Shoreline? Basically how much advantage is gained for how many dollars, has a comprehensive study of the shoreline from New Haven to Boston ever been done? What about straightening it out in the worst areas, adding another track or two etc?
Has anyone seen or is anyone aware of a study that compares the actual difference in running time NYP to South Station between the proposed new alignment and the existing Shoreline? Basically how much advantage is gained for how many dollars, has a comprehensive study of the shoreline from New Haven to Boston ever been done? What about straightening it out in the worst areas, adding another track or two etc?
A multi-billion $ project will not be proposed unless there is a study that goes along with it. It boosts the proponent's case, and will consider alternatives to respond to the inevitable critics. Also an EIS must consider alternatives. For public projects the congressman will want to see a study with appropriate heft, although they might not read past the executive summary (staffers look into the details.) There are some studies on the Amtrak site, but I don't remember one on this topic. You can always FOIA for it.
daveklepper I also vote for a long-term incremental approach to improving the existing route.
I also vote for a long-term incremental approach to improving the existing route.
But no matter what the approach, increasing speed cannot be the only guide but rather it has to be increasing the capacities and abilities to move more people more frequently. Amtrak is using the Corridor to its own fullest extent but is hampered by the flood of commuter services at all ends and at the middle. It does not make financial sense to dump the commuter trains to expand the Amtrak services but rather to build an alternate line for Amtrak services, especially HSR, and make improvements as are viable to the present Corridor for commuter and short hop Amtrak trains.
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Time and saving time is not the major point of the need as I think it has been presented. The major point is the need for capacity which the Corridor won't be able to supply in the future...it is already bursting at its seams and slipping because of its age.
What I think...and hope...the future holds will be that the present Corridor become a super regional and commuter railroad while the new railroad would become an HSR intercity. Common stations or transfer points every so many miles to optimize the HSR with guaranteed feeder connections would make sense.
Sounds like a good idea. Probably not done yet.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
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