MidlandMikeAre the U-Mass students who take the train home for Xmas vacation, going to need a car to get back to school?
I guess it depends on whether the planned temporary platform at Northampton is ready in time. There was a lot of activity going on in and near Northampton when I was there on Wednesday. If the platform isn't ready there are still good bus connections from Springfield.
Don't expect the schedule to change much after Dec. 29. When the upgrades to the NECR line were completed in December 2012, the schedule change wasn't implemented until April 2013. What did happen is that a lot of late arrivals in Springfield ended up on time in White River Junction.
There will still be an island of dark territory between East Northfield and Brattleboro. It's not much of a drag on the schedule since it's only 9 miles and speed limit is 59. B&M allowed the Montrealer 14 minutes for that stretch in 1983, with a 49 MPH top speed.
Are the U-Mass students who take the train home for Xmas vacation, going to need a car to get back to school?
Amtrak ran an office car special over the Pan Am Southern route between Springield and East Deerfield yesterday November 12. Most of the track rebulding for the expected December 29 change is done, but grade crossing protection and signals are still incomplete.
The sale of the line to the state of Massachusetts is suppsed to close sometime this month.
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