New Haven - Springfield line Expanded Service Details

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lordsigma

Engineer
AU Supporting Member
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Sep 15, 2017
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It looks like Conneticut just made some additional details known about the new Hartford Line service including fares and details about how service will operate. The promised service for the project was 17 total roundtrips to Hartford with 12 off them going all the way to Springfield, MA. The details of how that will be arranged is now known. It appears the new CTrail commuter service will operate 8 daily round trips between New Haven and Hartford with 3 of those extending past Hartford to Springfield. Amtrak will also be adding three additional New Haven-Springfield round trips, presumably more "Shuttle" trains which will provide the other three trips promised by Connecticut's upgrade project. Although no schedule details have been announced it seems that they are designing the new commuter operation to supplement rather than replace the Amtrak service. It would seem logical to assume that the CTrail schedule will be designed to fill in the gaps in Amtrak's schedule to provide the maximum service along the line. Information is here: http://www.ct.gov/dot/lib/dot/Executive_Summary_SAFE_Hartford_Line_Proposed_Fares_10202017.pdf

So the total is to make the promised 17/12 trips:

5 New Haven - Hartford CTRail Commuter Round Trips

3 New Haven - Springfield CTRail Commuter Round Trips

7 New Haven - Springfield Amtrak Shuttle Round Trips (4 Current plus 3 new)

1 Vermonter Round Trip

1 Northeast Regional Round Trip
 
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Here are the proposed timetables for the new service: Weekday Weekend

While I think the times are an improvement, and I've heard rumors about cross-honoring Hartford Line tickets with Amtrak tickets, it seems like people trying to commute to and from stations in between Springfield and Hartford to stations further down the line aren't given many choices. I know everyone knew going into this project there wouldn't be as many trips to to/from Springfield, but still, if I was a commuter looking forward to not have to deal with I-91 and I-84 traffic, I would be disappointed.
 
daybeers said:
Here are the proposed timetables for the new service: Weekday Weekend

While I think the times are an improvement, and I've heard rumors about cross-honoring Hartford Line tickets with Amtrak tickets, it seems like people trying to commute to and from stations in between Springfield and Hartford to stations further down the line aren't given many choices. I know everyone knew going into this project there wouldn't be as many trips to to/from Springfield, but still, if I was a commuter looking forward to not have to deal with I-91 and I-84 traffic, I would be disappointed.
Click to expand...
Supposedly there are still further upgrades to be done before they can really increase frequencies all the way to Springfield.
 
bretton88 said:
daybeers said:
Here are the proposed timetables for the new service: Weekday Weekend

While I think the times are an improvement, and I've heard rumors about cross-honoring Hartford Line tickets with Amtrak tickets, it seems like people trying to commute to and from stations in between Springfield and Hartford to stations further down the line aren't given many choices. I know everyone knew going into this project there wouldn't be as many trips to to/from Springfield, but still, if I was a commuter looking forward to not have to deal with I-91 and I-84 traffic, I would be disappointed.
Click to expand...
Supposedly there are still further upgrades to be done before they can really increase frequencies all the way to Springfield.
Click to expand...
default_mosking.gif
Haha yeah how many years until that happens? They also keep referencing that there will be 110mph running on the line, but I don't know when any of the track was suddenly upgraded from Class 4 all the way to Class 6.
 
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daybeers said:
bretton88 said:
daybeers said:
Here are the proposed timetables for the new service: Weekday Weekend

While I think the times are an improvement, and I've heard rumors about cross-honoring Hartford Line tickets with Amtrak tickets, it seems like people trying to commute to and from stations in between Springfield and Hartford to stations further down the line aren't given many choices. I know everyone knew going into this project there wouldn't be as many trips to to/from Springfield, but still, if I was a commuter looking forward to not have to deal with I-91 and I-84 traffic, I would be disappointed.
Click to expand...
Supposedly there are still further upgrades to be done before they can really increase frequencies all the way to Springfield.
Click to expand...
default_mosking.gif
Haha yeah how many years until that happens? They also keep referencing that there will be 110mph running on the line, but I don't know when any of the track was suddenly upgraded from Class 4 all the way to Class 6.
Click to expand...
Currently scheduled 2020 for phase 3B. Design work is 100% funded, idk what the status of funding for construction of phase 3B is.
 
bretton88 said:
daybeers said:
bretton88 said:
daybeers said:
Here are the proposed timetables for the new service: Weekday Weekend

While I think the times are an improvement, and I've heard rumors about cross-honoring Hartford Line tickets with Amtrak tickets, it seems like people trying to commute to and from stations in between Springfield and Hartford to stations further down the line aren't given many choices. I know everyone knew going into this project there wouldn't be as many trips to to/from Springfield, but still, if I was a commuter looking forward to not have to deal with I-91 and I-84 traffic, I would be disappointed.
Click to expand...
Supposedly there are still further upgrades to be done before they can really increase frequencies all the way to Springfield.
Click to expand...
default_mosking.gif
Haha yeah how many years until that happens? They also keep referencing that there will be 110mph running on the line, but I don't know when any of the track was suddenly upgraded from Class 4 all the way to Class 6.
Click to expand...
Currently scheduled 2020 for phase 3B. Design work is 100% funded, idk what the status of funding for construction of phase 3B is.
Click to expand...
Well that's the thing, nobody's sure when it will get funded, especially with the current state of Connecticut's budget.
 
Hmm....wonder if we will ever see a return of "The Bay State" thru inland route trains, NYP-SPG-BOS?
 
A restored Bay State NYP - SPG - BOS or BON ?. Maybe as a fill in for Coast line due to 39 limit until lime is raised. Biggest problems would be slow speeds SPG - Worchester, MBTA needs for more cross overs,i and the MNRR limits due to the replacements of several bridges causing 2 tracking at times until all are replaced.
 
It could use existing schedules between NYP and SPG, as well as between WOR and BOS , just 'bridging' with a new schedule between SPG and WOR, perhaps...coordinated with all the railroads involved...

Oh....wait....never mind....
default_rolleyes.gif
 
Any Inland Route train service is going to be subject to CSX constraints. Frankly, CSX runs so little between Springfield and Worcester now that an objection to restoring the Bay State could easily be construed as obstructionism, pure and symbol. But take heart: MassDot has plans to put back double track all the way between the two cities, so that should pave the way for more service east of Springfield. There's also one of the MA state senators who's pushing for more rail service between SPG and BOS.
 
There is a study on the MassDOT website looking at expanded service between Boston and Springfield, as well as north of Springfield toward Vermont and Montreal. Here's the Documents page, with links to the Service Development Plans toward the bottom of the page.

As Palmetto mentioned, there is at least some support at the MA state level for such service.
 
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While theyre at it, they should try to run a second Boston-Springfield-Albany train, too...
 
Hartford Line service planned to start June 16th, 2018: http://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-hartford-rail-line-starting-june-20180417-story.html

I'm not at all surprised by this, especially since the DOT said the last of the four new locomotives won't be ready until June. What I don't get is why they're still claiming the trains will run at 110 mph. Was the track really upgraded from Class 4 to Class 6, as I said above several months ago? Isn't that supposed to be in the next phase, when further improvements will be done and there will be more trains offered over the entire route?
 
I believe they are two phases away from 110mph operation. You'll probably see an extension to the Knowledge corridor before you see the 110mph service.
 
daybeers said:
Hartford Line service planned to start June 16th, 2018: http://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-hartford-rail-line-starting-june-20180417-story.html

I'm not at all surprised by this, especially since the DOT said the last of the four new locomotives won't be ready until June. What I don't get is why they're still claiming the trains will run at 110 mph. Was the track really upgraded from Class 4 to Class 6, as I said above several months ago? Isn't that supposed to be in the next phase, when further improvements will be done and there will be more trains offered over the entire route?
Click to expand...
Its pretty comical to be marketing/mentioning 110mph operation at this point, especially since the locomotives they will be launching service with are limited to a max of 80mph.
 
KnightRail said:
daybeers said:
Hartford Line service planned to start June 16th, 2018: http://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-hartford-rail-line-starting-june-20180417-story.html

I'm not at all surprised by this, especially since the DOT said the last of the four new locomotives won't be ready until June. What I don't get is why they're still claiming the trains will run at 110 mph. Was the track really upgraded from Class 4 to Class 6, as I said above several months ago? Isn't that supposed to be in the next phase, when further improvements will be done and there will be more trains offered over the entire route?
Click to expand...
Its pretty comical to be marketing/mentioning 110mph operation at this point, especially since the locomotives they will be launching service with are limited to a max of 80mph.
Click to expand...
I thought I heard somewhere that 110 mph operation was going to be possible at launch in a couple spots BUT that it would only be Amtrak that would be able to do it at first, as you said, due to locomotive choice for CTrail.
 
lordsigma said:
KnightRail said:
daybeers said:
Hartford Line service planned to start June 16th, 2018: http://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-hartford-rail-line-starting-june-20180417-story.html

I'm not at all surprised by this, especially since the DOT said the last of the four new locomotives won't be ready until June. What I don't get is why they're still claiming the trains will run at 110 mph. Was the track really upgraded from Class 4 to Class 6, as I said above several months ago? Isn't that supposed to be in the next phase, when further improvements will be done and there will be more trains offered over the entire route?
Click to expand...
Its pretty comical to be marketing/mentioning 110mph operation at this point, especially since the locomotives they will be launching service with are limited to a max of 80mph.
Click to expand...
I thought I heard somewhere that 110 mph operation was going to be possible at launch in a couple spots BUT that it would only be Amtrak that would be able to do it at first, as you said, due to locomotive choice for CTrail.
Click to expand...
Where'd you here that? I've been watching transitdocs today and it didn't seem like any of the trains got up to 110.

Acela150 said:
I'm just going to say it. The new paint job on the Geeps looks horrible.
Click to expand...
I actually think they look quite nice. The deep black looks good to me. Now, the 30-year-old cars, on the other hand...well I'll just wait to see them in person.
 
daybeers said:
lordsigma said:
KnightRail said:
daybeers said:
Hartford Line service planned to start June 16th, 2018: http://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-hartford-rail-line-starting-june-20180417-story.html

I'm not at all surprised by this, especially since the DOT said the last of the four new locomotives won't be ready until June. What I don't get is why they're still claiming the trains will run at 110 mph. Was the track really upgraded from Class 4 to Class 6, as I said above several months ago? Isn't that supposed to be in the next phase, when further improvements will be done and there will be more trains offered over the entire route?
Click to expand...
Its pretty comical to be marketing/mentioning 110mph operation at this point, especially since the locomotives they will be launching service with are limited to a max of 80mph.
Click to expand...
I thought I heard somewhere that 110 mph operation was going to be possible at launch in a couple spots BUT that it would only be Amtrak that would be able to do it at first, as you said, due to locomotive choice for CTrail.
Click to expand...
Where'd you here that? I've been watching transitdocs today and it didn't seem like any of the trains got up to 110.

Acela150 said:
I'm just going to say it. The new paint job on the Geeps looks horrible.
Click to expand...
I actually think they look quite nice. The deep black looks good to me. Now, the 30-year-old cars, on the other hand...well I'll just wait to see them in person.
Click to expand...
They aren't using it yet for sure - however I was on a late 494 last night and it seemed according to my phone app we were exceeding 80 at times (at one point close to 90) but never over 90. I think I heard the 110 MPH thing said at one of the informational meetings with one of the CTDOT guys that a couple sections would have it. I will try to find and rewatch that video to confirm.
 
Wait so does this mean that it will now be possible to take commuter rail from New York to Boston? Metro North to New Haven, Hartford Line to Springfield, MBTA to Boston? That would be a ridiculous trip, but I kind of like the idea of it.
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