The next few years, take 2

[erierail]

Albany Ren hotel power refers to having hep power on the platforms to plug trains sets or set out cars for head end power. This would reduce the need to keep a road unit in the station to provide power. Very common practice in the early days except those were steam lines rather than a steam loco or road power with a steam generator.

 

[Seaboard92]

Albany is listed on AAPRCO as having hotel power available.

 

[john small berries]

the road improvements around the Miami Intermodal Center supposedly completed in August (I am in LA so can't drive over there to see myself) so the change for the Silvers from Hialeah to MIC should be coming soon. Just have to watch the timetables.

http://www.fdotmiamidade.com/current-projects/north-miami-dade/miami-intermodal-center-mic-connection-to-nw-37-ave-1.html

 

[jis]

A little bird from within Amtrak still insists that there is no move planned at this time to MIC until further notice at some indefinite future time.

 

[jis]

Albany is listed on AAPRCO as having hotel power available.

I suspect those are not at the platforms but at the holding tracks for PV which are somewhere near the Rensselaer shops. That is not to say that there may be such at platforms too, but I really cannot see anyone parking anything for extended periods at any of the platform tracks, there is such shortage of them.

 

[neroden]

Albany is listed on AAPRCO as having hotel power available.

I suspect those are not at the platforms but at the holding tracks for PV which are somewhere near the Rensselaer shops. That is not to say that there may be such at platforms too, but I really cannot see anyone parking anything for extended periods at any of the platform tracks, there is such shortage of them.

The project was supposed to provide hotel power at the platforms for trains which arrive early (yes, it happens) and are waiting for their departure time, so they don't have to idle in the station dumping diesel fumes. I dunno whether it ever got built, but it was a good idea just from the perspective of pollution control. Probably won't be actively used until all four platforms are in service.

 

[neroden]

A little bird from within Amtrak still insists that there is no move planned at this time to MIC until further notice at some indefinite future time.

Apparently someone in Amtrak really doesn't like money and wants to make sure Amtrak continues to be as unprofitable as possible. Perhaps there is a philsophical love of the idea of running "money losing trains" and making sure customers stay away. Someone possessed by the ghost of Al Perlman, perhaps?

 

[jis]

So each time I mention these pieces of information, perhaps I am seen as someone defending Amtrak. I am not. I just state what I believe to be credible sourced information. From what I hear there are still facilities and cost of operation issues and the current plan that FDOT has merrily gone along implementing, apparently not consulting with Amtrak or with Amtrak's consent, just hoping that they can browbeat Amtrak into accepting, like they have apparently done all along, is apparently not going that well. I have no way of telling what the exact factors in play are, so I am not as quick at passing judgement as some others seem to be. I am almost certain that others on this board, except perhaps the few from Amtrak, whose lips I am sure are quite sealed on this matter under contention, really don't know any more than I do regarding what the facts of the matter are. They just have opinions.

 

[neroden]

I'm sure there are problems with the negotiations. The fact, however, is that Amtrak is throwing away revenue by failing to connect to other modes of transportation. Whatever they think they're gaining by not making a deal, they're losing more by throwing the revenue in the trash can. This is not really disputable; the evidence regarding the benefit of connections to ticket sales is pretty overwhelming.

 

[jis]

I'm sure there are problems with the negotiations. The fact, however, is that Amtrak is throwing away revenue by failing to connect to other modes of transportation. Whatever they think they're gaining by not making a deal, they're losing more by throwing the revenue in the trash can. This is not really disputable; the evidence regarding the benefit of connections to ticket sales is pretty overwhelming.

Have you seen any estimates of projected revenue difference between the two stations? I have not, though I am willing to take it as a working hypothesis that terminating at MIC would be better. but I have not seen anything quantified. So I do take your claims about overwhelming with a due pinch of salt Frankly the only additional thing it connects to at MIC is the Metro and one can connect to that anyway by changing to TriRail at Hollywood. No doubt, not having to make that change would be better. It would also be nice to get a feel for how many Amtrak long distance riders can actually use the public transit system in Miami to go where they need to also.

 

[west point]

Could it be that Amtrak feels that with their equipment shortage the extra cost to MIC cannot be justified ? If the Star and Meteor both sell out on certain legs why go after passengers that may just displace other passengers ?

 

[railbuck]

Frankly the only additional thing it connects to at MIC is the Metro and one can connect to that anyway by changing to TriRail at Hollywood. No doubt, not having to make that change would be better.

There's the express bus to South Beach, half a dozen other local bus routes that don't serve Hialeah, a dozen or so car rental locations, several hotels within walking distance, and of course the airport. All of which can be reached by transferring to TriRail, though the percentage of potential passengers aware of the option and willing to take it is probably quite small.

 

[trainviews]

Could it be that Amtrak feels that with their equipment shortage the extra cost to MIC cannot be justified ? If the Star and Meteor both sell out on certain legs why go after passengers that may just displace other passengers ?

If you get more passengers than you have seats for it just translates into the ability to charge higher prices. That's still more revenue even if it's the same number of passengers.

Further Miami is the end of the line. That means that most trains, even if they are sold out on parts of the route, are not filling up with long distance passengers from there, as some have booked from other stations. This leaves seats to fill for shorter haul passengers to Tampa, Orlando and other Florida destinations. Convenient station access is probably more important for shorter distances competing with cars.

 

[afigg]

News on a long planned station improvement project that had no news for years that I can recall. Progressive Railroading: PennDOT kicks off Mount Joy rail station project,

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) yesterday marked the start of a $25 million project to improve the train station in Mount Joy, Pa., on Amtrak's Keystone Corridor.

The project will replace low-level platforms with covered, elevated structures that will make boarding trains easier, as well as add elevators and enclosed stair towers and a pedestrian overpass between the east and westbound platforms, according to a PennDOT press release.
....
Expected to take three years to complete, the project complements Phase I, which added streetscaping, 69 parking spaces and a covered walkway between the parking lot and station. Phase I was completed in 2012.

Three years to complete???

 

[afigg]

News on the completion of 2 projects for the Piedmont corridor. Progressive Railroading: NCDOT wraps up two Piedmont rail improvement projects. Excerpts:

North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) officials on Tuesday marked the completion of two railway modernization projects under the Piedmont Improvement Program.

One project improved track along the North Carolina Railroad corridor between Graham and Haw River. The project included construction of a siding track to eliminate trains forming a bottleneck along a 22-mile stretch, according to an NCDOT press release.

.....

The second project eliminated three street-level rail crossings by building a highway bridge to carry McLeansville Road over tracks in McLeansville. Prior to the project, three roads crossed over mainline and siding track in the area, with trains sometimes waiting in the siding for more than an hour.

With the 2016 construction season winding down for much of the US, we could see a bunch of announcements in the next month or so about the completion of this or that ARRA Stimulus funded project.

 

[WoodyinNYC]

For what it's worth, I was in the Arkendale, VA area several months ago and there was a massive amount of construction activity connected with the third rail project. It seems like it really should be completed by the end of 2017.

Welcome to Amtrak Unlimited.

And thanks for this encouraging report.

 

[acelafan]

On the other hand:

Atlanta Amtrak station still 50 years in the future.

No kidding - sad!

 

[Palmetto]

A little bird from within Amtrak still insists that there is no move planned at this time to MIC until further notice at some indefinite future time.

I questioned that last year; they were laying concrete ties for the station tracks at Hialeah. Made me wonder then if they were ever going over to MIC.

 

[Bob Dylan]

A little bird from within Amtrak still insists that there is no move planned at this time to MIC until further notice at some indefinite future time.

I questioned that last year; they were laying concrete ties for the station tracks at Hialeah. Made me wonder then if they were ever going over to MIC.

Perhaps when Miami is under water and the City is forced West towards the Airport?

 

[jis]

A little bird from within Amtrak still insists that there is no move planned at this time to MIC until further notice at some indefinite future time.

I questioned that last year; they were laying concrete ties for the station tracks at Hialeah. Made me wonder then if they were ever going over to MIC.

Perhaps when Miami is under water and the City is forced West towards the Airport?

Have you looked at the flood map? it is likely that both Miami Airport and Hialeah Amtrak facility would go under water in about the same timeframe. And if Hialeah goes under water first, how will any train get to MIC from the north?

 

[Bob Dylan]

Amtrak could run Ferries like Railroads did in the old days in New York and the Bay Area.

 

[cirdan]

A little bird from within Amtrak still insists that there is no move planned at this time to MIC until further notice at some indefinite future time.

I questioned that last year; they were laying concrete ties for the station tracks at Hialeah. Made me wonder then if they were ever going over to MIC.

Perhaps when Miami is under water and the City is forced West towards the Airport?

It's not for no reason that Brightline's new station in Miami is being built on stilts

 

[DCAKen]

A little bird from within Amtrak still insists that there is no move planned at this time to MIC until further notice at some indefinite future time.

I questioned that last year; they were laying concrete ties for the station tracks at Hialeah. Made me wonder then if they were ever going over to MIC.

Perhaps when Miami is under water and the City is forced West towards the Airport?

Have you looked at the flood map? it is likely that both Miami Airport and Hialeah Amtrak facility would go under water in about the same timeframe. And if Hialeah goes under water first, how will any train get to MIC from the north?

Fortunately, Florida already has experience with that

 

[jis]

I was about to say that it is more likely that FEC will have a work around for that as well as a ferry to Miami and beyond - all the way to Havana like they had at one time.

 

[neroden]

News on a long planned station improvement project that had no news for years that I can recall. Progressive Railroading: PennDOT kicks off Mount Joy rail station project,

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) yesterday marked the start of a $25 million project to improve the train station in Mount Joy, Pa., on Amtrak's Keystone Corridor.

The project will replace low-level platforms with covered, elevated structures that will make boarding trains easier, as well as add elevators and enclosed stair towers and a pedestrian overpass between the east and westbound platforms, according to a PennDOT press release.

....

Expected to take three years to complete, the project complements Phase I, which added streetscaping, 69 parking spaces and a covered walkway between the parking lot and station. Phase I was completed in 2012.

Three years to complete???

For one thing, they can't shut service down, so all the work has to be done around active tracks, and with temporary platforms. For another thing, the location is a bear, at the bottom of a cut. The cut will have to be widened to make room for modern-width ADA accessible platforms and elevators and stair towers. Finally, you may forget this in Virginia, but in Pennsylvania, they can only do most sorts of construction about 9 months out of the year, thanks to winter.

I expect the first season will be a lot of earthmoving and retaining walls, the second season will see most of the structure go up, and the third season will see the finishes.