LSL 449 faster timetable

I just got an email with modified 449 tix, for tix I had purchased some time ago for an April trip. Instead of 11:55 departure from BOS, it's 12:50 departure. Instead of 17:35 arrival in ALB, it's 18:00 arrival. So the trip from BOS to ALB is 30 minutes faster. Arrival time into CHI is unchanged on 49. I didn't check if anything changes for 448.

Looks like this change begins on Monday April 6th and is permanent as far as the bookable schedule is out.

There is a schedule change for the eastbound 448 as well. As of Monday, April 6 #448 departs ALB at 3:05 PM, arrives BOS at 8:01 PM. The current #448 schedule departs ALB at 3:25 PM, arrives BOS at 9:10 PM. So 49 minutes is being cut from the eastbound schedule, with most of it apparently from the padding for the WOR-BOS segment. If the 48/448 LSL is on-time at Albany, this new schedule provides a better arrival time at Boston.

Has the MBTA completed upgrades to the tracks to Worcester, since they took ownership of the BOS-WOR line several years ago? Just wondering if that is part of the reason for trimming the (padded) WOR-BOS times.

The LSL schedule from ALB to CHI does not appear to change on April 6.

I got a similar mail for BOS to CHI in September.

As you said, departure time is almost an hour later.

However, arrival time in CHI is the same 9:45.

It's all good. Even 30 or 49 minutes won't be enuf to make Boston-Albany trip times attractive. But it's a solid step in the right direction. And just might attract a few more riders repelled by the longer schedule.

It could also help when someone recalculates the "Amtrak average" speed, LOL, and every little bit will help. Last I heard, the notorious "Amtrak average" was roughly 55 mph -- embarrassing. Maybe it could roll up to 56 mph when the 50 minutes falls out of the Wolverine and Lincoln service schedules, and assorted bits and pieces of faster times kick in as the Stimulus funded projects come on line from Vermont to N. Carolina to the Cascades.

Looking at the timetable from June of last year, it appears that there's little potential for decreasing the time spent at stations (the longest layovers are in Cleveland - about 20 min, and Toledo - about the same). I assume that time is spent with refueling and crew change, and therefor probably not too "cutable."

So, the other explanations is that the trains go faster?

Wait - Albany has a 1:30 layover...

In the past eastbound sleeper passengers getting off at Springfield got the cold dinner. I wonder if that will still be provided with the earlier departure from Albany?

Like afigg, I suspect that this is due to completion of (or at least progress on) the MBTA / Massachusetts upgrades to Worcester-Boston. Good news in any case!

I don't expect to see timetable changes west of Albany until the upgrades in progress there are closer to complete.

While the MBTA has made some improvements, I believe the double-tracking between CP3 and CP4 has not happened, and that would still be a chokepoint. And since there are no crossovers between CP4 and CP11, that can still cause a bit of delay given the single platforms in Newton.

But I am very glad to see this timekeeping improvement. Boston - Albany will always be on the slow side, I think, but this is good news for sure.

Palmetto said:

. . . double-tracking between CP3 and CP4 has not happened, and that would still be a chokepoint. And since there are no crossovers between CP4 and CP11. . .

Click to expand...

What are CP's?

niemi24s said:

Palmetto said:

. . . double-tracking between CP3 and CP4 has not happened, and that would still be a chokepoint. And since there are no crossovers between CP4 and CP11. . .

Click to expand...

What are CP's?

Click to expand...

Control Points, I expect.

CP stands for "control point". It's a signalling term for a specific location on the railroad, generally a block boundary.

In some places CPs are named, in others they're numbered. On this section of railroad they're numbered by the nearest milepost (much like an interstate exit).