Whats the latest story with the Turboliners?

[Viewliner]

I'm curious as to several things regarding the Turboliners. First, does the RTL-II continue its 256/259 assignment in empire service? Second, whats the outlook (most likely date) on the RTL-III's coming into service?

 

[AlanB]

Second, whats the outlook (most likely date) on the RTL-III's coming into service?

Here's the answer to your question Viewliner, although it's not really a great answer.

Sleek, shiny and built for speed, the two reconditioned Turboliner trains sit idle outside Amtrak's local maintenance shop.

But Amtrak officials aren't ready to start running the trains and have no start time in sight. And with some $140 million in track improvements yet to begin, the turbos' higher speed capabilities are worth little. Until the tracks can handle the speed, the new trains will likely maintain the typical 2 hour, 25 minute trip time between Rensselaer and New York City for the foreseeable future.

You can read the full story from the Albany Times Union here, with thanks to Ellis Simons' Amtrak Digest for finding the story.

 

[Viewliner]

with thanks to Ellis Simons' Amtrak Digest for finding the story.

How do I subscribe to that?

Thanks for the turboliner update.

 

[AlanB]

Just follow the instructions below if you want to subscribe. Amtrak Digest currently sends out 2 - 3 updates each week. If news warrents, then they sends out more updates as needed.

Subscriptions
To subscribe, please send an email to [email protected] with the message “SUBSCRIBE” in the subject line.  If you wish to receive Amtrak Digest in a text-only format, please send an email to [email protected] with the message “SUBSCRIBE-TEXT” in the subject line.  

 

[Viewliner]

Thanks, I'll sign up asap, is that all you have to do, nothing else has to be written within the email itself?

 

[AlanB]

Yup, as far as I know it's that easy.

Since Ellis is a friend of mine, I never actually signed up, he just added me to his list when he started the news letter.

 

[Amfleet]

I've tried at least 3 times over the course of a year and have not recieved anything. I followed those exact directions. I'll try again.

 

[Viewliner]

I've tried at least 3 times over the course of a year and have not recieved anything. I followed those exact directions. I'll try again.

I tried once too, but I'll try again. If it doesn't get through, Alan could you sign me up next time you see him at one of those applefest type trips?

 

[AlanB]

Here's another little article on the turboliner.

Amtrak President David Gunn met with state Transportation Commissioner Joseph Boardman Monday in an attempt to smooth over friction between the state and the passenger rail service.

You can read the full story from The Albany Business Review here, with thanks to Prodigy's On Track On Line for finding the story.

Note: You may need to register with the site in order to view the story. Registration is free.

 

[tp49]

I did the same thing sending the e-mail and all and have not received anything yet.

Did not see any turboliners during my travels through Penn Station, I wonder if the set that was operating is still doing so with a Gennie on the front?

 

[AlanB]

Did not see any turboliners during my travels through Penn Station, I wonder if the set that was operating is still doing so with a Gennie on the front?

TP,

Assuming that the RTL II set is still running, it will indeed be running with a P32. The engines in the power cars are far too unreliable to trust.

The real question is, does Amtrak still run the Turboliner II at all. At one point it was covering #256 & #259. However, with the schedule back in October, things were juggled around. Since then I've heard no reports on what, if any, runs the Turboliner II is covering.

 

[tp49]

Alan,

I did get to see them over the summer at Albany and at NYP. I would not be terribly surprised if they took the RTL II out of service for rebuild but would they have enough cars to cover the train. I did see some Horizon cars at Sunnyside Sunday maybe that's whaty they're there for?

 

[Viewliner]

Alan,
I did get to see them over the summer at Albany and at NYP. I would not be terribly surprised if they took the RTL II out of service for rebuild but would they have enough cars to cover the train. I did see some Horizon cars at Sunnyside Sunday maybe that's whaty they're there for?

Could've been deadheading to Florida for the Special Train there (The SPS or SBS). I hope its still running.

 

[AlanB]

Alan,
I did get to see them over the summer at Albany and at NYP. I would not be terribly surprised if they took the RTL II out of service for rebuild but would they have enough cars to cover the train. I did see some Horizon cars at Sunnyside Sunday maybe that's whaty they're there for?

TP,

As far as I'm aware of the game plan is still this: The RTL II remains in service until at least the first RTL III is accepted and placed into service. It may even stay in service until Amtrak accepts 2 of the RTL III's. Amtrak does not really have enough passenger cars to cover the Empire Service without the RTL II trainset.

That's why they are still running it, even though it no longer runs under it's own power. A P32 has been hauling the trainset for several months.

 

[seamus79]

what does P32 looks like? How long does P32 to haul Turboliner out of 3rd rail?

 

[Superliner Diner]

Alan,
I did get to see them over the summer at Albany and at NYP.  I would not be terribly surprised if they took the RTL II out of service for rebuild but would they have enough cars to cover the train.  I did see some Horizon cars at Sunnyside Sunday maybe that's whaty they're there for?

tp49.

I doubt that an all-Horizons consist would be used on any eastern service. I don't think that there are enough of them sitting around in NY to make a full set. If you saw them in Sunnyside, then they had almost certainly come in on (and in a day went out on) the Three Rivers. The only eastern train where I've seen one used is the Carolinian, and then it was only a Horizon dinette car with otherwise Amfleet I equipment (plus one Amfleet II as Carolina Business Class). Horizons, which are the mainstay of Chicago hub corridor trains, sometimes make their way into the Three Rivers and Pennsylvanian. The latter has operated with run-through equipment to & from the Illini (Chicago-Carbondale), but as we know those never make it to New York.

Besides the sick RTL-II turbo, which has been in and out of service, the old Clocker coaches were taken out of service in the past year. Although they were assigned to the Adirondack, some miscellaneous Clocker cars did find their way into other consists along the Empire Corridor. They had been preferred for their large windows, but they were growing old. Replacing them, wherever possible, was surplus Amfleet Metroliner equipment (made available by deployment of Acela Express) -- the same equipment that has been used on the Downeaster since it began.

 

[Superliner Diner]

what does P32 looks like? How long does P32 to haul Turboliner out of 3rd rail?

P-32's look very much like their cousins, the P-40 and P-42, as they are of the same Genesis series. However they are dual mode, capable of running in diesel or the Metro North third rail territory. The P-32's (not to be confused with the older P-32 DASH 8's that are used as road or switcher diesels) used in New York State are numbered in the 700 series.

In the case of a P-32 hauling the disabled Turboliner, it would run the full route between New York City and Albany, through both electric and diesel territories.

 

[Viewliner]

Two Stories Which May Give Us Some Hope:

The Story From Trains Newswire

The More Detailed Story from the Albany Times-Union

The first of several much-anticipated Turboliner trains should be carrying Capital Region passengers to New York City within three months, but track work that would allow the trains to run at top speed is on hold, state Transportation Commissioner Joseph Boardman said Tuesday.