Passenger Trains > Amtrak/CSX sign deal on Hudson line takeover

Contrary to the anti-Amtrak articles usually posted here; here's a REALLY positive one for everyone to enjoy:

Effective Dec. 1st. Amtrak took control of the Empire Corridor tracks from Poughkeepsi to Schenectady. This means a lot of money will be released to Amtrak for much needed improvements to the route.

Two important upgrades will be installing a second track between Albany and Schenectady which will begin this Fall. The single track now in place is a real pinch point; and a 4th track will be added to the Rensslaer station.

Below is link to Amtrak's announcement for those interested:

Joe

http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/13/26/Amtrak-CSX-Hudson-Line-Release-ATK-12-126.pdf

Thank you. We are very interested in rail passenger improvements.

Tell me these completion dates are wrong. 2017!! For 17 miles of track!!?? I have looked out the window on EMPIRE CORRIDOR trains at this s tretch often. Looks like a two year project to me?!!

The funding will also add some track in the Ballston and Saratoga areas to smooth passenger traffic, although that segment is outside the dispatch transfer. The second track from Schenectady to Albany station will go a long way to speeding up service. I believe there's about 40 minutes of padding in the southbound Adirondack schedule to cover the usual snags.

This section was once 4 track as was the entire NYC to Buffalo?

More than 10 years after New York was supposed to get 125 mph Turboliner service, this is hard to get too excited about. Wake me up when it actually produces some tangible results. In the meantime, how about at least getting food service back on the New York - Albany trains?

hsr_fan Wrote:
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> More than 10 years after New York was supposed to
> get 125 mph Turboliner service, this is hard to
> get too excited about. Wake me up when it
> actually produces some tangible results. In the
> meantime, how about at least getting food service
> back on the New York - Albany trains?


You did get 15 miles of 125 mph track, though. South of 140 marker, I believe.

korotaj Wrote:
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> This section was once 4 track as was the entire
> NYC to Buffalo?

No, it was not a four track main -- from the freight cutoff at Castleton to the freight cutoff at Hoffman's, the route through Albany was intended for passenger/mail/express service mainly, and was in major part only two tracks. The "four tracks" NYC to Buffalo always took into account the freight mains which went by way of Selkirk.

Some additional info:
Amtrak's Hudson Disp. in NY is now dispatching the Hudson Line (CP 75-CP 169 not inclusive) along with the Post Road Branch and the Whirpool Bridge in Niagara Falls. LAB control station (Livingston Ave. Moveable Bridge in Albany) continues to control the signals and switches in Albany-Rensselaer station between CP 141 and CP 145.

Andy

Who runs "LAB Control" ? CSX ?

Does CSX still switch the grain mill up the branch at Hudson NY? I'm guessing it's still in operation given several hoppers at the junction.

RevRandy Wrote:
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> korotaj Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > This section was once 4 track as was the entire
> > NYC to Buffalo?
>
> No, it was not a four track main -- from the
> freight cutoff at Castleton to the freight cutoff
> at Hoffman's, the route through Albany was
> intended for passenger/mail/express service
> mainly, and was in major part only two tracks.
> The "four tracks" NYC to Buffalo always took into
> account the freight mains which went by way of
> Selkirk.


According to this 1940 NYC ETT

http://canadasouthern.com/caso/ett/images/mohawk-tt-0440.pdf

The line from the Livingston Ave Bridge over the Hudson River to Hoffmans (todays CP-169) was a mix of 3 and 4 tracks in 1940 if I am reading the station listing correctly. However the map on the back implies it was all 4 track the whole way. I assume it was definitely 4 tracks prior to the Selkirk cutoffs being built and probably for a good portion of time after. Back in the 40's and 50's and even the 60's there was still a good deal of local freight traffic on the section from Sand Bank Yard in Scotia to West Albany Yard and down into Rensselaer.

Surprisingly it shows only 2 tracks from just north of Rhinecliff to Rensselaer. I always thought the NYC main was 4 tracks from NY Grand Central all the way thru to Albany.


John

CP4743 Wrote:
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>(snip)
>
> Surprisingly it shows only 2 tracks from just
> north of Rhinecliff to Rensselaer. I always
> thought the NYC main was 4 tracks from NY Grand
> Central all the way thru to Albany.
>
>
> John


I'd be surprised if there were many, if any, 3 and 4 track stretches north of Rhinecliff. The alignment today looks like it's always been that way and the older bridges seem sized for two tracks, etc.

Prior to the Selkirk Yard construction and its branches, everything from New York City and Boston went through the current station site, across the river, past the original station, and up West Albany hill. Back in the days when there was manufacuring in the northeast, that was an enormous amount of traffic

Riding 448 in August 2009 it took us some 90 minutes to go from Schenectady to Rennsaleer. It was raining cats and dogs, as I remember. Got to Framingham at midnight.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> Does CSX still switch the grain mill up the branch
> at Hudson NY? I'm guessing it's still in
> operation given several hoppers at the junction.


Yes - It's probably on the steepest grade in NY State.

Andy

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> Who runs "LAB Control" ? CSX ?
Went to Amtrak along with the other employees, such as C&S, that were CSX but worked mostly on Amtrak property.

Andy

twropr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Does CSX still switch the grain mill up the
> branch
> > at Hudson NY? I'm guessing it's still in
> > operation given several hoppers at the
> junction.
>
>
> Yes - It's probably on the steepest grade in NY
> State.
>
> Andy

Thank you.

Conrail used two locomotive sets to push small cuts of cars up that hill. I recall seeing two units pushing 10 car cuts of grain loads up that hill, although I don't know if that was standard.

2 units to push only 10 cars? That must of been one hell of a steep grade!

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
>
> I'd be surprised if there were many, if any, 3 and
> 4 track stretches north of Rhinecliff. The
> alignment today looks like it's always been that
> way and the older bridges seem sized for two
> tracks, etc.
>


Definitely looks like it always has been a 2-track ROW in the Bear Mountain area, and through the Manitou station. Most visible at the couple of short tunnels in the area.....

chs7-321 Wrote:
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> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
> > I'd be surprised if there were many, if any, 3 and
> > 4 track stretches north of Rhinecliff. The
> > alignment today looks like it's always been that
> > way and the older bridges seem sized for two
> > tracks, etc.
>
> Definitely looks like it always has been a 2-track
> ROW in the Bear Mountain area, and through the
> Manitou station. Most visible at the couple of
> short tunnels in the area.....


here's a map:

http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/images/map-hudson.pdf

Ray