Passenger Trains > Speed increases coming to Amtrak Harrisburg Line

Speeds in many locations on the Amtrak Harrisburg line for certain passenger trains are being increased:

MID-ATLANTIC DIVISION
SUPPLEMENTAL BULLETIN ORDER No. 5-43a says, in part:

> TRACK SPEEDS UPGRADED 09/06/13

> This modification is due to an increase in speed at various locations up to 110 MPH and for
> 5 inch cant deficiency operation for Passenger Train Types “A” and “B” between Overbrook
> and State interlockings as a result of signal and track improvements.

Speed increases apply to:

Train Type A (High Speed Trainsets [HST] with tilt system active)

Train Type B (1) HST's with tilt system disabled; (2) trains consisting exclusively
of HHP-8, AEM-7, P40BH, P42BH, or P32-BWH engines, and Amfleet, Horizon, Capitoliner
Control Cars, MARC III control/coach cars, or US DOT test car DOTX 216

Train Type D (passenger trains with mail, baggage or express cars in consist)

Train Type C (passenger trains that do not meet the criteria for train types A, B, or D).

There is no speed differential between Train Type A and Train Type B.
Train Type D must not exceed 60 MPH when operating with inoperative cab signals.

Highest speed shown in the speed chart for Train Types A, B, C and D is 110mph but
increase in speed due to 5 inch cant deficiency operation refers only to Train Types A and B.

There will be no change in freight train (Train Type E) speeds.

The list of changes is too long to post here and I am not permitted to scan and post the actual bulletin.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/13 21:48 by GenePoon.

I wonder if an Acela originating in Harrisburg or Lancaster etc would be profitable? These speeds increase the opportunity to get a quick (NY-HAR etc) turn out of the equipment.

During the early 1990s, Amtrak originated a Metroliner (train 201) at Paoli for Washington. I used to ride it from 30th Street. It was usually dragged out to Paoli by an E60, and would come back with an AEM7 doing the honors and the E60 dead in tow. One winter day, frosty rails delayed the train considerably as the AEM7 struggled to pull the dead E60 back from Paoli.

Main patronage on this train appeared to be Amtrak employees who lived on the Main Line.

The morning I took the Metroliner on that line, it originated at Downingtown (this was before the station
burned to the ground) and only had the AEM-7 on it.

They experimented with that service a lot before giving up on it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/13 09:57 by GenePoon.

60 mph around the curve at Gap?

timz2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 60 mph around the curve at Gap?
================================

55, all trains. No change.

SEPTA just changed their schedules effective August 11. Is a SEPTA AEM-7/Horizon consist a Type B train? If so, there may be some unscheduled early arrivals possible from higher unbalance speeds on the curvy Philadelphia to Paoli section where the Thorndale expresses using this equipment don't stop. The outbound trains are allowed to depart their suburban stops ahead of schedule. A good engineer on these trains can already shave a few minutes off the scheduled run time by making efficient stops. Inbound early arrival seems to be constrained by congestion in the Philadelphia terminal.

I wonder if some day the Acelas will be cascaded to the Keystone corridor when their replacement trains arrive.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/13 11:14 by RRTom.

Would DC be a more "profitable" destination for one or two Acela round trips from HAR than NY?

> There is no speed differential between
> Train Type A and Train Type B.

Even on curves? Acela can't go faster
than Amfleet anywhere?

timz2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > There is no speed differential between
> > Train Type A and Train Type B.
>
> Even on curves? Acela can't go faster
> than Amfleet anywhere?

Not on this line.

Is the Harrisburg line Hi-level platforms for Acela?

mundo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is the Harrisburg line Hi-level platforms for
> Acela?

Harrisburg, Elizabethtown, Lancaster - Yes. The other stops - No.

prr60 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> mundo Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Is the Harrisburg line Hi-level platforms for
> > Acela?
>
> Harrisburg, Elizabethtown, Lancaster - Yes. The
> other stops - No.


What other stops would even need to be?

So - with the new speed increase - what's the before
and after time to travel from Philly to Harrisburg?

/Mitch

All this speculation about Acela on the Harrisburg Line...

But don't forget that Amtrak and Pennsylvania have yet to agree on a cost for the
Keystones.

Have to walk before you can run!

I have long though a few Harrisburg-D.C. Trains would be popular. The driving time via US15 from Harrisburg to D.C. is two hours and six minutes per google, but from experience you get warm tingly experience inside if you can...a.)do it in less than three hours...b.)accomplish a without shitting yourself from the sheer terror of D.C. traffic.
Cheers,
Nick

Posted from iPhone

NGotwalt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have long though a few Harrisburg-D.C. Trains
> would be popular. The driving time via US15 from
> Harrisburg to D.C. is two hours and six minutes
> per google, but from experience you get warm
> tingly experience inside if you can...a.)do it in
> less than three hours...b.)accomplish a without
> shitting yourself from the sheer terror of D.C.
> traffic.
> Cheers,
> Nick
>
> Posted from iPhone

That was what I was getting at with the question above. If the railroad can make this trip in something resembling the driving time, there's a decent prospect of gaining a decent ridership. With parking in downtown DC occasionally running over $40 a day, and gasoline at $3.50 a gallon,this could be a good deal.

I doubt very much that an additional Acela set will materialize out of thin air to make such a run an Acela service though.

work on the new interlocking at Villaova is suppose to start this Oct and be located down near the power house for the college ... this interlocking will replace and retire Bryn Mawr interlocking and allow inter track fencing with the station being just west of the interlocking ... the new station in Paoli is still in the planning stages which will be connected to a transportation center ... it will be equipped with high level platforms and when built will be located just west of the tower in the vicinity of the sub station

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> All this speculation about Acela on the Harrisburg
> Line...
>
> But don't forget that Amtrak and Pennsylvania have
> yet to agree on a cost for the
> Keystones.
>
> Have to walk before you can run!


Although the Acela Express trainsets would work well on the Keystone line (with power cars on both ends for change of direction at Philly and high speed etc.), if AE was to operate on this line few things fall short:

a) The First Class Car and Cafe Car would never be used since Keystones don't offer cafe service. Modifications or change in "class of service" would have to occur.

b) There need to be high level platforms built on the line - if they are to serve "all stops" like the de-commissioned MU'ed Metroliners eventually did (i.e. as Capitoliners).

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> b) There need to be high level platforms built on
> the line - if they are to serve "all stops" like
> the de-commissioned MU'ed Metroliners eventually
> did (i.e. as Capitoliners).

Again - an Acela would likely be an EXPRESS service.
Stops likely would be Philly, Paoli (getting new
station), Lancaster and Harrisburg (and Pittsburgh,
lol).

/Mitch