Passenger Trains > Just another day on the NEC

Spent about 3 hours hanging out at my regular haunt, Princeton Jct.  Several Amtrak trains tooted their horns as they rushed by at 125-150 mph.  There must be a page in the training manual that says expect a foamer on the platform at any time.

Southbound Acela happily tooting away.

Northbound Acela passing #20, the Crescent making an ON TIME station stop.

Keystone Service train with a former Metroliner cab car leading.  With the end of the 50's era Heritage cars, these are the oldest cars in Amtrak's fleet.  

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Believe the top speed through Princeton Junction remains 135 mph.

There has been an on going project to boost speeds from 135 mph to 160 mph
between New Brunswick and and Hamilton, NJ.  If I recall correctly, that project started 
way back in 2014 and was due to be finished by 2017, or 2018, or 2020, maybe 2021,
but "surprisingly" slipped to 2023 - but you'll have to wait until this Fall to see if that
comes to  fruition.  Amtrak's Metroliners and the GG1 hauled passenger trains topped
off at 125.

The United Aircraft Turbotrain blasted through Princeton Junctin at 170.8 mph way back
on December 20th, 1967, along with an early Budd Metroliner which flew through at
155.2 mph 9 months earlier.  A plaque commemorating the event(s) can be seen on the
wall inside the station lobby.  Those were no audinary days on the NEC, however, but
rather experimental high speed test runs.

/Mitch

Mgoldman Wrote:
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> Believe the top speed through Princeton Junction
> remains 135 mph.

I believe it has been cleared for 150mph for Acelas on track 2 and 3 many months back. That will be it for the current Acelas. They will not be certified for 160. The new Acelas will be able to do 160mph.

Jishnu Wrote:
------------------------------------
>
> I believe it has been cleared for 150mph for
> Acelas on track 2 and 3 many months back. That
> will be it for the current Acelas. They will not
> be certified for 160. The new Acelas will be able
> to do 160mph.

According to a report from Amtrak speeds through Princeton Junction will not be increasing until 2024….

However - seems they do run at 150 mph between New Brunswick and South Brunswick.

Considering the fact that the only true value to running trains at 150 mph on such a short stretch is the publicity, I am surprised this “achievement” went unreported (or at least underreported). Perhaps they are waiting until the full 16 miles are upgraded or until the Acela Avelia Liberties are in service and able to run the stretch at 160 mph.

https://media.amtrak.com/2022/06/amtrak-increasing-speed-of-acela-trains-in-new-jersey-through-infrastructure-investments-and-improvements/

/Mitch

Posted from iPhone

Jishnu Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mgoldman Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Believe the top speed through Princeton
> Junction
> > remains 135 mph.
>
> I believe it has been cleared for 150mph for
> Acelas on track 2 and 3 many months back. That
> will be it for the current Acelas. They will not
> be certified for 160. The new Acelas will be able
> to do 160mph.

But that's up in the are since those new sets are apporaching 3 years late on officially running in revenue service!