Acela & Amtrak NEC (HSR BOS-NYP-WAS and branches only)

[F-Line to Dudley]

I did more digging on the proposal of extending 3 daily trips of NER to Ronkonkoma - which seems to be stuck as a proposal for the entirety of this year. While this was maybe an idea before it became a proposal, does anyone have anymore info on if this will go anywhere? From Reddit discussions a few months ago, it seemed to have some support. I'm sure LI will push back - and won't this require work on overhead caternary? I love the idea of connecting to JFK from Amtrak and an easier ride for those in Queens - but I wonder if that is enough support to get it built. It still wouldn't be cheap.

Amtrak and Partners Receive Federal Grants to Improve and Expand Passenger Rail Across America - Amtrak Media

Amtrak and its partners have been awarded more than $2.1 billion to improve existing routes and advance plans to expand Amtrak service across the country.

media.amtrak.com

It wouldn't happen until the dual-mode Charger 42E's are in-service, so they'd change from electric to diesel at HAROLD interlocking where the third rail -only LIRR tracks split off. All Northeast Regional equipment would be capable of making the power change by that point.

 

[AndrewOnTheMBTA]

It wouldn't happen until the dual-mode Charger 42E's are in-service, so they'd change from electric to diesel at HAROLD interlocking where the third rail -only LIRR tracks split off. All Northeast Regional equipment would be capable of making the power change by that point.

Nothing to get excited about anytime too soon then!

 

[F-Line to Dudley]

Nothing to get excited about anytime too soon then!

The equipment should be fully available within 3 years. I think that'll be lots sooner than the haggling process with Long Island. There are lots of traffic management difficulties with meshing an intercity super-express with crush-load LIRR local traffic, and the community input process is sure to be tortured because it's Long Island. Right now the pols are solidly behind it so it stands a good chance, but it also wouldn't surprise me if that support proves fickle over time and ultimately collapses.

 

[sneijder]

I happen to have a Google alert set up for that exact question. Newest info I could find indicates "late" 2024, so expect something like an 11:50PM departure on 12/31/24. Not an obviously top tier site, but they reference an email they received directly from Amtrak after an inquiry.

A spokesman for Amtrak, Jason Abrams, said in an email this week that the new units are on presently track for a public launch in "late" 2024, based on the latest information from the train’s manufacturer, Alstom.

https://www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/article/ct-new-trains-amtrak-acela-airo-hartford-line-19560494.php

I wonder if there will be any immediate timetable adjustments once all the rolling stock has been replaced? The higher top speed would maybe take ~5 mins off the BOS <> NYP run?