Mass. rail cheaper, but less reliable

[czsz]

...and the least mendable problem, the curves, are the most limiting, from what I understand.

Isn't there an issue with MetroNorth trains being given priority too? I always feel like the Acelas are being shoved onto sidings when one of them comes through...

 

[stellarfun]

...and the least mendable problem, the curves, are the most limiting, from what I understand.

Isn't there an issue with MetroNorth trains being given priority too? I always feel like the Acelas are being shoved onto sidings when one of them comes through...

I think the railroad term is super-elevation, in that if they bank the track to allow higher speeds, the train will lean as it goes around the curve, and there is not enough right-of-way on the New Haven portion to provide sufficient clearance between trains traveling on adjacent tracks.

Metro North gets paid by AMTRAK to use its tracks. I believe there are financial incentives for Metro North dispatching AMTRAK trains through its territory on schedule, and financial penalties if AMTRAK trains fail to maintain schedule (assuming that the fault is Metro North's and the AMTRAK train was at New Haven or New Rochelle on-time for its particular slot).

The northernmost track between Norwalk and Stamford has been out of service for maybe two years now. Metro North has been rebuilding the railroad bridges over three or four rather small streets. The original supplier of the steel girders went belly-up, so they had to find another supplier. Finding another supplier to provide the steel girders -- and these are not big girders -- took a year or more before the steel was finally delivered (last month). I'm guessing that much of the delay was because Metro North wouldn't pay any premium to get the steel more quickly, and/or the contractor's bond did not cover, or adequately cover, failure of a supplier.

 

[ablarc]

Metro North business methods

The northernmost track between Norwalk and Stamford has been out of service for maybe two years now. Metro North has been rebuilding the railroad bridges over three or four rather small streets. The original supplier of the steel girders went belly-up, so they had to find another supplier. Finding another supplier to provide the steel girders -- and these are not big girders -- took a year or more before the steel was finally delivered (last month). I'm guessing that much of the delay was because Metro North wouldn't pay any premium to get the steel more quickly, and/or the contractor's bond did not cover, or adequately cover, failure of a supplier.

Way to go.