Jump to content


Photo

Pioneer Valley Knowledge Corridor to start Summer 2019


  • Please log in to reply
22 replies to this topic

#1 Sloan

Sloan

    Member

  • Global Moderator
  • PipPip
  • 12851 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Harrisburg, PA
  • Interests:Light Rail & Commuter Rail<br>Passenger Rail Stations

Posted 22 May 2014 - 08:02 AM

NORTHAMPTON — As the state moves to launch Amtrak’s high-speed passenger rail service linking Connecticut and Vermont before Gov. Deval Patrick leaves office in January, plans are also brewing to add a separate commuter rail service through the Pioneer Valley with as many as five or six trains per day by 2016.


http://www.gazettene...trains-a-day-by

#2 Sloan

Sloan

    Member

  • Global Moderator
  • PipPip
  • 12851 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Harrisburg, PA
  • Interests:Light Rail & Commuter Rail<br>Passenger Rail Stations

Posted 21 August 2014 - 08:48 AM

Western Mass. Commuter Rail Not Yet A Reality

Massachusetts officials announced Wednesday the state has an agreement to purchase the right-of-way for nearly fifty miles of railroad running between Greenfield and Springfield. Amtrak service is scheduled to begin late this year on the line, but a more regular commuter service is far from a done deal.


http://nepr.net/news...-yet-a-reality/

#3 KevinKorell

KevinKorell

    Board Leader

  • Sr. Admin
  • PipPip
  • 82315 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Lakewood, NJ
  • Interests:Making America TRAIN again!

Posted 21 August 2014 - 11:26 AM

Newsworthy from the above article is that the Vermonter is expected to switch from its current route via Palmer and Amherst - back to the legacy routing that was used by the former Montrealer via Holyoke and Northampton. When they talk of commuter service I would think this will be an extension of whatever develops along Amtrak's route north of New Haven up to Springfield. Hopefully both Connecticut and Massachusetts are coordinating on this.


Kevin Korell


OTOL Board Leader


Lakewood, NJ


#4 Sloan

Sloan

    Member

  • Global Moderator
  • PipPip
  • 12851 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Harrisburg, PA
  • Interests:Light Rail & Commuter Rail<br>Passenger Rail Stations

Posted 22 December 2014 - 09:54 AM

 

 

Next stop: Commuter rail

 

NORTHAMPTON — Now that the decades-long dream of a high-speed train zooming along the Connecticut River valley is a lock, the region’s leaders expect to turn their attention to the next significant game-changer — a commuter rail system shuttling passengers up and down the region many times a day.

http://www.recorder....p-commuter-rail



#5 KevinKorell

KevinKorell

    Board Leader

  • Sr. Admin
  • PipPip
  • 82315 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Lakewood, NJ
  • Interests:Making America TRAIN again!

Posted 22 December 2014 - 11:56 AM

High speed??????     The Vermonter?  :blink:

 


 

From the region’s northern reaches in Greenfield to its southern end in Springfield, regional planners, municipal officials, economic development experts and others are lobbying intensely for a system through which as many as five locomotives would operate along upgraded tracks between the two cities, with stops at Holyoke and Northampton.

Five locomotives?


 

Running some of the Amtrak shuttle trains that now travel between New Haven and Springfield north to Greenfield and back.

The model for this, extending an Amtrak route beyond its normal city-to-city corridor to a smaller locale, is the Wolverines, which all currently go beyond Detroit to Pontiac.

 

Of the options listed in the article, what makes most sense to me would be the continuation of some of the Hartford Line (NHHS) trains to Greenfield, making it NHHSG.  While the portion north of Springfield is known as the Knowledge Corridor, it isn't really a corridor if the area is only served by the once-daily Vermonter. And the so-called Amtrak Shuttles would be called into running extra mileage so that they would not really by shuttles anymore. Commuter rail will be more spread out during the day, with 12 of the 17 round trips going beyond Hartford to Springfield, and of those12, perhaps 5 locomotives trains could extend further to Greenfield.



Kevin Korell


OTOL Board Leader


Lakewood, NJ


#6 KevinKorell

KevinKorell

    Board Leader

  • Sr. Admin
  • PipPip
  • 82315 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Lakewood, NJ
  • Interests:Making America TRAIN again!

Posted 28 October 2015 - 12:53 PM

More on desire for a Knowledge Corridor, in which the line is blurred again between commuter and intercity.  If the Knowledge Corridor exists by itself with trains from these 3 stations to Springfield, with connections to the Amtrak Shuttles and Hartford Line, then it's commuter.  If the Hartford Line sends some trains north to Greenfield and Northampton, then it's commuter. If the Shuttles are extended, then it's intercity.  From the Springfield, MA Republican, 10/27/15:

 


Northampton, Holyoke, Greenfield mayors call for more rail service to Springfield

 

The mayors of Northampton, Holyoke and Greenfield sent a letter to Massachusetts Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack this week calling for more rail service for commuters, specifically those who regularly travel to Springfield.

Update



Kevin Korell


OTOL Board Leader


Lakewood, NJ


#7 Sloan

Sloan

    Member

  • Global Moderator
  • PipPip
  • 12851 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Harrisburg, PA
  • Interests:Light Rail & Commuter Rail<br>Passenger Rail Stations

Posted 04 February 2016 - 05:46 PM

 

 

Commuter trains from Springfield to Holyoke, Northampton, Greenfield could begin next year, transportation secretary Stephanie Pollack says SPRINGFIELD - Planning is in the early stages, but a pilot program to run frequent north-south commuter trains on the "Knowledge Corridor" tracks from Springfield stopping in Holyoke, Northampton and Greenfield could begin a year from now in the spring of 2017.

http://www.masslive....frequent_c.html



#8 KevinKorell

KevinKorell

    Board Leader

  • Sr. Admin
  • PipPip
  • 82315 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Lakewood, NJ
  • Interests:Making America TRAIN again!

Posted 25 February 2016 - 12:52 PM

Business West editorial, 2/23/16:

 


 

The Promise of Rail Service

 

As one rides on Amtrak’s Vermonter through Western Mass. and along the Connecticut River, the potential that train service holds for helping to change the local landscape can be seen.

 

Well, sort of.

Entire editorial



Kevin Korell


OTOL Board Leader


Lakewood, NJ


#9 Sloan

Sloan

    Member

  • Global Moderator
  • PipPip
  • 12851 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Harrisburg, PA
  • Interests:Light Rail & Commuter Rail<br>Passenger Rail Stations

Posted 09 November 2016 - 02:06 PM

 

 

Massachusetts rail plan, passenger trains in Pioneer Valley, open to public comment

 

SPRINGFIELD — With the planned reopening ofSpringfield Union Station now just weeks away, officials want the public to learn about and comment on a new statewide rail plan.

http://www.masslive....lan_passen.html



#10 KevinKorell

KevinKorell

    Board Leader

  • Sr. Admin
  • PipPip
  • 82315 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Lakewood, NJ
  • Interests:Making America TRAIN again!

Posted 12 June 2018 - 05:23 PM

WAMC Radio, 6/12/18:

 


 

Commuter Trains To Run North Of Springfield Starting In 2019

 

 

 

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced new passenger rail service is coming to western Massachusetts next year. 

 

 

Read

 

 

Even more reason to increase track & platform capacity at Springfield Union Station, with yet another transit operator coming in.  Sounds like this operation will be separate from the Hartford Line, as the latter has limited service beyond Hartford to Springfield anyhow.   But convenient connections between the Knowledge Corridor trains and Hartford Line & Amtrak would be great.



Kevin Korell


OTOL Board Leader


Lakewood, NJ





0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users