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Vermonter adding 3 MA stops Dec 29


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#1 CNJRoss

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Posted 21 August 2014 - 08:53 PM

Boston Herald, 8/21:

Major train route adds state stops

GREENFIELD — State transportation officials will be shouting “All aboard!” Amtrak’s Vermonter train starting Dec. 29, restoring passenger service to new stations in the western Massachusetts cities of Greenfield, Northampton and Holyoke for the first time in some 30 years.

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#2 KevinKorell

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Posted 22 August 2014 - 12:15 AM

The newspaper's headline should really read that the Vermonter is being moved from the "temporary" rerouting to the legacy route that was once followed by the Montrealer. It's really a reroute that will save the train some time while reinstating some station stops that were cancelled when the train was rerouted via Palmer and Amherst.


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#3 KevinKorell

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Posted 22 August 2014 - 12:06 PM

Progressive Railroading, 8/22/14:

Massachusetts agrees to purchase Knowledge Corridor line


Massachusetts officials have agreed in principle to purchase from Pan Am Southern a 49-mile track segment between East Northfield and Springfield, Gov. Deval Patrick announced on Wednesday.


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#4 KevinKorell

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Posted 22 August 2014 - 12:13 PM

It will be interesting to see how the Vermonter operation pans out. The current routing involves a change of direction at Palmer, as that is the only way trains can traverse between CSX and NECR trackage. Now that the Vermonter won't go east of Springfield but rather north, trains will have to either back into Springfield Union Station or change direction there as they do now in Palmer. Perhaps with the faster Vermonter schedule they can also market a two-train transfer between the Vermonter and Lake Shore Limited to facilitate travel between Boston and Vermont points (and maybe eventually Montreal).


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#5 Springfield Pete

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Posted 29 August 2014 - 07:16 AM

It will be interesting to see how the Vermonter operation pans out. The current routing involves a change of direction at Palmer, as that is the only way trains can traverse between CSX and NECR trackage. Now that the Vermonter won't go east of Springfield but rather north, trains will have to either back into Springfield Union Station or change direction there as they do now in Palmer. Perhaps with the faster Vermonter schedule they can also market a two-train transfer between the Vermonter and Lake Shore Limited to facilitate travel between Boston and Vermont points (and maybe eventually Montreal).



Kevin, I expect the Southbound Vermonter will back in to the Springfield station, and the Northbound train will back out. This is the way the Montrealer used to operate, it sends the train onto the platforms on the South side of the station. This minimizes interference with the CSX freight trains running between Boston and Albany, which use tracks on the North side.

Regarding your earlier comment about "rerouting" and "reinstatement" the rerouting is not a new route. As you pointed out, it is just a restoration of the original route the Montrealer followed ever since 1924. And the station stop in Northampton is a reinstatement of a stop the Montrealer made from about 1975 until 1987. But the station stops in Holyoke and Greenfield are not reinstatements, they are providing new service to these cities, at least new to Amtrak. Back in the 60's the Montrealer stopped in Greenfield. And the Ambassador stopped in Holyoke, Northampton, and Greenfield. But these trains were discontinued in 1966. When Amtrak brought back the Montrealer in 1972 it ran nonstop Springfield-Brattleboro for the first 3 or 4 years, and then only 1 stop was added at Northampton. So Holyoke and Greenfield will be getting their first rail passenger service in almost 50 years.

#6 KevinKorell

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Posted 23 September 2014 - 12:54 PM

WWLP-TV, Channel 11 in Springfield, MA, 9/22/14:

Knowledge Corridor Rail Line in WMass is on track


High-speed rail service is expected to be running through western Massachusetts before the end of the year, and one of the stops will be Greenfield.

A temporary rail platform will be built outside of the John W. Olver Transit Center with high speed rail service expected to begin on December 29th.


Story here. Twice they make mention of "high speed rail service", which this will not be. Bad press like this was a contributor to Ohio's 3C Corridor and Wisconsin's Madison-Milwaukee route having NO service today.

And thanks to Pete above for the background information. I wasn't aware how many stations there were in the old days between Springfield and the Vermont border. The only time I rode the Montrealer (southbound) it was in its last iteration when it went via Willimantic and New London thus missing Springfield entirely.

Edited by KevinKorell, 23 September 2014 - 01:03 PM.


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#7 CNJRoss

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Posted 23 November 2014 - 08:37 PM

WSHM-TV (CBS) Springfield, MA, 11/21:

New rail service in Greenfield raising public safety concerns

GREENFIELD, MA (WSHM) -
New rail service scheduled in Greenfield, scheduled to begin in late December, has public safety officials worried.

On Friday, Greenfield police Lt. William Gordon said the Vermonter would be running through parts of town at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour. He pointed out that freight trains use that line several times a day, but at a much lower speed.

Amtrak confirmed Friday they had run a test train down the line. Police said there would likely be more leading up to the launch of service on Dec. 29.

Officers said they have often seen children, people walking pets and homeless people using the tracks to get around. They wanted to remind residents that train tracks were private property and people were subject to immediate arrest for trespassing.

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#8 CNJRoss

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Posted 23 November 2014 - 08:50 PM

The Republican, Springfield, MA, 11/21:

Greenfield police: Residents beware, Amtrak now sending fast-moving test trains through city

GREENFIELD -- Amtrak, in anticipation of high speed passenger rail service slated to start late next month, has begun sending test trains through the city that operate at significantly higher speeds than what residents are used to, police warn

The tests started Thursday, according to a post on the department's Facebook page. The new passenger trains are expected to reach speeds of nearly 80 mph in parts of the city, according to police..

Police say they will be stepping up patrols near all railroad property, looking for trespassers. Those who do so, face the possibility of arrest.

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#9 CNJRoss

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Posted 28 November 2014 - 07:45 AM

The Recorder, Greenfield, MA, 11/27:

Construction on track for railroad platform

 

GREENFIELD — Construction crews have about a month left to finish a platform in time for the return of passenger rail to Franklin County.

 

Work is on schedule for the temporary platform, according to Joe Pesaturo, spokesman for the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority. Its foundation has been built, and contractors have begun to install timbers.

 

While the state will own the tracks and platform, they will serve Amtrak trains, though a future Springfield-Greenfield “Knowledge Corridor” state-run commuter rail is in the works.

 

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#10 KevinKorell

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Posted 09 December 2014 - 10:37 PM

And on the other side of the coin, the one station on the 20-year rerouted Vermonter, Amherst, loses service.  From WWLP-TV, Channel 22 in Springfield, MA, 12/8/14:


 

Amherst loses Amtrak Vermonter service

 

 

The Amtrak Vermonter has shuttled passengers through Amherst twice a day for years. In less than three weeks, that service will come to an end, replaced by a new high speed service that runs straight up the valley.

 

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