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475K views 1K replies 193 participants last post by  Nexis 
#1 · (Edited)
A Tour Up Stevens Pass

This grand tour will take us from Seattle to Ephrata by rail.



Our historic journey up the legendary Stevens Pass begins in King Street Station, downtown Seattle. (Image 1, Image 2, Image 3, Image 4, Image 5) Completed in 1906 by the Great Northern and Northern Pacific railroads, her 75 foot tall campanile is rivaled by many tall buildings surrounding it, but it must have risen like a beacon when it glowed on dark nights a hundred years ago. It would be another ten years before Smith Tower was built a few blocks to the north.

Before the Great Northern, Seattle had lost a battle with her arch rival Tacoma to become terminus for the Northern Pacific railway. It was an ego destroyer for arrogant, young Seattle. A branchline was created to the city where the Northern Pacific used extortionate prices to gauge their customers. The Great Northern's entrance into Seattle cost the GN nearly nothing in property expenses, as property owners gave it away for the promising new company, who they believed had come to save them from the wrath of the NP. Seattle finally had her title as terminus, and her growth was explosive.

Due north, the tracks head into a mile long tunnel located under the skyscrapers of the impregnable Seattle skyline. (Image 6) and exit at North Portal. (Image 7) The tracks then follow Alaskan and Elliot Avenues until a slight curve brings the steel rails into the Interbay classification yard. Interbay yard has an important locomotive servicing facility. (Image 8, Image 9, Image 10)

The tracks continue north and parallel with Commodore Way. Soon, the tracks rise over the road and onto Bridge 6.3, a bascule bridge built by the Great Northern railroad to carry traffic over the Salmon Bay. (Image 11, Image 12, Image 13)

After crossing into Ballard, the double tracked mainline soon parallels the Puget Sound and and follows her sinuous curves north into Edmonds, Mukilteo and Everett. (Image 14, Image 15, Image 16)

Passing Rucker Hill in Everett, the rails reach the old Everett Station. (Image 17) From there the main line makes a 180 degree turn through a partially covered cut through downtown Everett to the new Everett station. (Image 18) From the new station, the main line heads south, then southeast along the Snohomish river through the cities of Snohomish (Image 19) and Monroe. (Image 20)

Monroe, the last habitation that can claim the description "city" along our route was once the site of the Great Northern Railway's botanical gardens. Here, fresh flowers for their passenger trains were once grown. Each day these flowers would be loaded aboard the Western Star for distribution throughout the system so that each dining car passenger might have fresh flowers with their meal.

From Monroe, the line borders the friendly, tiny community of Sultan. (Image 21, Image 22)

A little more east, rests the community of Startup (Image 23)


The community of Goldbar is also near. From Goldbar, the fun begins, as well as the climb. (Image 24)

Just outside the small town, the line crosses over the Skykomish River (Image 25), wraps around a hill and finally crosses the river once more. The tracks reach the town of Index. Several bridges are located in this remote, isolated area, including the famed Sunset falls, images 30 and 32.(Image 26, Image 27, Image 28, Image 29, Image 30, Image 31,Image 32)

Outside of Index, the tracks reach the railroad siding of Baring. If you are stuck at Baring, chances are that you will witness a train. (Image 33, Image 34, Image 35, Image 36)

Also, just around the corner, is nearby Grotto. In this area, spectacular views are bountiful. (Image 37, Image 38, Image 39, Image 40)

From the siding at Grotto, the the steel ribbons finally reach the most famous small town on the Stevens Pass line. Skykomish.

Skykomish's tiny downtown, strung along Railroad Avenue beside the tracks, looks much the same as it did more than half a century ago.
Even the Whistling Post Tavern is still there, in what once was a saloon opened by Patrick McEvoy, the engineer on the first scheduled train to go through Skykomish in 1893. The first white settler, in 1889, was John Maloney, a guide for railroad surveyor John Stevens, who was plotting a new route across the Cascades for the Great Northern line from Seattle to Chicago. The town initially was known as Maloney's Siding but later was named after the Indian word for "inland people." (Image 41, Image 42, Image 43, Image 44)

Quaint, and sort of touristy as it may be, there is no mistaking it for anything but a railroad town. Skykomish became the point where trains switched from steam engines to electric engines for the trip over Stevens Pass. They switched engines again on the return trip. Great Northern also had a big roundhouse and fueling facility in the town.

Unfortunately, technology caught up with this booming train city. Railroading changed forever in Skykomish in 1956 when the Great Northern installed a ventilation system in the Cascade Tunnel, permitting diesel engines to replace the electrics. Tom Cleveland, the former mayor, was the fireman on the last electric engine to pull out of town on July 31, 1956. Skykomish had lost her importance. After mushrooming to a population of nearly 8,000 in the 1920s, Skykomish shrank. It had a population of 273 in 1990. Today the official population is 271.(Image 45, Image 46, Image 47, Image 48, Image 49)

Today, "Sky" , as she is affectionately known, serves as a maintenance base, and occasionally helpers are still stationed here, though with the advent of Distributed Power technology this has become less common. For the railfan, Skykomish has most of the things necessary for a successful day. It's the last town until Leavenworth on the east side of the mountain, and offers food and some great places to watch trains.

Outside of Skykomish, the stiff 2.2% climb to Stevens pass begins. Rounding a few curves, the rails reach the spectacular Foss river bridge, a great feat for its time. (Image 50, Image 51, Image 52, Image 53)

In this area, as well as the whole BNSF Scenic Subdivision, as this line is officially called, beautiful scenery surrounds the tracks. (Image 54, Image 55, Image 56, Image 57)

The tracks pass near Deception Creek. (Image 58, Image 59, Image 60)

And finally, 17 miles beyond Skykomish, at the rail siding of Scenic, is the west portal of the great Cascade Tunnel. Soon, the tracks will reach the summit of Stevens Pass. (Image 61, Image 62, Image 63, Image 64, Image 65, Image 66, Image 67, Image 68, Image 69, Image 70)

The History of Stevens Pass and the Cascade Tunnel

James J. Hill, President of the Great Northern Railroad Company, decided in 1890 to extend the railroad to the Pacific coast, and hired John F. Stevens with the task of locating the rail line through the Rocky and Cascade mountains to Puget Sound. Though Hill and his engineers -- including John F. Stevens -- for whom Stevens Pass was named, were a brilliant and visionary crew, they found a fierce opponent in the Cascade range. Stevens built the line up the Wenatchee River and Nason Creek towards the 4,059 foot summit of Stevens Pass. Miraculous engineering feats went into the railroad line, including the construction of several monumental 4% switchbacks to get over the hill. These would soon be replaced by the first Cascade tunnel.

The first 2.63 mile long Cascade Tunnel was completed in 1900 at a cost of 4 million dollars. (Image 71) The 1.7 percent grade through the tunnel didn't crest until it reached the east tunnel portal at Cascade Tunnel Station. Old Cascade tunnel took eight years to build, and after two men on an eastbound freight were asphyxiated from smoke build-up, was later electrified. (Image 72) But danger still loomed, mainly in the form of avalanches that were constantly cascading down the logged hillsides.

Photos and maps of the old line: (Image 73, Image 74, Image 75, Image 76)

Inside old Cascade Tunnel: Here

Map of switchbacks, old and new Cascade tunnels, and the Chumstick line revisions: Here

As said before, danger was looming. The worst was to come. On February 23, 1910, after a snow delay at the east Cascade Mountains town of Leavenworth, two Great Northern trains, the Spokane Local passenger train No. 25 and Fast Mail train No. 27, proceeded westbound towards Puget Sound. There were five or six steam and electric engines, 15 boxcars, passenger cars, and sleepers.

The trains had passed through the Cascade Tunnel from the east to the west side of the mountains, when snow and avalanches forced them to stop near Wellington, in King County. Wellington was a small town populated almost entirely with Great Northern railway employees.

The train stopped under the peak of Windy Mountain, above Tye Creek. Heavy snowfall and avalanches made it impossible for train crews to clear the tracks. For six days, the trains waited in blizzard and avalanche conditions. On February 26, the telegraph lines went down and communication with the outside was lost. On the last day of February, the weather turned to rain with thunder and lightening. Thunder shook the snow-laden Cascade Mountains alive with avalanches. Then it happened.

White Death

On March 1, some time after midnight, Charles Andrews, a Great Northern employee, was walking towards the warmth of one of the Wellington’s bunkhouses when he heard a rumble. He turned toward the sound. In 1960, he described what he witnessed:


"White Death moving down the mountainside above the trains. Relentlessly it advanced, exploding, roaring, rumbling, grinding, snapping -- a crescendo of sound that might have been the crashing of ten thousand freight trains. It descended to the ledge where the side tracks lay, picked up cars and equipment as though they were so many snow-draped toys, and swallowing them up, disappeared like a white, broad monster into the ravine below" (Roe, 88).
One of the 23 survivors interviewed three days after the Wellington train disaster stated:

"There was an electric storm raging at the time of the avalanche. Lighting flashes were vivid and a tearing wind was howling down the canyon. Suddenly there was a dull roar, and the sleeping men and women felt the passenger coaches lifted and borne along. When the coaches reached the steep declivity they were rolled nearly 1,000 feet and buried under 40 feet of snow" (Roe, 87).


A surviving train conductor sleeping in one of the mail train cars was thrown from the roof to the floor of the car several times as the train rolled down the slope before it disintegrated when the train slammed against a large tree.
Charles Andrews would not make it to the bunkhouse warmth for many hours. Along with other Wellington residents, Andrews rushed to the crushed trains that lay 150 feet below the railroad tracks. During the next few hours they dug out 23 survivors, many with injuries.

In the days that followed, news of the tragedy that reached the rest of the country was inaccurate. On March 1 there were reports of "30 feared dead." On March 2 there were "15 bodies ... recovered ... [and] 69 persons missing. One hundred and fifty men, mostly volunteers, are working to uncover the dead." On March 3 a headline stated, "VICTIMS NOW REACH 118."

The injured were sent to Wenatchee. The bodies of the dead were transported on toboggans down the west side of the Cascades to trains that carried them to Everett and Seattle. Ninety-six people died in the avalanche, including 35 passengers, 58 railroad employees sleeping on the trains, and three railroad employees sleeping in cabins enveloped by the avalanche.
(Image 77, Shot 78, Image 79, Shot 80, Image 81, Shot 82, Image 83)

Cause: Rain, Thunder, Fire, Clear Cutting

The immediate cause of the avalanche was the rain and thunder. But, conditions had been set by the clear cutting of timber and by forest fires caused by steam locomotive sparks, which opened up the slopes above the tracks and created an ideal environment for slides to occur.

It took the Great Northern three weeks to repair the tracks before trains started running again over Stevens Pass. Because the name Wellington became associated with the disaster, the little town was renamed Tye. By 1913, to protect the trains from snow slides, the Great Northern had constructed snow-sheds over the nine miles of tracks between Scenic and Tye.

In 1929, a new tunnel was built, making the old grade obsolete. This 1929 tunnel is still today (2003) used by the Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railroad.

The old grade is now the Iron Goat Trail, a hiking trail through the forest and past various examples of railroad archeology. The name Iron Goat was taken from the Great Northern Railway corporate symbol -- a mountain goat standing on a rock. "Iron goat" was applied to Great Northern locomotives climbing mountainous rail line in the Rockies or Cascade mountains.

More information on the Wellington avalanche of 1910: Here

More Information on the Iron Goat Trail: Here

A New Tunnel, A New Stevens Pass

After the avalanche shook the Great Northern railroad to its core, it brought a shocking realization to the company and the world; the old line must be abandoned. So the railroad serveryed the area around Scenic and Berne, Washington for a suitable tunnel. Once the path was agreed upon, construction ensued in 1925. The second Cascade Tunnel, 7.79 miles long and having an extraordinary price tag of 26 million dollars, opened on On January 12, 1929 as the longest tunnel in the western hemisphere. The westbound Oriental Limited became the first train to operate through the brand new tunnel.

The fabled railroads Great Northern and Northern Pacific merged together along with several other lines to form the Burlington Northern railroad in 1970, to the dismay of many. The Burlington Northern would last an even shorter amount of time as a railroad. In 1996, BN merged with the Santa Fe Railroad to form the mega railroad we see today, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, or BNSF. Now we will get back to the Stevens Pass line:

After cresting Stevens Pass, the tracks emerge from the east portal of the Cascade Tunnel at Berne. This is where the tunnel's ventilation systems are located. It takes 30 minutes for a train to clear the tunnel on a good day, and 30 more to clear it of dangerous toxins, thus only 1 train per hour. So, as of now, only a maximum of 24-30 trains a day use Stevens Pass. Berne is easily reached as highway 2 hovers just above the portal of the tunnel. (Image 84, Image 85, Image 86, Image 87, Image 88, Image 89)

The tracks outside of Cascade tunnel immediately pass over Nason creek on a small bridge, and continue down towards leavenworth. After the siding at Berne ends the single track curves into Gaynor Tunnel and following the tunnel, is the majestic Gaynor trestle. (Image 90, Image 91, Image 92, Image 93)

Farther down the Wenatchee Valley, the rails reach Merritt, a railroad siding with pleasant scenery and sometimes, overpowering winter weather.(Image 94, Image 95, Image 96)

And a ways further we reach Winton. At Winton, the rails turn and head into Winton tunnel which then leads into the Chumstick Canyon. (Image 97, Image 98, Image 99, Image 100)


But this wasn't always like this. Before the line went through the Chumstick Canyon, the rails went through the much prettier but much more sinuous and dangerous Tumwater Canyon. While building the new Cascade Tunnel, this line was abandoned for the Chumstick line which is less steep and less curvy.

Passing through two more tunnels and down the Chumstick Canyon, the railroad passes by a former important location, Leavenworth. At one time, the tracks went down the middle of the city, where Highway 2 is today. Leavenworth was a major division yard and locomotive maintanance facility for the Great Northern's Cascade Division, and the short stretch of track between Leavenworth and Skykomish was the toughest section of track in all of the Great Northern's 10,000 some odd miles of trackage. This all changed with the line relocation. (Image 101)

Now passed Leavenworth, the climate and topography of the area changes drastically. No longer a mountainous moist, tree lush area, but a steppe semi-arid plateau, we enter "Apple Country". Indeed we are. Now quite a few miles away from Leavenworth, we enter our first apple city, Peshastin. A tiny community, the economy is fueled by agriculture. (Image 102, Image 103)

The tracks then cross over the Wenatchee river and into Dryden, another apple town. (Image 104)

The steel ribbons, now parallel with the Wenatchee river, enter the 3rd apple town, and the geographic center of Washington State, Cashmere. (Image 105, Image 106, Image 107, Image 108)

Our rails now enter the 4th apple raising town, Monitor. Monitor is a tiny, one siding whistle stop. (Image 109, Image 110 )

And finally, our steel ribbons reach Wenatchee, the true apple capital of the world! This city was just a tiny isolated town before the Great Northern transformed her into a great agricultural center. She has blossomed into a city of 30,000 people.

Wenatchee (Appleyard) was the ending point of the electrification system that stretched to Skykomish. The diesels put that system out of business in 1956. Appleyard was once a major yard on the GN's Cascade Division, with a large classification yard, engine services crew transfers, but her importance has, since then, been limited. (Image 111, Image 112)

Well, on we go past the Appleyard and we soon come into the siding of Malaga. (Image 113, Image 114)

The riverside because a little rough near this area, and the railroad tracks curve towards the marvelous Columbia River Bridge, built to, go figure, cross the Columbia river. This structure is unique, as it is two bridges, one built over the other. To allow heavier loads the original through truss bridge built in 1892 was strengthened in 1925 by adding another through truss around the original structure. Thus, what we see today. (Image 115, Image 116, Image 117)

After crossing the Columbia river into Rock Island, the tracks lead us into Voltage and the Rock Island Dam.

After passing the dam, the train reaches the siding of Columbia River where the scenery begins to overpower the surroundings. (Image 118)

After Columbia River, the rails begin to climb parallel to the mighty Columbia river. The scenery in the area is nothing short of incredible and mind blowing. It has to be seen to be able to fully appreciated. The mainline hugs to cliffs and rolling hills, the scenery truly dominates. (Image 119, Image 120)

Just east of the S-curves photographed above, is another one of those engineering marvels that grace the Scenic Subdivision, giving credit to the builders, the Great Northern Railway. They sure did an amazing job constructing this line, proof of which is that it is still in use today!

When a railroad line has to gain a large amount of elevation in a short distance, the best option is to build a loop. Almost all railroads have done this: Western Pacific with Williams loop; The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe with Tehachapi loop, and the Great Northern with Trinidad loop.


This is an artist's rendering of the Trinidad Loop grade out of the Columbia River gorge east of Wenatchee Washington, one of the most unknown and yet interesting railroad grades in America. The BNSF mainline grade follows the river for several miles, bridges it, then after a few more miles it winds away from the water's edge to the brim of Lynch Coulee. There the tracks turn north for a few miles, loop around the spectacular, tight horse shoe curve and return south down the coulee. At the edge of a second coulee the main plunges eastward through tunnel 11.1 and emerges into an ancient volcanic cavity where once a great waterfall plunged from the Columbia plateau. The tracks cut through the basalt cliffs and top out the grade at Quincy a few miles later. (Image 121, Image 122, Image 123, Image 124)

The tracks after rising above the loop enter tunnel 1621.4. (Image 125)

The tracks finally level off towards Quincy, a small town of about 5,400 people. Agriculture is all that fuels the economy. (Image 126)

Leaving Quincy, the tracks which are straight and level, continue straight for some miles until a slight curve brings us to the end of our journey at Ephrata. (Image 127)

And the steel ribbons stretch onto Spokane, Sandpoint, Whitefish, Minot, and evetually to Chicago.


I hope you enjoyed my little tour of my favourite rail line. This is why I took this job here.
 
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1
#179 · (Edited)
Work continues on the Lackawanna line...



Station by Station , what each line could look like by 2040....

Current , Proposed / Planned stations

Atlantic line

Philadelphia-30th Street Station
Pennsauken Transit Center
Cherry Hill
Lindenwood
Atco
Hammonton
Egg Harbor City
Absecon
Atlantic City

North Jersey Coast line

Bay Head
Point Pleasant Beach
Manasquan
Spring Lake
Belmar
Bradley Beach
Asbury Park
Allenhurst
Elberon
Long Branch
Monmouth Park
Little Silver
Red Bank
Middletown
Hazlet
Aberdeen-Matawan
Laurence Harbor
South Amboy
Perth Amboy
Woodbridge
Avenel
Rahway
Linden
Broad St. Elizabeth
North Elizabeth
Newark Airport
Newark Penn
Hoboken

Northeast Corridor

Trenton
Hamilton
Princeton JCT
Jersey Ave (Southbound only)
New Brunswick
Edison
Metchun
Metropark
Rahway
Linden
Midtown Elizabeth
North Elizabeth
Newark Airport
Newark Penn station
Secaucus JCT
New York Penn

Gladstone Branch

Gladstone
Peapack
Far Hills
Bernardsville
Basking Ridge
Lyons
Millington
Stirling
Gillette
Berkeley Heights
Murray Hill
New Providence
Summit
Short Hills
Millburn
Maplewood
South Orange
Mountain Station
Highland Ave
Orange
Brick Church
East Orange
Newark Board Street
Harrison
Hoboken

Morristown line

Philpsburg - Main Street
Philpsburg - US 22 / NJ 57 Park / Ride
Washington

Hackettstown
Mount Olive
Netcong
Lake Hopatcong
Mount Arlington
Dover
Denville
Mount Tabor
Morris Plains
Morristown
Convent Station
Madison
Chatham
Summit
Short Hills
Millburn
Maplewood
South Orange
Mountain Station
Highland Ave
Orange
Brick Church
East Orange
Newark Board Street
Harrison
Hoboken

Montclair - Boonton line

Hackettstown
Mount Olive
Netcong
Lake Hopatcong
Mount Arlington
Dover
Denville
Mountain Lakes
Boonton
Towaco
Lincoln Park
Mountain View-Wayne
Wayne-Route 23
Little Falls
Montclair State University
Montclair Heights
Mountain Avenue
Upper Montclair
Watchung Avenue
Walnut Street
Bay Street
Glen Ridge
Bloomfield
Watsessing Avenue
Ampere
Newark-Broad St
Harrison
Hoboken

Raritan Valley Line

Phillipsburg
Bloomsbury
Ludlow
Hampton
Glen Gardner

High Bridge
Annandale
Lebanon
White House
North Branch
Raritan
Somerville
Bridgewater
Bound Brook
Dunellen
Plainfield
Netherwood
Fanwood
Westfield
Garwood
Cranford
Roselle Park
Union
Newark Penn station
Hoboken (Peak Hours only)


Morristown line - Midtown Direct Service

Dover
Denville
Mount Tabor
Morris Plains
Morristown
Convent Station
Madison
Chatham
Summit
Short Hills
Millburn
Maplewood
South Orange
Orange
Brick Church
Newark Board Street
Harrison
Secaucus JCT
New York Penn station

Montclair line - Midtown Direct Service

Montclair State University
Montclair Heights
Mountain Avenue
Upper Montclair
Watchung Avenue
Walnut Street
Bay Street
Glen Ridge
Bloomfield
Watsessing Avenue
Ampere
Newark-Broad St
Harrison
Secaucus JCT
New York Penn station

Pascack Valley line
Hoboken Terminal
Secaucus JCT
Wood-Ridge
Teterboro
Essex Street - Hackensack
Railroad Ave JCT - Hackensack
Anderson Street - Hackensack
New Bridge Landing
River Edge
Oradell
Emerson
Westwood
Hillsdale
Woodcliff Lake
Park Ridge
Montvale
Pearl River
Pfizer Plant
Nanuet
Spring Valley
Monsey
Airmont
East Suffern
Hillburn


Port Jervis line
Hoboken Terminal
Secaucus JCT
Paterson
Ridgewood
Suffern
Hillburn
Sloatsburg
Tuxedo
Harriman
Salisbury Mills-Cornwall
Campbell Hall
Middletown-Town of Wallkill
Otisville
Port Jervis


Main Line
Hoboken
Secaucus JCT
Kingsland
Lyndhurst
Delawanna
Passaic
Clifton
Paterson
North Paterson
Hawthorne Transit Center

Glen Rock
Ridgewood
Ho-Ho-Kus
Waldwick
Allendale
Ramsey-Main St.
Ramsey-Route 17
Mahwah
Suffern
Hillburn

Bergen line
Hoboken Terminal
Secaucus JCT
Rutherford
Wesmont
Garfield
Plaunderville
Broadway - Fair Lawn
Radburn - Fair Lawn
Glen Rock Boro Hall
Ridgewood
Ho-Ho-Kus
Waldwick
Allendale
Ramsey-Main St.
Ramsey-Route 17
Mahwah
Suffern


New Haven line - GTC route
Grand Central Terminal
Harlem - 125th Street
Yankees – East 153rd Street (Game Days only)
Fordham
Mount Vernon East
Pelham
New Rochelle
Larchmont
Mamaroneck
Harrison
Rye
Port Chester
Greenwich
Cos-Cob
Riverside
Old Greenwich
Stamford
East Stamford
Norton Heights
Darien
Rowayton
South Norwalk
East Norwalk
Wesport
Green Farms
Southport
Fairfield
Fairfield Metro Center
Bridgeport
East Bridgeport
Stratford
Milford
Orange
West Haven

New Haven Union Station
New Haven State street


New Canaan Branch
Stamford
East Stamford
Glenbrook
Springdale
Talmadge Hill
New Canaan

Danbury Branch
South Norwalk
Downtown Norwalk
Merritt 7
Wilton
Cannondale
Georgetown
Branchville
Redding
Bethel
Danbury
North Danbury
Brookfield
New Milford



Waterbury Branch
Stamford
Bridgeport
Stratford
Derby-Shelton
Ansonia
Seymour
Beacon Falls
Naugatuck
Waterbury

Harlem line
Grand Central Terminal
Harlem-125th Street
Melrose
Tremont
Fordham
Botanical Garden
Williams Bridge
Woodlawn
Wakefield
Mt. Vernon West
Fleetwood
Bronxville
Tuckahoe
Crestwood
Scarsdale
Hartsdale
White Plains
North White Plains
Valhalla
Mt. Pleasant
Hawthrone
Pleasentville
Chappaqua
Mt. Kisco
Bedford Hills
Katonah
Golden's Bridge
Purdy's
Croton Falls
Brewster
Southeast
Patterson
Pawling
Appalachian Trail
Harlem Valley-Wingdale
Dover Plains
Tenmile River
Wassaic


Hudson line - GCT Route
Grand Central Terminal
Harlem-125th Street
Yankees-E. 153 St
Morris Heights
University Heights
Marble Hill
Spuyten Duyvil
Riverdale
Ludlow
Yonkers
Glenwood
Greystone
Hastings-on-Hudson
Dobbs Ferry
Ardsley-on-Hudson
Irvington
Tarryrown
Sleepy Hollow Waterfront
Philipse Manor
Scarborough
Ossining
Croton-Harmon
Cortlandt
Peekskill
Manitou
Garrison
Cold Spring
Breakneck Ridge
Beacon
New Hamburg
Poughkeepsie



Proposed lines

West Trenton line

West Trenton Transit Center
I-95 Park / Ride
Hopewell
Belle Mead
Hillsborough

Bridgewater
Bound Brook
Dunellen
Plainfield
Netherwood
Fanwood
Westfield
Garwood
Cranford
Roselle Park
Union
Newark Penn station
Hoboken

New Haven line - Penn Station Extension
Penn Station
Hunts Point
Parkchester
Co-Op City

New Rochelle
Harrison
Stamford

Hudson line - Penn Station Extension
Penn Station
West 62nd Street
West 125th Street
Dyckman St

Riverdale
Yonkers


Beacon / Maybrook line
Beacon
Beacon Town Center
Fishkill
Brinckernoff
Hopewell JCT

Brewster
Danbury
Newton
Derby-Shelton

Stewart Airport Express
Grand Central Terminal
Harlem-125th Street
Yonkers
Nyack
East Suffern
Stewart Airport


I-287 Rail Corridor
Hillburn
East Suffern
Airmont
Monsey

Spring Valley
West Nyack
Nyack
Tarrytown
Elmsford
Fairview

White Plains Transit Center
Downtown White Plains
East White Plains
Port Chester


I-287 Rail Corridor GCT spur
Hillburn
East Suffern
Airmont
Monsey

Spring Valley
West Nyack
Nyack

Irvington
Yonkers
Harlem-125th Street
Grand Central Terminal

West Shore line
Hoboken Terminal
Secaucus JCT
Meadowlands Sports Complex
Vince Lombradi Park & Ride
Ridgefield Park
Cedar Lane - Teaneck
West Englewood
Bergenfield
Haworth
Harrington Park
Tappan
Blauvelt
Valley Cottage
Congers
Haverstraw
Stony Point
Bear Mountain
Highland Falls
West Point
Cornwall on Hudson
Newburgh
Milton
Kingston


Cape May Branch

Philadelphia-30th Street Station
Pennsauken Transit Center
Cherry Hill
Lindenwood
Atco
Woodbine
Cape May Courthouse
Rio Grande
North Cape May
Cape May



Pompton Branch

Butler
Pompton Lakes
Pompton Plains
Pequannock
Wayne Town Center

Mountain View-Wayne
Wayne-Route 23
Little Falls
Montclair State University
Montclair Heights
Mountain Avenue
Upper Montclair
Watchung Avenue
Walnut Street
Benson Street
Rowe Street
North Newark
Arlington
West Arlington
Laurel Hill State Park

Hoboken


MOM Network

Red Bank Branch

Manchester / Lakehurst
Jackson
Lakewood
Howell - Glen Road
Howell - Route 33
Eatontown

Red Bank
Middletown
Hazlet
Aberdeen-Matawan
Laurence Harbor
South Amboy
Perth Amboy
Woodbridge
Avenel
Rahway
Linden
Broad St. Elizabeth
North Elizabeth
Newark Airport
Newark Penn
Hoboken

Jamesburg Branch

Manchester / Lakehurst
Jackson
Lakewood
Howell - Glen Road
Freehold
Freehold Boro - Throckmorton Street
Manalapan
Jamesburg
South Brunswick

Jersey Ave (Southbound only)
New Brunswick
Edison
Metchun
Metropark
Rahway
Linden
Midtown Elizabeth
North Elizabeth
Newark Airport
Newark Penn station
Secaucus JCT
New York Penn

Matawan Branch

Manchester / Lakehurst
Jackson
Lakewood
Howell - Glen Road
Freehold
Freehold Boro - Jackson Street
Marlboro
Morganville

Aberdeen-Matawan
Laurence Harbor
South Amboy
Perth Amboy
Woodbridge
Avenel
Rahway
Linden
Broad St. Elizabeth
North Elizabeth
Newark Airport
Newark Penn
Hoboken


South Amboy Branch

Manchester / Lakehurst
Jackson
Lakewood
Howell - Glen Road
Freehold
Freehold Boro - Throckmorton Street
Manalapan
Jamesburg
Helmetta
Spotswood
Route 18 Park & Ride
Madison Park
South Amboy

Perth Amboy
Woodbridge
Avenel
Rahway
Linden
Broad St. Elizabeth
North Elizabeth
Newark Airport
Newark Penn
Hoboken
 
#180 · (Edited)
What the Regional Rail system in Massachusetts and Rhode Island could look like in 2040.

Station by Station

Current , Proposed , Planned Stations


South Station
Fairmount line
South Station
New Market
Uphams Corner
Four Corners / Geneva
Talbot Ave

Morton Street
Blue Hill Ave
Fairmount
Readville

Providence / Kingston line
South Station
Back Bay Station
Ruggles
Westwood / Route 128
Canton JCT
Sharon
Mansfield
Attleboro
South Attleboro
Pawtucket
Providence
TF Green
Wickford JCT
Kingston


Needham Line
South Station
Back Bay
Ruggles
Forest Hills
Roslindale Village
Bellevue
Highland
West Roxbury
Hershey
Needham JCT
Needham Center
Needham Heights

Worcester Line
South Station
Back Bay
Yawkey
Newtonville
West Newton
Auburndale
Wellesley Farms
Wellesley Hills
Wellesley Square
Natick
West Natick
Framingham
Ashland
Southborough
Westborough
Grafton
Worcester

Greenbush line
South Station
JFK / UMass
Quincy Center
Weymouth Landing/East Braintree
East Weymouth
West Hingham
Nantasket Junction
Cohasset
North Scituate
Greenbush

Milford / Franklin line
South Station
Back Bay
Ruggles
Hyde Park
Readville
Endicott
Dedham Corporate Center
Islington
Norwood Depot
Norwood Central
Windsor Gardens
Plimptonville
Walpole
Norfolk
Franklin/Dean College
Forge Park/495
Bellingham
Milford


Old Colony lines

Kingston line
South Station
JFK/UMASS
Quincy Center
Braintree
South Weymouth
Abington
Whitman
Hanson
Halifax
Kingston / Route 3


Plymouth branch
South Station
JFK/UMASS
Quincy Center
Braintree
South Weymouth
Abington
Whitman
Hanson
Halifax
Plymouth

Middleborough/Lakeville Line
South Station
JFK/UMASS
Quincy Center
Braintree
Holbrook/Randolph
Montello
Brockton
Campello
Bridgewater
Middleborough/Lakeville

North Station

Rockport Line
North Station
Chelsea
River Works
Lynn
Swampscott
Salem
Beverly Depot
Montserrat
Prides Crossing
Beverly Farms
Manchester
West Gloucester
Gloucester
Rockport

Portsmouth / Newburyport line
North Station
Chelsea
River Works
Lynn
Swampscott
Salem
Beverly Depot
North Beverly
Hamilton/Wenham
Ipswich
Rowley
Newburyport
Salisbury
Hampton
Portsmouth



Haverhill Line
North Station
Malden Center
Wyoming Hill
Melrose/Cedar Park
Melrose Highlands
Greenwood
Wakefield
Reading
North Wilmington
Ballardvale
Andover
Lawrence
Bradford
Haverhill
Plaistow

Concord / Lowell line
North Station
West Medford
Wedgemere
Winchester Center
Mishawum
Anterson RTC
Wilmington
North Billerica
Lowell
North Chelmsford
Tyngsborough
Nashua
Merrimack
Manchester Airport
Manchester
Southern New Hampshire University
Hooksett
Concord


Greenfield / Fitchburg line
North Station
Porter SQ
Belmont
Waverly
Waltham
Brandeis/Roberts
Kendal Green
Hastings
Silver Hill
Lincoln
Concord
West Concord
South Acton
Littleton/Route 495
Ayer
Shirley
North Leominster
Fitchburg
Wachusetts
Gardner
Athol
Orange
Greenfield


Planned / Proposed lines

New Bedford line
South Station
Back Bay Station
Ruggles
Westwood / Route 128
Canton JCT
Canton Center
Sloughton
North Easton
Easton
Raynham Park
Taunton
East Taunton
Kings Highway
Whales Tooth / Downtown New Bedford


Newport / Fall River line
South Station
Back Bay Station
Ruggles
Westwood / Route 128
Canton JCT
Canton Center
Sloughton
North Easton
Easton
Raynham Park
Taunton
East Taunton
Freetown
Fall River Depot
Battleship Cove
Tiverton
Middletown
United States Naval War College
Newport Waterfront


Woonsocket / Quonset line
Woonsocket
Manville
Route 295 Park / Ride
Cumberland
Valley Falls
Pawtucket
Smithfield Ave

Providence
Olneyville
Reservoir
Park Ave
Jefferson Boulevard

TF Green Airport
Apponaug
East Greenwich
Frenchtown Plaza
Quonset Gateway
Quonset Point
 
#181 ·
Time to show off every Regional Rail line in the NE....

Line : Chestnut Hill West line
Length : 11 mi
Stations : 13
Ridership : 6,000 > Projected 2020 Ridership : 9,000




Allen Lane Station by horsehairs, on Flickr


Chestnut Hill West Station House by DearEdward, on Flickr


St. Martin's SEPTA Station by luiscrespo215, on Flickr

Line : Chestnut Hill East line
Length : 11 mi
Stations : 12
Ridership : 6,000 > Projected 2020 Ridership : 9,000


Gravers Lane Station (1883) by chrisinphilly5448, on Flickr



Line : Warminster line
Length : 20 mi
Stations : 17
Ridership : 10,000 > Projected 2020 Ridership : 17,000





 
#182 ·
SunRail gets nod from Florida governor

Friday, July 01, 2011

Florida Gov. Rick Scott on Friday gave approval to the proposed 61-mile, $1.2 billion SunRail commuter rail project in central Florida, surprising many who expected him to reject the plan following his spurning of federal high speed rail funds for the state earlier this year.

Many industry observers credit Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and a longtime vocal champion of SunRail, for influencing the governor’s decision.

Scott's office made the announcement in Tallahassee Friday morning to proceed with the project, to run from north of Sanford, Fla., through downtown Orlando to Poinciana near Kissimmee. Florida is expected to cover one-half of the cost, with the federal government also picking up about 50% of the capital costs.

SunRail is expected to carry 4,300 weekday passengers on an initial 31-mile segment when it opens in 2013 and 7,400 by 2030, 15 years after the full route is completed.

Florida’s Department of Transportation will pay for operations and maintenance of SunRail for the first seven years of operation. After that point, costs will be assumed by the Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission.
 
#183 · (Edited)
Friday, July 01, 2011

Florida Gov. Rick Scott on Friday gave approval to the proposed 61-mile, $1.2 billion SunRail commuter rail project in central Florida, surprising many who expected him to reject the plan following his spurning of federal high speed rail funds for the state earlier this year.

Many industry observers credit Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and a longtime vocal champion of SunRail, for influencing the governor’s decision.

Scott's office made the announcement in Tallahassee Friday morning to proceed with the project, to run from north of Sanford, Fla., through downtown Orlando to Poinciana near Kissimmee. Florida is expected to cover one-half of the cost, with the federal government also picking up about 50% of the capital costs.

SunRail is expected to carry 4,300 weekday passengers on an initial 31-mile segment when it opens in 2013 and 7,400 by 2030, 15 years after the full route is completed.

Florida’s Department of Transportation will pay for operations and maintenance of SunRail for the first seven years of operation. After that point, costs will be assumed by the Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission.
This project sounds to me like it makes a LOT more common sense than the rejected 'high speed' proposal - and there is nothing that says that this cannot someday be further extended towards Tampa and elsewhere. 'North of Sanford'? Amtrak's Auto-Train calls at Sanford, will there be joint facilities there?

Mike
 
#191 · (Edited)
Nexis's Weekly Regional Rail update v1.0


Metro North




DSC05644 by Nexis4Jersey09, on Flickr


DSC05645 by Nexis4Jersey09, on Flickr


DSC05646 by Nexis4Jersey09, on Flickr


DSC05647 by Nexis4Jersey09, on Flickr


DSC05455 by Nexis4Jersey09, on Flickr

New Jersey Transit


DSCN2530 by Nexis4Jersey09, on Flickr




DSCN2531 by Nexis4Jersey09, on Flickr




DSCN2528 by Nexis4Jersey09, on Flickr


DSCN2545 by Nexis4Jersey09, on Flickr


DSCN2546 by Nexis4Jersey09, on Flickr


DSCN2549 by Nexis4Jersey09, on Flickr


DSCN2550 by Nexis4Jersey09, on Flickr

 
#192 ·
All Aboard! Amtrak Sees Record Ridership

All Aboard! Amtrak Sees Record Ridership

Amtrak, the government-run railroad is thanking high gasoline prices and airport security screening hassles for what could be its highest annual ridership in its 40-year history. Amtrak projects that more than 30 million passengers will climb aboard its trains during its current fiscal year ending September 30.

"We are having a very strong year because people around the country are choosing the convenience, efficiency and hassle-free environment of Amtrak to meet their travel needs," said Amtrak President and CEO Joe Boardman in a press release. "Amtrak has wisely invested the federal funding we have received to improve infrastructure and equipment. Continued investment in Amtrak and passenger rail will support the further growth of this increasingly vital transportation option."

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) reports that Congress approved $1.56 billion in taxpayer funding for Amtrak in 2010.

According to Amtrak, their record ridership for FY 2011, is indicative of a long-term trend that saw the people's railroad set annual ridership records in seven of the last eight fiscal years, including more than 28.7 million passengers in FY 2010.

"Factors contributing to the continuing success of Amtrak include high gasoline prices, continued growth in business travel on the high-speed Acela Express trains with free Wi-Fi service, the increased appeal and popularity of rail travel, and effective marketing campaigns," notes Amtrak in a press release.

Amtrak Briefly: Created by the Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970, Amtrak - the National Railroad Passenger Corporation -- is a for-profit corporation authorized to operate intercity passenger rail services in 46 States and the District of Columbia, in addition to serving as a contractor in various capacities for several commuter rail agencies. The 7 members of the Amtrak board of directors are appointed for 5-year terms by the President of the United States, with the approval of the Senate. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood currently serves as a voting member of the board.

http://usgovinfo.about.com/b/2011/07/21/all-aboard-amtrak-sees-record-ridership.htm

----------------

It's nice that they have records, but ..... 30 million passengers is ridiculous. That's multiple times less then Poland which has 8 times less habitants.

But still it is better then for example Brazil, which has something like 0,5 million passengers per year because there are only 2 routes in activity.
 
#193 ·
Michigan to buy rail line for high-speed Amtrak
U.S. to pay for upgrade on 135-mile segment

Amtrak's route between Detroit and Chicago is among those the Obama Administration has chosen for high-speed rail development, but right now, 135 miles of the line east of Kalamazoo, Mich., is anything but fast.

The tracks' owner, Norfolk Southern, has determined that freight traffic along the line no longer justifies maintaining it for the ordinary top speed on many Amtrak routes, 79 mph. Beginning last year, after a maintenance agreement with Amtrak expired, the freight railroad has on several occasions reduced the line's speed limits to the point where most of the track is restricted to 60 mph or slower, with some stretches 25 mph.

The slowdown has caused Amtrak's three daily Wolverine Service round trips between Pontiac, Mich., and Chicago, via Detroit and Ann Arbor, to run about 90 minutes late since June 1, Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said.

The tedious track between Kalamzoo and Dearborn, Mich., is a sharp contrast with the railroad for about 100 miles west of Kalamazoo, which Amtrak has owned for decades and which has received state and federally funded improvements that have allowed train speed to increase to 95 mph, with 110 set for later this year.

Last year, the Michigan Department of Transportation was chosen for $150 million in federal funds to buy the track between Dearborn and Kalamazoo from Norfolk Southern.

In May, the state was allocated $196 million more for track improvements after Florida Gov. Rick Scott turned down high-speed rail funds.

But state, Amtrak, and railroad officials said this week that terms of MDOT's track purchase remain to be worked out. In the meantime, track conditions continue to decay.

Most Amtrak routes operating on tracks owned by freight railroads have a top speed of 79 mph, a limit set by federal regulations that require enhanced signal systems for 80 mph or faster.

But many routes also are main lines for their owners, so the cost to maintain the track for 79-mph passenger trains is not a huge increase over 50 or 60 mph that freight trains run.
Enlarge

Conrail and then Norfolk Southern have reduced freight operations on the line through Ann Arbor to the bare minimum needed to serve local customers. Rudy Husband, a Norfolk Southern spokesman, said that customer base has shrunk dramatically over time.

"Over the past several years, there has been a very steep decline in the amount of freight customers, primarily because of the auto industry," Mr. Husband said. "We've all been working to come up with some kind of a solution to meet everyone's needs. But further investment is not justified from a freight standpoint."

Amtrak's Mr. Magliari and Janet Foran, an MDOT spokesman, said Norfolk Southern surprised no one with its decision to reduce maintenance on the Dearborn-Kalamazoo track. MDOT's application for the $196 million in track-improvement money noted that NS saw no need to run its trains faster than 25 mph.

"We knew this was an issue," Mr. Magliari said. "NS was clear that this was a possibility. The timing of the federal grant has been overtaken by the temporary speed restrictions. This wasn't a sudden thing."

"We're making good progress, but the negotiations are complex," Ms. Foran said. "We have a verbal commitment [on interim repairs] but no formal contract."

Amtrak's draft interim timetable reflects the slower speeds, but Mr. Magliari said the new schedules can't be posted until Norfolk Southern and Canadian National Rail, which owns a short section of the route in Battle Creek, approve them.

The Ann Arbor station is an alternative for Toledo-area travelers to board Chicago-bound trains at times of day not available on the two daily Amtrak round-trips that stop in Toledo.

While not as fast as driving or flying -- the Detroit-Chicago schedules take between 5 1/2 and six hours to complete when running on time -- the Wolverine Service has had a reasonable on-time record, except during severe winter weather.

Train ridership in Michigan has been up during the current state fiscal year, which began in October.

Through June, total ridership on the three train routes in the state was up 13.8 percent, to 589,084 passengers, including a 40,648-passenger increase on the Detroit line.

"Absent an agreement [among Norfolk Southern, Amtrak, and MDOT], it's quite conceivable that there will be additional speed restrictions," Mr. Husband said.

http://toledoblade.com/local/2011/07/21/Michigan-to-buy-rail-line-for-high-speed-Amtrak.html

 
#195 ·
^^Unfortunately, freight railway companies are a huge obstacle to upgrading or restoring passenger service on many lines in the US...they could care less about passenger service.
Well, they do an amazing job taking hundreds of thousands of trucks out of the Interstates thanks to their efficient freight system. Since the 1990s, railways in US came back to strong profitability, and they now have a deeply financial orientation.

If Amtrak were willing to pay market prices to private railways, they would facilitate more passenger services.

In any case, currently the major constraint on Amtrak expansion is limited rolling stock fleet.
 
#198 · (Edited)
Deep Below Park Avenue, a Monster at Rest

By MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM

Rome has the catacombs; Paris has its sewers. Now New York will have its own subterranean wonder: a 200-ton mechanical serpent’s head.

It is a gargantuan drill that has been hollowing out tunnels for a train station under Grand Central Terminal. As tall as four men and with the weight of two whales, the so-called cutter head — the spinning, sharp-edged business end of a tunnel boring machine — is usually extracted, dismantled and sold for scrap when the work is done.

But the Spanish contractor overseeing the project is taking a different approach. It believes it can save time and money by simply leaving it behind, dormant and decayed, within the rocky depths of Midtown Manhattan. The drill’s final resting place: 14 stories beneath the well-tended sidewalks of Park Avenue.



The 200-ton, 22.5-foot diameter tunnel-boring drill.


An underground stretch that is being excavated for a train station under Grand Central Terminal. To save time and money, the Spanish contractor overseeing the project will leave the drill behind in Midtown, instead of extracting, dismantling and selling it for scrap.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/25/nyregion/deep-below-park-avenue-a-200-ton-drill-at-rest.html
 
#200 ·
But the Spanish contractor overseeing the project is taking a different approach. It believes it can save time and money by simply leaving it behind, dormant and decayed, within the rocky depths of Midtown Manhattan. The drill’s final resting place: 14 stories beneath the well-tended sidewalks of Park Avenue.

There is little precedent for such a Brobdingnagian burial. No one at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which plans to officially entomb the machine sometime this week, can recall such an interment. “It’s like a Jules Verne story,” Michael Horodniceanu, the authority’s chief of construction, said.
There are precedents for burying the cutterhead of a TBM instead of extracting it:
  • The Channel Tunnel between France and the UK where I think there are 4 cutterheads buried below the seabed.
  • The North-South Connection in Antwerp, Belgium (2 cutterheads, 1 for each tube)

I'm sure there will be others, but those 2 I'm quite sure of.
 
#206 ·
I think leaving TBMs underground is the rule rather than exception for long tunnels excavated in two fronts. The costs of building an extrication bore for the solely purpose of recovering a TBM head is usually not worth the recoup value.
In fact the article does mention that "Burial is more common for cutters in international tunneling projects. But the approach has rarely been tried in New York, whose crowded underground does not often have room.", they just say it's uncommon in NYC.

Very poetic and nice article, BTW!
 
#207 · (Edited)
SEPTA

Current , Proposed , Planned Stations

Current System

Trenton line
Trenton Transit Center
Levittown
Bristol
Croydon
Eddington
Cornwells Heights
Torresdale
Holmesburg Junction
Tacony
Bridesburg
North Philadelphia
30th Street Station
Suburban Station
Market East Station
Tempe University


West Trenton Line
West Trenton Transit Center
Yardley
Woodbourne
Langhorne
Neshaminy Falls
Trevose
Somerton
Forest Hills
Philmont
Bethayres
Meadowbrook
Rydal
Noble
Jenkintown-Wyncote
Elkins Park
Melrose Park
Fern Rock Transportation Center
Wayne Junction
Temple University
Market East Station
Suburban Station
30th Street Station
University City


Warminster Line
New Hope
Traymore
Ivyland

Warminster
Hatboro
Willow Grove
Crestmont
Roslyn
Ardsley
Glenside
Jenkintown-Wyncote
Elkins Park
Melrose Park
Fern Rock Transportation Center
Wayne Junction
Temple University
Market East Station
Suburban Station
30th Street Station
University City

Lansdale/Doylestown Line
Doylestown
Delaware Valley College
New Britain
Chalfont
Link Belt
Colmar
Fortuna
Lansdale
Pennbrook
North Wales
Gwynedd Valley
Penllyn
Ambler
Fort Washington
Oreland
North Hills
Glenside
Jenkintown-Wyncote
Elkins Park
Melrose Park
Fern Rock Transportation Center
Wayne Junction
Temple University
Market East Station
Suburban Station
30th Street Station

Newtown / Fox Chase line
Newtown
Holland
Southampton
Bryn Athyn

Fox Chase
Ryers
Cheltenham
Lawndale
Olney
Wayne Junction
Temple University
Market East Station
Suburban Station
30th Street Station

Norristown Line
Elm Street
Main Street
Norristown Transportation Center
Conshohocken
Spring Mill
Miquon
Ivy Ridge
Manayunk
Wissahickon
East Falls
Allegheny
North Board Station
Temple University
Market East Station
Suburban Station
30th Street Station

Chestnut Hill East Line
Chestnut Hill East
Gravers
Wyndmoor
Mount Airy
Sedgwick
Stenton
Washington Lane
Germantown
Wister
Wayne Junction
Temple University
Market East Station
Suburban Station
30th Street Station

Chestnut Hill West Line
Chestnut Hill West
Highland
St. Martins
Allen Lane
Carpenter
Upsal
Tulpehocken
Chelten Avenue
Queen Lane
North Philadelphia
30th Street Station
Suburban Station
Market East Station
Tempe Unversity

Airport Line
Terminals E & F
Terminals C & D
Terminal B
Terminal A East/West
Eastwick Transit Center
University City
30th Street Station
Suburban Station
Market East Station
Tempe University

West Chester / Media Line
West Chester
West Chester University
Oakbourne
Cheyney
Wawa

Elwyn
Media
Moylan-Rose Valley
Wallingford
Swarthmore
Morton
Secane
Primos
Clifton–Aldan
Gladstone
Lansdowne
Fernwood-Yeadon
Angora
49th Street
University City
30th Street Station
Suburban Station
Market East Station
Tempe University

Wilmington / Newark Line
Newark
Churchmans Crossing
Wilmington
Claymont
Marcus Hook
Highland Avenue
Chester Transportation Center
Eddystone
Crum Lynne
Ridley Park
Prospect Park
Norwood
Glenolden
Folcroft
Sharon Hill
Curtis Park
Darby
University City
30th Street Station
Suburban Station
Market East Station
Tempe University

Parkersburg / Thorndale Line
Pakersburg
Coatesville

Thorndale
Downingtown
Whitford
Exton
Malvern
Paoli
Daylesford
Berwyn
Devon
Strafford
Wayne
St. Davids
Radnor
Villanova
Rosemont
Bryn Mawr
Haverford
Ardmore
Wynnewood
Narberth
Merion
Overbrook
52nd Street
30th Street Station
Suburban Station
Market East Station
Tempe University

Cynwyd Line
Ivy Ridge Upper Level
Manayunk Upper Level
Barmouth

Cynwyd
Bala
Wynnefield Avenue
52nd Street
30th Street Station
Suburban Station
Market East Station
Tempe University

Norristown High Speed Line
Norristown Transportation Center
Bridgeport
DeKalb Street
Hughes Park
Gulph Mills
Matsonford
County Line
Radnor Transit Center
Villanova
Stadium – Ithan Avenue
Garrett Hill
Roberts Road
Bryn Mawr
Haverford
Ardmore Avenue
Ardmore Junction
Wynnewood Road
Beechwood–Brookline
Penfield
Township Line Road
Parkview
69th Street Terminal

Proposed / Planned Lines

Reading Line
Sinking Spring
West Wyomissing
Wyomissing
West Reading
Downtown Reading
Lorane
Birdsboro
Stowe
Pottstown
Royersford
Phoenixville
Valley Forge Transit Center

Norristown Transportation Center
Conshohocken
Spring Mill
Miquon
Ivy Ridge
Manayunk
Wissahickon
East Falls
Allegheny
North Board Station
Temple University
Market East Station
Suburban Station
30th Street Station

Stony Branch
Lansdale
West Point
Center Square
East Norriton

Elm Street
Main Street
Norristown Transportation Center
Conshohocken
Spring Mill
Miquon
Ivy Ridge Upper Level
Manayunk Upper Level
Barmouth

Cynwyd
Bala
Wynnefield Avenue
52nd Street
30th Street Station
Suburban Station
Market East Station
Tempe University

Allentown Line
Downtown Allentown
Bethlehem Works
Hellertown
Coopersburg
Quakertown
Perkasie
Souderton
Hatfield

Lansdale
Pennbrook
North Wales
Gwynedd Valley
Penllyn
Ambler
Fort Washington
Oreland
North Hills
Glenside
Jenkintown-Wyncote
Elkins Park
Melrose Park
Fern Rock Transportation Center
Wayne Junction
Temple University
Market East Station
Suburban Station
30th Street Station

Newark / Boothywn line
Downtown Newark
Harmony Hills
Marshalton
Elsmere
Highlands / Wilmington
Northwest Wilmington
Arden
Boothywn
Parkside
Woodlyn
Folsom
Glenoden North
Collingdale
Darby North
Elmwood
Kingseeing

University City
30th Street Station
Suburban Station
Market East Station
Tempe University


South Philadelphia line
Naval Yards
Synder Ave
Washington Ave

University City
30th Street Station
Suburban Station
Market East Station
Tempe University

Norristown High Speed Line Extension
Valley Forge Transit Center
Valley Forge National Historical Park
Village at Valley Forge
King of Prussia

Hughes Park
Gulph Mills
Matsonford
County Line
Radnor Transit Center
Villanova
Stadium – Ithan Avenue
Garrett Hill
Roberts Road
Bryn Mawr
Haverford
Ardmore Avenue
Ardmore Junction
Wynnewood Road
Beechwood–Brookline
Penfield
Township Line Road
Parkview
69th Street Terminal

Cross Regional Metro
Malvern Transfer Center
Southeastern
King of Prussia
Hughes Park
Black Horse
Plymouth Meeting
Fort Washington
Willow Grove
Southhampton
Festerville-Trevose
Langhorne
Woodbourne Transfer Center
Fairless Hills
Morrisville

State & Calhoun Street
State House
State & Board Street

Trenton Transit Center

81 New Stations , 355 miles of Resorted Commuter Rail and 92 miles of Light Diesel Rail
 
#208 ·
A little random, I think, but I had a question about PA's Keystone corridor. I know that they just finished a number of upgrades on the line, and that all of it is now cleared for 110mph service save for 3 grade crossings, all of which are situated within the span of 2 towns and are planned for regrading. But I can't find whether that's 110mph max or 110mph average, the latter of which seems more likely, particularly as it seems to be the plan for most "refurbished" lines (e.g. Chicago-St.Louis, D.C.-Raleigh). Anyone know one way or the other?
 
#215 ·
IMO, ALL Acela track needs to be brought up to Euro/Asian HSR Standards. Not this half-a$$ed attempt at HSR. I don't know who's idea was it to put fancy looking trains on a 100 Year old corridor and call it HSR. You don't see other countries doing that, and I'm sure that if they do, they atleast bring it up to standard BEFORE the line opens.
 
#216 · (Edited)
#218 ·
As much as I'd like to see 186mph/220mph service between major metros, I just don't think it's feasible in the current political climate. I'm more than happy to see 110mph lines (assuming that's the average, not max, speed) if it diverts auto usage, and I think that frankly that'd be about the most we could expect within the next 10 years or so on anything that isn't new PDL. Not to mention that the idea behind these faux-HSR lines is essentially proof-of-concept for possible developments later on; we'd better hope that these lines are a roaring success if we want anything better.
 
#220 ·
California is the only PDL you should expect at this point in time. Texas, Cali, the Midwest, and the Northeast need PDLs. 110 is a good step in the right direction for most corridors, but I want more ambitious plans. We definitely need a strong mainline network. Once the corridor demonstrates ridership, then I think there will be a great willingness to fund improvements and speed increases.
 
#219 ·
I don't see anything big happening in the US till the 2020s , then we will see alot happen. But for this decade we will see small things like Bridge Repaintings , wire replacement , Rolling Stock upgrades , New or Restored stations , small Railway projects (under 500 Million$) , and Misc improvements to signals and tracks..... Other then that i don't see much and the Rail Fanning community in the Northeast is sick of HSR , we just want Regional and Intercity Rail for the time being at least the next 20 years...
 
#221 · (Edited)
MARC Regional Rail

Station by Station

Current , Planned and Proposed Stations

Penn Line

Wilmington
Newark
Elkton

Perryville
Havre De Grace
Aberdeen
Edgewood
Martin State Airport
East Baltimore
Penn Station
West Baltimore
Halethorpe
BWI Airport
Severn
Odenton
Bowie State
Seabrook
New Carrollton
Union Station


Camden line

Camden Transit Center
Lakeland / Baltimore
St Denis
Hanover
Dorsey
Jessup
Savage
Laurel Race Track
Laurel
South Laurel
Muirkirk
Beltsville
Greenbelt
College Park
Riverdale
Coltage City
Union Station

Hagerstown / Brunswick line

Hagerstown
Williamsport

Martinsburg
Duffields
Harpers Ferry
Brunswick
Point of Rocks
Dickerson
Barnesville
Boyds
Germantown
Metropolitan Grove
Gaithersburg
Washington Grove
Rockville
Garrett Park
Kensington
Silver Spring
Brookland
Union Station

Fredrick Branch

North Fredrick
Fredrick
Monocacy
Adamstown
Point of Rocks
Dickerson
Barnesville
Boyds
Germantown
Metropolitan Grove
Gaithersburg
Washington Grove
Rockville
Garrett Park
Kensington
Silver Spring
Brookland
Union Station


Proposed / Planned lines

Westminster Line

Westminster
Riestertown
Owings Mills
Pikesville
Arlington

Penn Station

Annapolis Line

Annapolis
Arnold
Severna Park
Pasadena
Glen Burnie
Pumphrey
Cherry Hill

Camden Transit Center
 
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