Amtrak Test train on PAR Conn River Line


M

MGWSY

Active Member
Amtrak ran a Geometry Test train up the BM Conn River line from Springfield, MA to East Northfield, MA in anticipation of using the line to reroute the Vermonter and run Commuter trains between Springfield, MA and Greenfield, MA. The train ran from New Haven to St Albans Vt, Here are a few pics of the train on the Conn River between Springfield and East Northfield which hasn't seen a passenger train for over 20 years. Train Departed at 0920 from Springfield and arrived at East Northfield at 1545. It took around 7 1/2 hours to travel the 50 miles do to slow speed.

Train going over CT River Bridge between Windsor Locks, CT and Enfield, CT on Amtraks Springfield Line.

Amtrak-Conn-River-Test-Train-XL.jpg


Train Heading north in Holyoke, MA

Amtrak-Conn-River-Test-Train-XL.jpg


Easthampton, MA

Amtrak-Conn-River-Test-Train-XL.jpg


South Deerfield, MA

Amtrak-Conn-River-Test-Train-XL.jpg


Amtrak-Conn-River-Test-Train-XL.jpg


Greenfield, MA

Amtrak-Conn-River-Test-Train-XL.jpg


Bernardston, MA by Kringle Candle.

Amtrak-Conn-River-Test-Train-XL.jpg


Train comming off the Pan Am RR (BM) and onto the NECR (CV) Main in East Northfield, MA.

Amtrak-Conn-River-Test-Train-XL.jpg


Amtrak-Conn-River-Test-Train-XL.jpg


The entire series of pics can be seen here. Click on Map This in the upper right hand corner and you will see where the pics were taken.

http://mgwsy.smugmug.com/Trains/Amtrak-Conn-River-Test-Train-7
 
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By Railrunner130:

It's good to see rail use expanding, even if it's only a reroute.
Click to expand...
I agree 100% and I'm also curious as to why the reroute. Some of that track looks to be in very bad condition, for example, picture 120. It looks like it will be a major investment in the right-of-way to bring it up to passenger train standards. How soon is all of this slated to take place? How many trains a day?

Great pictures by the way!
 
It's the MBTA Conn River Line now ;)

The MBTA bought it. (or rather MassDOT bought it, but they don't have a rail department to handle such transactions so the MBTA had to buy it and then turn it in to MassDOT. The ownership on track charts will be EOT, not MBTA)

The State is helping Amtrak re-route the Vermonter with the possible eventual return of the Montrealer.
 
MassDOT owns the Line and MBTA will have rights to run trains as they do on PAR Fitchburg Line, I dont see MBTA running anything on the line as they have enough trouble running their own stuff around Boston so I am betting that Amtrak will run the line and you will never see the Montrealer return as there is no demand for it and CN wont let it happen. PAR will still run their trains on the line and dispatch it but MassDOT will maintain it more or less. Will be intersting to see how this pans out as I dont see much of a demand for Commuter trains between Springfield and Greenfield, MA.

Some info on this.
http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/knowledgecorridor/
 
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The MBTA won't run anything over there because there's no demand for service out there, and because they have no money. For maintenance, I'm sure MassDOT will contract that out instead of sending MBTA MoW out there.
 
There are a few large towns / cities along the way but none that demand rail transport. You have Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke, Northhampton which is served frequent PVTA busses and then you have busses from Northampton to Greenfield run by the FRTA. Along the entire route there are not many who work in Downtown Springfield as most factories are away from downtown so the traffic will be light as the rest of the towns are small farm towns which dont demand rail service. Just for laughs here is a list of the cities / towns along the route starting from Springfield North showing populations.

Springfield 152,082
Chicopee 54,653
Holyoke 39,838
Northampton 28,978
Hatfield 3,249
South Deerfield 1,868
Greenfield 18,168

Now just an FYI Amtrak runs 2 car shuttle trains from Springfield to New Haven, CT several times a day and here are the towns served along the route starting from Springfield South. Even those trains are rarely packed. I am sure that the Line North of Springfield could get away with a single RDC car and be fine.

Springfield 152,082
Windsor Locks 12,043
Windsor 28,237
Hartford 121,578
Berlin 18,215
Meridan 58,244
Wallingford 43,026
New Haven 123,626

Yes I know I have to much time on my hands, LOL.
 
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If you think that's bad, the state is trying to throw money away at extending the MBTA to Cape Cod. The ridership there is close to nothing.
 
LOL thats too funny. Also knowing the demographics of Springfield, Holyoke, and Greenfield the trains will become drug trains shuttling dealers back and forth, LOL.
 
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