Amtrak Proposes a High-Speed Train

[Forest Glen]

While I was purchasing Amtrak tickets (a decision I regret, I'll explain later), I inadvertently stumbled upon a PDF of Amtrak's plan for high-speed rail.

 

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer/Page/1248542787937/1237405732517

[N-Trizzy2609]

Eniter realignment of the Northeast corridor from NY to Boston?!?!?! WTF?

[Nova RTS 9147]

Eniter realignment of the Northeast corridor from NY to Boston?!?!?! WTF?

 

This is kind of old news. It's a good idea on paper, and a great way for the US to only be 30 years behind the rest of the world in terms of HSR, instead of 50.

[Amtrak7]

Eniter realignment of the Northeast corridor from NY to Boston?!?!?! WTF?

 

Not realignment, but a new, separate, high-speed line. It probably won't happen in 50 years, though.

[Nexis4Jersey]

The Alinement they proposed is stupid , i rather have them invest in an Intercity / HSR network in the NE and not one boondoggle of a line.

[Amtrak7]

The Alinement they proposed is stupid , i rather have them invest in an Intercity / HSR network in the NE and not one boondoggle of a line.

 

How would you propose the line be routed? Minimum curve radius is 3 miles, so that's why it's so elongated. It covers most cities anyway. (Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington). While I agree it really should cover New Haven, it's location means more curves in populated areas which means more cost. Hartford will need to be a tradeoff.

[Nexis4Jersey]

The Population is expanding North and West so the NEW NEC should go into PA via the Lehigh Valley and DC to Baltimore via Harrisburg.....and in New England it should go up the Hudson River and bend up along the I-90 corridor.

[engineerboy6561]

I like this a lot; the only question is going to be whether we can actually get this done by 2040. I really hope so because 3+ hours from New York to Boston is too long any way you look at it. I also agree with the alignment chosen north of NYC; intermediate travelers on the NEC who currently take Acela would still be able to take a variation of Acela under this plan, known as the "Shoreline Express" and this would allow for partial high-speed service via the Keystone Corridor from Pennsylvania to Boston. In addition, having HSR stops in towns such as Hartford and Danbury, which are in a position to be developed further but are a pain to get in and out of. From a purely provincial standpoint, if we have HSR in and out of Danbury and Waterbury, these stations become major hubs and for some on the the branch stations it would be faster to take Metro-North up to Danbury or Waterbury and then catch HSR into Manhattan. This should mean that Metro-North would stop considering service cuts out there and just might support service increases. Finally, I would love to see a GCT-NYP rail connection like this proposes.

[hoodciti]

When i look at this plan, the right of way thru Westchester County and southern CT reminds me of what the NYWB once was and was supposed to be. From my recollection the NYWB was supposed to be an all electric high speed line that eventually reached Boston. The line only made it to White Plains. But the idea was sound. I believe a four track Passenger-Only line should be constructed from New York as far as Hartford. Then the rest of the line two tracks. It's long over due especially since idea has been around since the early 1900's.