metsfan Posted February 3, 2009 Share #1 Posted February 3, 2009 If Obama's stimulus bill gets passed in the senate, there's a huge chance the only national railroad could get $850,000,000.00. That's 850 million bucks. What could amtrak do with this money? Where would it be most wisely spent? Any/all opinions welcomed! I agree with some other members in respect to empire corridor high speed development + electrification. Also catenary replacement comes to mind, as well as station refurbishment, and grade crossing elimination on the NEC. What do you folks think? - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan Railer Posted February 4, 2009 Share #2 Posted February 4, 2009 If Obama's stimulus bill gets passed in the senate, there's a huge chance the only national railroad could get $850,000,000.00. That's 850 million bucks. What could amtrak do with this money? Where would it be most wisely spent? Any/all opinions welcomed! I agree with some other members in respect to empire corridor high speed development + electrification. Also catenary replacement comes to mind, as well as station refurbishment, and grade crossing elimination on the NEC. What do you folks think? - Locomotives it could buy in addition to needed-new rolling stock: New Genesis P42AC under developement (possibly P60AC (not real)) ALP-46A ALP-45DP Siemens Eurosprinter E64U4 (it's too bad siemens doesn't offer this locomotive for the North American Market.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forest Glen Posted February 4, 2009 Share #3 Posted February 4, 2009 I would like to see other high speed corridors like NY-DC. Florida, Texas, and California could all use high speed services. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentton316 Posted February 4, 2009 Share #4 Posted February 4, 2009 maybe it's me, but they can buy more acela express trains.......... i really like those trains maybe when i get some dough, i can finally ride one lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amtrak7 Posted February 4, 2009 Share #5 Posted February 4, 2009 They need new single-level dining cars, more ViewLiners, and more electric locos before constant-tension catenary and CT grade-crossing elimination is considered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metsfan Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share #6 Posted February 4, 2009 They need new single-level dining cars, more ViewLiners, and more electric locos before constant-tension catenary and CT grade-crossing elimination is considered. Every overnight train should have at least one vista windowed dining/observation car at the back, a car with 6-8 phone booth & secure storage/purser, and the secure car could also have ATM. Pennsylvanian, silver service, palmetto, crescent, and carolinian should get ALP-45dp. Re-assign the current diesels they use to chicago division, or sell to pay for newer GEnEx diesels for chicago division. - A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FritzSpitz Posted February 5, 2009 Share #7 Posted February 5, 2009 Every overnight train should have at least one vista windowed dining/observation car at the back, a car with 6-8 phone booth & secure storage/purser, and the secure car could also have ATM. Pennsylvanian, silver service, palmetto, crescent, and carolinian should get ALP-45dp. Re-assign the current diesels they use to chicago division, or sell to pay for newer GEnEx diesels for chicago division. - A I don't think a bunch of payphones is a wise use of money or space. You could argue that one might be of some use in a few circumstances, but more than that would be overkill. Assuming that this rolling stock would stay in use for at least 20 years, I'd expect them to be completely obsolete in half that, at which point they will just become relics of the past, and more money will be needed to remove them. The first shipments of M7s on the LIRR had one pay phone per set which were removed shortly thereafter and not included on future deliveries. You can still see where they had been on the lowest numbered cars in the fleet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaback9 Posted February 5, 2009 Share #8 Posted February 5, 2009 New Passenger cars for starters. Then worry about some replacements for the AEM7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pablo M 201 Posted February 5, 2009 Share #9 Posted February 5, 2009 HSR to Albany. Electrify the damn line and make it a branch of Acela, since Acela is basically the HSR service for Amtrak. Some new equipment might be needed though. Plus, put some of that money towards California HSR...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metsfan Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share #10 Posted February 5, 2009 I don't think a bunch of payphones is a wise use of money or space. You could argue that one might be of some use in a few circumstances, but more than that would be overkill. Assuming that this rolling stock would stay in use for at least 20 years, I'd expect them to be completely obsolete in half that, at which point they will just become relics of the past, and more money will be needed to remove them.The first shipments of M7s on the LIRR had one pay phone per set which were removed shortly thereafter and not included on future deliveries. You can still see where they had been on the lowest numbered cars in the fleet. LIRR isn't a 3 day long haul route. - A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FritzSpitz Posted February 5, 2009 Share #11 Posted February 5, 2009 What planet do you live on that there would be the demand at any given time for 8 pay phones on a train? They will lead to more unnecessary spending when they're removed after 5 years. I can recall a transit official, though the city escapes me, stating that it would cost less to provide free car service to the disabled than to upgrade the entire bus fleet to be ADA compliant, and I think some parallels could be seen here. Having one outside phone line on board that the crew can provide to a passenger in need of it would likely cost significantly less in the long run, and allow more space for necessary additions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metsfan Posted February 6, 2009 Author Share #12 Posted February 6, 2009 What planet do you live on that there would be the demand at any given time for 8 pay phones on a train? They will lead to more unnecessary spending when they're removed after 5 years. I can recall a transit official, though the city escapes me, stating that it would cost less to provide free car service to the disabled than to upgrade the entire bus fleet to be ADA compliant, and I think some parallels could be seen here. Having one outside phone line on board that the crew can provide to a passenger in need of it would likely cost significantly less in the long run, and allow more space for necessary additions. Hey, for 2-3 night trains it might be nice to sit in a private area & talk on a high quality phone to your loved one. - A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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