[BPt111]

NEWARK, N.J. — A plan to transform the nation’s busiest commuter rail line has reached a milestone.

The Federal Railroad Administration on Tuesday released a draft environmental impact statement that looks at three alternatives for the Northeast Corridor between now and 2040.

The 457-mile Northeast Corridor is the site of regular delays on Amtrak and regional lines, due to 100-year-old infrastructure and crowded tracks.

Among the more ambitious improvements in consideration are a high-speed rail between Washington, D.C. and Boston; a new rail line connecting Hartford, Conn.; to Providence, R.I.; and a rail tunnel from Long Island to Connecticut.

Federal officials will hold a series of public hearings in December and January before picking one of the alternatives next spring for a final environmental review.

[RunD1987]

I am game!

[NewJeffCT]

Looks great, but will Congress authorize the funding to upgrade & improve the northeast corridor?

[MMS02760]

In addition to proposed Providence to Hartford route, a train service proposal for Providence to Worcester is already in the final planning stages. The Boston Surface Railroad Co. is working on a final operating agreement with Providence and Worcester Railroad Co., which would operate the trains on its tracks, according to CEO Vincent Bono. The Arlington, MA company hopes to start private passenger rail service with daily trips between Worcester and Providence in 2017.

Link:
Boston Surface Railroad Company

[NewJeffCT]

I remember reading a few years back, you can take a train from London to Paris - a distance of 300 miles where you also cross the English Channel - and it takes about 2 hours. So, an average speed of 150mph. Boston to NYC is 200 miles, and Amtrak's Acela Express takes 3 hours to make the trip, or 66 2/3 mph. Just imagine if they could double the speed to 133mph? Even 100mph would be a big improvement.

[RunD1987]

I don't know why the US doesn't utilize train service's to a greater extent. I mean there is faster models of trains. We probably can create technology for example that can melt snow during a blizzard still use the train.

I mean connecting Washington D.C. to Philadelphia to NYC to Long Island to Bridgeport/Danbury/New Haven/Waterbury/Middletown/New London/Hartford to Springfield/Providence to Boston is huge!

[NewJeffCT]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

I don't know why the US doesn't utilize train service's to a greater extent. I mean there is faster models of trains. We probably can create technology for example that can melt snow during a blizzard still use the train.

I mean connecting Washington D.C. to Philadelphia to NYC to Long Island to Bridgeport/Danbury/New Haven/Waterbury/Middletown/New London/Hartford to Springfield/Providence to Boston is huge!

there are a lot of people in Congress that oppose trains run by the federal government, or even a quasi governmental organization - almost all of them are outside the Northeast Corridor. Or, they prefer the government spend money on roads and bridges instead of rail lines. (Let's face it, there isn't a big demand for people to go to Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, etc, so why should their senators and representatives support tax dollars being spent in areas 1000 or 2000 miles away that doesn't directly benefit their state. While it's short-sighted on their part, that is often their reasoning - then, they just conveniently forget they opposed this or the Hurricane Sandy rebuilding project when disaster strikes their state...)

[RunD1987]

^^^True to bad can't sell a 10 hour trip from NYC to LA

[7express]

How is the train going to get to White Plains?? The Harlem line (White Plains) is the only Metro North line that doesn't have access to Amtrak tracks. Are they going to send those out of Grand Central??

[FutureTown]

Originally Posted by NewJeffCT

there are a lot of people in Congress that oppose trains run by the federal government, or even a quasi governmental organization - almost all of them are outside the Northeast Corridor. Or, they prefer the government spend money on roads and bridges instead of rail lines. (Let's face it, there isn't a big demand for people to go to Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, etc, so why should their senators and representatives support tax dollars being spent in areas 1000 or 2000 miles away that doesn't directly benefit their state. While it's short-sighted on their part, that is often their reasoning - then, they just conveniently forget they opposed this or the Hurricane Sandy rebuilding project when disaster strikes their state...)

True, both those states have less representatives than Connecticut, let alone MA, NY, or NJ where the majority will be affected.

I think people are seeing a greater need of mass public transportation. It's cheaper in the long run, more efficient, and much more timely than being stuck in traffic on a freeway.

Hopefully, they build multi-floor parking garages