Recent content by F-Line to Dudley

They did...and then Baker's appointees immediately got so distracted by shiny things that they pivoted to the BEMU Great White Hype, and doing it ass-backwards by not electrifying the mainlines. So I'm not sure the fact that they studied world best practices is actually informing action and...

Yes, but more because of their service characteristics than the physical constraints. BEMU's work pretty well in worldwide adoption with un-electrified tails of frequent-service electrified mains, and light-service branches off frequent-service electrified mains. Hudson and Harlem Line diesel...

1) We already have 25 kV AC overhead on the Providence Line, the most common mainline rail electrification voltage in the world with standard parts available both lineside and vehicle-side. Why would we ever want to make things harder on ourselves by adopting something incompatible with that...

She took one look at her predecessors' BEMU fascination and said "Hold my beer." It's even worse than BEMU's because there isn't even lip-service at wiring up anything, along with many other downsides. Disadvantages of hydrogen on trains include: Stupidly expensive fuel. And limited market...

Please, do dump on Caltrain. They completely screwed the pooch on cost control with their consultants-managing-consultants-managing-consultants special, and the overall management of their modernization project (which also included a botched PTC implementation, a botched vehicle...

And it happens again. Adirondack service suspension starts anew on May 20, just in time for the official kickoff of summer. Another Amtrak-CN dispute over CN's horrible track conditions Rouses Point to St. Jean-sur-Richelieu with rumored 10 MPH speed restrictions planned for heat season. And...

Don't let this harsh on anybody's unhinged ideological bleating, but MassHighway's on it. . .

The NH Main property lines in Medford and Winchester average 80-120 ft. wide, so it can probably all be done within the property lines. The only tricky part would be Winchester Center station itself. GLXX would have to shift sides of the ROW from west to east to avoid the first freight sidings...

Hasn't been funded yet because they're focusing on the all-critical tunnel capacity first and the price tag for the station expansion is laughably high, but it's still planned. A lot of transit advocates want it turfed in favor of thru-running NJ Transit and Metro-North, but there are a lot of...

It's nowhere near the tightest curve on the GL, and they've already ordered cars compatible with it.

They were Class 1/10 MPH.

No. It's strictly a Penn Station capacity expansion. The Penn Station South component of the project will add +7 platform tracks to the station.

Per RR.net. . . CSX is beginning testing of Class 3 speeds on the Worcester-Ayer route, capping off a furious year's worth of upgrades to the formerly embarassingly decrepit Pan Am main. That will allow 40 MPH freight and 60 MPH passenger service on the route, speeds not seen in over 60 years...

Per RR.net and confirmed by Amtrak employees... The Downeaster, after months of rumors and some blowback from NNEPRA, is formally swapping out Amfleet coaches for surplus Midwestern Horizon cars. The interior livery is very similar, but the Horizons have harsh commuter rail-style lighting, no...

Not anymore. The Woburn Branch had its property lines reverted back to abutters all points inside Town of Winchester, meaning the legalities of trying to string together anything here are extremely complex. It's also encroached on in a couple spots, and had some really bad grade crossing...