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mahatmakanejeeves

(56,891 posts)
Fri Aug 26, 2016, 10:35 AM Aug 2016

Biden announces new funding for Amtrak Northeast Corridor

Source: Associated Press via Roanoke Times

Posted: Friday, August 26, 2016 4:52 am | Updated: 9:45 am, Fri Aug 26, 2016.

Associated Press |

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Federal officials are announcing new funding for Amtrak's passenger rail system and stressing the need for continued investment in America's transportation infrastructure.

Vice President Joe Biden scheduled a stop Friday at the train station in Wilmington, Delaware, which bears his name, to announce new funding to improve infrastructure and efficiency along Amtrak's busy Northeast Corridor.

Amtrak reported ridership of 11.7 million along the Northeast Corridor in fiscal 2015, a record high.
....

Last week, the Federal Railroad Administration awarded $25 million for 11 projects, including $2.6 million for the Northeast Corridor, to help implement Positive Train Control, an advanced technology aimed at preventing train collisions and derailments.


Read more: http://www.roanoke.com/news/virginia/wire/biden-announces-new-funding-for-amtrak-northeast-corridor/article_f180c5e5-9dea-5e70-b47f-0fef0515e422.html



Pay per view. Text coming, but it's not online yet at my "connection."

Biden announces new funding for Amtrak Northeast Corridor

Updated Aug. 26, 2016 4:54 a.m. ET
12 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Biden announces new funding for Amtrak Northeast Corridor (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves Aug 2016 OP
Hope that a big portion of that money goes into fixing the tunnel and track going into Penn NYC GoneOffShore Aug 2016 #1
In to penn from which direction? DorothyG Aug 2016 #4
Sorry I didn't clarify - GoneOffShore Aug 2016 #5
I take these trains often so I am pleased to see this! Happyhippychick Aug 2016 #2
Please help the California Zephyr wryter2000 Aug 2016 #3
If Joe was allowed I'm convinced madokie Aug 2016 #6
Tis is great but don't get me started on what the effin republicans are gonna say about this! CTyankee Aug 2016 #7
Can we get the train up to Lewiston/Auburn, Maine? Zing Zing Zingbah Aug 2016 #8
Brunswick itself appears to be pretty much of an afterthought. mahatmakanejeeves Aug 2016 #9
Although Bowdoin is in Brunswick, so you have all the smirkymonkey Aug 2016 #10
Lewiston has Bates college Zing Zing Zingbah Aug 2016 #11
I think most people ride it to got to Boston and back Zing Zing Zingbah Aug 2016 #12

GoneOffShore

(17,309 posts)
1. Hope that a big portion of that money goes into fixing the tunnel and track going into Penn NYC
Fri Aug 26, 2016, 11:56 AM
Aug 2016

I was told by a guy who works for Amtrak that those tracks are a disaster waiting to happen.

Every time I take a train into NYC Penn Station I think about that.

DorothyG

(95 posts)
4. In to penn from which direction?
Fri Aug 26, 2016, 10:31 PM
Aug 2016

I've ridden it both ways multiple times from Boston to DC and DC to Boston. just curious.

GoneOffShore

(17,309 posts)
5. Sorry I didn't clarify -
Sat Aug 27, 2016, 02:48 AM
Aug 2016

The tracks and tunnel from Newark, NJ was the section mentioned to me.
Though I would imagine that the entire Manhattan sector has the same problems.

I do recall that the guy I spoke with stated that the frogs or common crossing points were an especially big problem and needed to be replaced.

madokie

(51,076 posts)
6. If Joe was allowed I'm convinced
Sat Aug 27, 2016, 04:23 AM
Aug 2016

that he would still be riding the rails to and from home each day. What a guy.

I don't agree or haven't always agreed with Joe but I have something like 98% of the time. I've heard so many people around here say that he should be the one running for the Presidency. People who I'd never had thought would be thinking that too.
He's a, and always have been, a Good Guy.

CTyankee

(63,769 posts)
7. Tis is great but don't get me started on what the effin republicans are gonna say about this!
Sun Aug 28, 2016, 02:21 PM
Aug 2016

Another epic rant...

Zing Zing Zingbah

(6,496 posts)
8. Can we get the train up to Lewiston/Auburn, Maine?
Mon Aug 29, 2016, 08:15 AM
Aug 2016

I don't understand why the end of the line is Brunswick. If they brought the train up north another 20 mi they'd have a whole lot more customers. Lewiston/Auburn is the second most populated area in the state after the Portland area. Politicians in this area have been trying to get this for years now.

mahatmakanejeeves

(56,891 posts)
9. Brunswick itself appears to be pretty much of an afterthought.
Mon Aug 29, 2016, 10:23 AM
Aug 2016

I have the Winter/Spring 2013 timetable at my desk, effective January 14, 2013. I think Amtrak has stopped issuing paper timetables.

Trains 685 (weekdays) and 695 (weekends) leave Boston at 5:00 or 5:40 p.m. and arrive at Brunswick at 8:20 or 9:00 p.m. They spend an entire ten minutes there and almost immediately head off to Portland as trains 676 or 678, where the equipment is kept overnight.

At 6:00 a.m. the following morning, train 679 leaves Portland for Brunswick, where it becomes either 682 (weekdays) or 692 (weekends), leaving Brunswick for Boston at 7:05 a.m. The only other through train from Brunswick to Boston is 688 (weekdays) and 698 (weekends), which leaves Brunswick at 5:55 p.m.

To go as far as Lewiston/Auburn, 679 would have to leave Portland an hour earlier. This might be too early for anyone riding from Portland to Brunswick.

There are additional trains that run only between Portland and Boston.

Does Amtrak operate (or sponsor) bus service between Lewiston/Auburn and Brunswick?

I acknowledge that my schedule is probably out of date.

Zing Zing Zingbah

(6,496 posts)
12. I think most people ride it to got to Boston and back
Mon Aug 29, 2016, 07:11 PM
Aug 2016

I rode on it this summer from Freeport to Boston and back. Pretty much everyone was going to Boston.

No, they don't have an bus service that I know of. It wasn't an option when I was looking online. You have to drive yourself. When I went this summer I actually drove to Freeport because it is faster to drive to there from Lewiston since it is mostly country driving. Also, tons of free parking over in Freeport. It wasn't too bad and I'd ride on it again, but there are a lot more people that would ride on it if it came all the way up to Lewiston (students, residents that don't own cars).

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