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Which Amtrak trains could be classified as at least somewhat "high-speed". By this, I mean which trains can go above 79 mph?
The ones I know are the Southwest Chief (only in a few places), Pacific Surfliner (San Onofre-Solana Beach) and of course, NEC.
Some other ones I've heard: Empire Service (110 mph near Albany) Hiawatha (???)
Any others?
Also, which parts of the NE corridor have 125 mph+ operating? Last I heard there were only 18 miles on the NYC to BOS corridor where the ACELA Express was authorized for 150.
[This message has been edited by Charles802 (edited 05-25-2004).]
posted
I think officially that's about it for the NEC, although twice, now, in the last month I've been on the Acela when it left NYP 20 min. late and got to Boston on time which means the actual transit time was pretty close to 3 hrs. for the 200+ mile trip. I don't think you can do that without cranking it up some.
Posts: 518 | From: Maynard, MA, USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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On my last trip on The Coast Starlight we were very late, and our Engineer made an anouncement and promised that we wouldnt get into L.A. more than 5 min.s late, along the coast between Santa Barbra and Glendale we were going at least 110, Those Superliners were realy bounceing and swaying, not to many poeple felt like trying to walk through the Coaches
------------------ JONATHON D. ORTIZ
Posts: 989 | From: DIAMOND BAR CA. U.S. | Registered: Nov 2003
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The Southwest Chief has quite a few 90mph sections. I had my GPS cranked up, and it seemed like we would hit 90 every hour or so in KS, CO, NM and AZ.
Posts: 1418 | From: Houston, Republic of Texas | Registered: Jan 2001
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Jonathon, I can assure you that you weren't going 110mph on the Coast Starlight. On this route the max speed is 79 mph. The Engineers do not have excess to the PA system in the train. At times if we are running real late, some Engineers will up the speed by about 5 mph trying to make up time but anymore than that is not safe and we don't want to get fired for speeding. Speeding is an FRA violation and you don't get a ticket, you get your Engineers permit taken away. I know that even 5 mph above the posted speed limit, on rough track, can feel like you are going faster.
In order for a passenger train to go faster than 79 mph, the track signals have to be placed further apart and locomotive's have to be set up with "cab control signals." This is where you will find the 90 mph track. Mostly on the SF/BN tracks. It's not the train, it's the track.
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oops, sorry about that, I was thinking of the Surfliner, I was riding rite behind the Engeener in the CabCar and could see the speed guage, it whent past 100, but since thats already listed in the first post, it dosnt count
------------------ JONATHON D. ORTIZ
Posts: 989 | From: DIAMOND BAR CA. U.S. | Registered: Nov 2003
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where have you been Sherriff? and did you get the book out? i was waiting to here about it still would like to get a copy i think what you saw Jonathon was the Tachmeter ther still a speed limit
Posts: 193 | From: illinois | Registered: Jan 2004
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90% of the NEC between wash DC and NYP and NHV and Bos is 125mph trackage. there are one or two stretches between DC and NY that are approved at 135.
Posts: 332 | From: Long Island, NY USA | Registered: Jan 2004
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boyishcolt; Yea, I've been busy here lately promoting my book. I have a couple of book signing's coming up and so forth. It's finished and doing real well. Everyone seems to love it because it's about all the things that happen to us Conductors and Engineers while we are working. There are some crazy stories and some information that I felt the public needed to know about. If I save one life by writing the book it was worth while. I've started writing on book #2, and I think it's going to be just as good as the first one.
You can get all the information you need about buying a book at www.trainstories.net. Thanks for asking. Sheriff
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Okay, the only places on the former Santa Fe where 90 MPH running is still allowed is where the ATS remains in place. As CTC has been installed, BNSF has been progressively removing ATS. MOst of what remains is between Ellinor,KS and Pueblo, CO. There are fewer and fewer stretches of ATS across New Mexico and AZ, soon to be none, I'd think.
Of course the Surf Line between LA and San Diego still has all the ATS in place.
As for the NEC, the speed limit is now 135 for all trains between New Brunswick and Trenton, between "Ragan" south of Wilmington and a point south of Newark, DE, and between "Grace" south of the Susquehanna River and "Bush" north of the Bush River. If there are any other pieces of 135 they're very short.
The 150 MPH running is from south of Route 128 to the MA/RI state line, and from south of Providence through Davisville, RI. These are, respectively, 10 miles and 8 miles long.
Posts: 614 | From: Merchantville, NJ. USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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Presumably Amtrak will have to adjust their Southwest Chief schedules to take account of the removal of ATS and the reduction of speed over those parts? It's understandable for BNSF to remove them, seeing as the costs of maintaining them for just 1 train per day in each direction don't really justify their existence.
Geoff M.
Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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Jonathons little comment of going 110 is impossible of the Superliners. That is their limit in speed and i that is way illegal. On the Orders that the crew gets it states the speed limits for the cars and the Pacific Parlour can go over 90. You were prolly only goin 79
Posts: 98 | From: Bakersfield, CA, USA | Registered: May 2004
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Give the guy a break. He already said he made a mistake and he meant they were going that speed on the Surfliner, not the Coast Starlight. Despite his making that correction, twice people have only read his first statement and ignored the message he posted where he corrected this.
Posts: 97 | Registered: Oct 2002
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Hey Sheriff -- will your book be available anytime soon at places like Barnes & Noble or Books-a-Million?
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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quote:Originally posted by EmpireBuilder: Despite his making that correction, twice people have only read his first statement and ignored the message he posted where he corrected this.
Aaah...a better way would be to edit your own original post. That way people would be more likely to see the correction.
Same problem happens in news and mag articles....I'll be t if you order a copy of an article you get it in its original form, but don't get the corrections / amplifications / etc. that are sometimes published later.
Posts: 874 | From: South Bay (LA County), Calif, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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Sherrif: how fast is the track were the Pacfic Surphliners travel? seems as if we have a big disagreement over this with others in private chat. what is the maximum speed limit on these track? and what happens if it is exceded
Posts: 193 | From: illinois | Registered: Jan 2004
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RRRICH; Yes you can purchase my book on the internet at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Books a Million, BookStore, Imgrams, Protea Publishing, ABE Books, etc. You can only get an autographed copy through my web site at www.trainstories.net, but all the major book stores on the internet carry it. I do have paypal on my web site for you to use your credit card, but the order comes streight to me, and I autograph, and fill the order myself.
Posts: 100 | From: Sacramento,CA | Registered: May 2003
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However, on the Surfliner, they get a penalty application (IE, the train stops) if they hit 93 MPH! The management downloads the speed logs from the locos quite often and reviews them. I was riding with one of the engineers when he let it roll out a tad too much approaching the Solona Beach station, hit 93... pop, got the penalty.
I remember the good old days when the track on the San Diegan was 90 MPH on jointed rail. It was quite a statement about the track crews out there.
Posts: 7 | From: San Diego, Ca, USA | Registered: May 2004
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***I clocked a Silver Meteor going past my town 9 miles north of Palatka, FL at 94mph 3 months ago on a Friday morning! Many times it's happened in either north or south directions over the past 10 years. They run like crazy between here and Orange Park, FL. and then slow down to enter Jacksonville's yard areas.
------------------
Posts: 287 | From: Palatka, FL, USA | Registered: Feb 2004
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I used a very accurate police-style portable radar gun (from the military). Whatever the Florida state speed limit is for trains on the CSX tracks, that WAS the clocked speed! Posts: 287 | From: Palatka, FL, USA | Registered: Feb 2004
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OK, Pojon, since on one else has said it, I will.
1. There is no "Florida" or any other state speed limit for trains. A number of cities have speed limits for trains over road crossings, but these are of doubtful legality, as they can be constred as interfering with interstate commerce.
2. There are certain federal limits. There are limits based on track quality that are defined by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), which is the agency having legal oversight over the railroad companies. In addition, there are limits in the FRA standard for speeds on curves, which IMHO is carrying things too far since it is an attempt to legislate how to apply the laws of physics, which so far as I know are still not subject to the whim of congress.
3. Finally there is the still in effect old ICC rule which states that there must be a signal system if trains are to be operated at 60 mph for passenger or 50 mph for freight or faster, and cab signals, or ATS if trains are to be operated at 80 mph or faster. Generally it is this last that forms the absolute ceiling for train speed in most of the country. Most of the passenger carrying CSX lines in Florida are therefore 79 mph speed limit, except Talahassee to Flomaton which is 59 mph.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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