Governor elect Tom Wolf in his stump speech running up to election during the last week of the campaign made a general point of Pennsylvania remaining in a keystone position for transportation.
A great deal of commerce originates, terminates or crosses the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The anticipated growth of the American economy by 2035 will see numerous chokepoints on the railroad system and the highway system that do not exist now.
The 1854 civil engineering of the Pittsburgh to Harrisburg Keystone Corridor West is in and by itself a chokepoint.
The key to railroad operation and design is to minimize the grades the railroad has. In 1906 a route was survey for the proposed New York Chicago and Pittsburgh railroad across the length of Pennsylvania. The line as located would not have exceeded 0.04 of 1 per cent. It had great gradients but its curvature would have affected the potential speed. The point is that a route with easy grades across Pennsylvania's Alleghenies is possible.
Could a p3 public private private partnership examine the 1906 proposed location for gradient and in turn identify a low gradient route across the center of Pennsylvania for a true high speed railroad right of way for 230 mph operations? Given that it is possible, then why can't a new high speed railroad be built connecting New York to Chicago that is controlled by Pennsylvania through a p3?
The proposed high speed railroad right of way would include in its proximity parallel higher speed track that would accommodate freight operations and higher speed passnger operations. It would supplant the 1854 civil engineering of the Pittsburgh to Harrisburg line. The higher speed track could be available for operation of high speed equipment at slower speeds when maintenance is being done on the high speed line. The new line would eliminate the 1854 chokepoint.
The proposed new railroad would be the keystone in a new transportation for the country east of the Mississippi River.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
What's Possible Keystone Corridor West
A 2003 study by the Norfolk Southern Railroad determined that the freight frequency on the Keystone Corridor West, in order not to be interfered with required the relaying of rail at chokepoints along the Keystone Corridor West. The study addressed what would happen with four passenger trains a day. Threading more conventional high speed trains through the freight operations required the relaying of the fourth track between Cresson and Altoona, relaying of track in the Pittsburgh station and other key points.
National railroad ton miles have increased 8% from 2003 to 2013. So, the assumptions for freight traffic on the Keystone Corridor West are the same.
The 2003 study indicated that without the additional track, there would be impacts upon timely and efficient freight operations that otherwise would be avoided.
What is possible now on the Keystone Corridor West?
As noted, passenger trains on the Keystone Corridor East are propelled by electric power. Operation over the Keystone Corridor West requires a diesel locomotive west of Harrisburg. There are no more overhead wires west of Harrisburg. Amtrak exchanges electric locomotives fro diesel locmotives at the Thirtieth Street Station at Philadelphia to pull the Pennsylvanian passenger train that originates at Penn Station, New York City. It is not possible to operate diesel locomotives into and out of Penn Station. The change from an electric locomotive to a diesel locomotive at Philadelphia requires 24 minutes.
Suppose a combination straight electric and diesel locomotive were used for the New York to Pittsburgh run. There would be no loss of 24 minutes at Philadelphia. Say an express service was initiated from from New York to Pittsburgh. No intermediate stops. The elapsed schedule would be 6 hours 20 minutes. Obviously that's not an advantage in land speed between New York and Pittsburgh. But, it is a competitive speed. With a combination of amenities and feature, the express would be desirable and competitive for other reasons. First and foremost the traveller is not occupied with driving. The former driver with wi fi and laptop has other options than being occupied with driving.
The locomotive design would be the ALP-45DP manufactured by Bombardier Transporation Company. This locomotive model is currently used by New Jersey Transit.
National railroad ton miles have increased 8% from 2003 to 2013. So, the assumptions for freight traffic on the Keystone Corridor West are the same.
The 2003 study indicated that without the additional track, there would be impacts upon timely and efficient freight operations that otherwise would be avoided.
What is possible now on the Keystone Corridor West?
As noted, passenger trains on the Keystone Corridor East are propelled by electric power. Operation over the Keystone Corridor West requires a diesel locomotive west of Harrisburg. There are no more overhead wires west of Harrisburg. Amtrak exchanges electric locomotives fro diesel locmotives at the Thirtieth Street Station at Philadelphia to pull the Pennsylvanian passenger train that originates at Penn Station, New York City. It is not possible to operate diesel locomotives into and out of Penn Station. The change from an electric locomotive to a diesel locomotive at Philadelphia requires 24 minutes.
Suppose a combination straight electric and diesel locomotive were used for the New York to Pittsburgh run. There would be no loss of 24 minutes at Philadelphia. Say an express service was initiated from from New York to Pittsburgh. No intermediate stops. The elapsed schedule would be 6 hours 20 minutes. Obviously that's not an advantage in land speed between New York and Pittsburgh. But, it is a competitive speed. With a combination of amenities and feature, the express would be desirable and competitive for other reasons. First and foremost the traveller is not occupied with driving. The former driver with wi fi and laptop has other options than being occupied with driving.
The locomotive design would be the ALP-45DP manufactured by Bombardier Transporation Company. This locomotive model is currently used by New Jersey Transit.
Keystone West Corridor Study Publication????
The Western Pennsylvanians for Passenger Rail reported a number of weeks ago that In a September 9 letter to Sen. Toomey, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) administrator Joseph Szabo said the Keystone West Corridor Study received FRA approval on August 22. The study reviews the options for improving passenger rail service between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg. PennDOT is currently finalizing the document for production and plans to have the study posted on the project's website by October 3.
Pennsylvania HSR continues to await its publication. Pennsylvania HSR has awaited the publication product since 2011.
The likely supposition for the delay in the $750,000.00 study is that it might be incomplete, or poorly done, or not meeting the original standards set by the FRA for the study. Should the FRA pay for an inadequate study? Worse, it was done by McCormick, Taylor and Associates, the prior employer of. current Secretary of PennDOT Barry Schoch. For Schoch's bio see: http://www.dot.state.pa.us/internet/web.nsf/TransportationSecretary?OpenFrameSet
Pennsylvania HSR continues to await its publication. Pennsylvania HSR has awaited the publication product since 2011.
The likely supposition for the delay in the $750,000.00 study is that it might be incomplete, or poorly done, or not meeting the original standards set by the FRA for the study. Should the FRA pay for an inadequate study? Worse, it was done by McCormick, Taylor and Associates, the prior employer of. current Secretary of PennDOT Barry Schoch. For Schoch's bio see: http://www.dot.state.pa.us/internet/web.nsf/TransportationSecretary?OpenFrameSet
Saturday, November 22, 2014
"The Little Prince" Transportation Commentary.
"Good morning," said the little prince. "Good morning," said the railway switchman. "What do you do here?" the little prince asked. "I sort out travelers, in bundles of a thousand," said the switchman. "I send off the trains that carry them: now to the right, now to the left."
And a brilliantly lighted express train shook the switchman's cabin as it rushed by with a roar like thunder.
"They are in a great hurry," said the little prince. "What are they looking for?" "Not even the locomotive engineer knows that," said the switchman.
And a second brilliantly lighted express thundered by, in the opposite direction.
"Are they coming back already?" demanded the little prince. "These are not the same ones," said the switchman. "It is an exchange." "Were they not satisfied where they were?" asked the little prince. "No one is ever satisfied where he is," said the switchman.
And they heard the roaring thunder of a third brilliantly lighted express.
"Are they pursuing the first travelers?" demanded the little prince.
"They are pursuing nothing at all," said the switchman. "They are asleep in there, or if they are not asleep they are yawning. Only children are flattening their noses on the window-panes." "Only the children know what they are looking for," said the little prince. "They waste their time over a rag doll and it becomes very important to them; and if anybody takes it away from them, they cry..." "They are the lucky," the switchman said.
See: Pages 70 and 71, "The Little Prince," by Antoine De Saint-Exupery.
The little prince learned how time and place utility is created through transportation.
And a brilliantly lighted express train shook the switchman's cabin as it rushed by with a roar like thunder.
"They are in a great hurry," said the little prince. "What are they looking for?" "Not even the locomotive engineer knows that," said the switchman.
And a second brilliantly lighted express thundered by, in the opposite direction.
"Are they coming back already?" demanded the little prince. "These are not the same ones," said the switchman. "It is an exchange." "Were they not satisfied where they were?" asked the little prince. "No one is ever satisfied where he is," said the switchman.
And they heard the roaring thunder of a third brilliantly lighted express.
"Are they pursuing the first travelers?" demanded the little prince.
"They are pursuing nothing at all," said the switchman. "They are asleep in there, or if they are not asleep they are yawning. Only children are flattening their noses on the window-panes." "Only the children know what they are looking for," said the little prince. "They waste their time over a rag doll and it becomes very important to them; and if anybody takes it away from them, they cry..." "They are the lucky," the switchman said.
See: Pages 70 and 71, "The Little Prince," by Antoine De Saint-Exupery.
The little prince learned how time and place utility is created through transportation.
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