Amtrak Heads North On Eastern Corridor At High Speed
<B> Amtrak Heads North On Eastern Corridor At High Speed</B>
By Robert Selwitz
High speed rail service shortly will become a reality between Washington D.C. and Boston through New York.
Fast service has been available between New York and Washington since the 1969 debut of the Metroliner, but similar New England service was impossible since 157 miles of track between New Haven and Boston had yet to be electrified.
According to Amtrak, much of that work finally has been accomplished, and when all is finished by mid-1999, new 150-mile per hour trains will cut N.Y. to Boston transit times by one-third.
Then, said Amtrak spokesman Rick Remington, "The three-hour-and-ten-minute travel time will make us competitive with air shuttles." He also expects that many frequent flyers will opt for a rail alternative once door-to-door rail travel times equal those of flying.
Costing some $2.4 billion for rail upgrades (including $1.7 billion in public funds), plus 20 new trains (each including locomotives at both ends plus six passenger cars), the new trains will replace the aging Metroliners as Amtrak's premier service. Present Metroliner units will be employed along regular service routes with cars currently serving those runs being retired.
Travel times along the New York-Washington run will shorten slightly once the new trains are in service. Remington said that by 2000, trips should be reduced to two hours and 45 minutes, with two hours and 30 minutes the ultimate goal.
Each of the new trains will carry 304 passengers, and include four coaches, a first-class car and a food car. The first-class compartment will offer two-by-one seating and have its own food and beverage galley. To accommodate business travelers, 32 tables will be dispersed throughout the train for informal meetings or to use as work desks, and each seat will have a 120-volt outlet to plug in laptop computers. Amtrak said extra large tray tables will provide sufficient room for computers and power packs.
Perhaps most important, Amtrak promised that advanced "tilt" technology will smooth and improve ride comfort at high speeds. Amtrak officials also said that noise and vibration-reducing measures were designed for the new trains to assure a much greater level of quiet.
To boost maximum speeds from today's 105 mph to 150 mph for the high speed service, Amtrak's physical improvements have included the installation of 140 miles of continuous welded rail that have been installed on 331,750 new concrete ties. In addition, 127 curves are being aligned; 52 open deck bridges are being converted to solid deck bridges with rock ballast; and grade crossings in Rhode Island and Massachusetts have been eliminated, enhancing safety while allowing higher speeds.
Finally, not only should high speed rail provide a better travel product for northeastern business travelers, but it is anticipated to significantly boost Amtrak's bottom line. In fact, Amtrak expects the premium-priced speedier service to produce at least a $150 million profit during its first full year of service.