[Nexis4Jersey]

Originally Posted by afiggatt

The Pennsylvanian operates at 125 mph from NYC to Philly with electric locomotives. There are longer range plans by Amtrak to upgrade the Eastern Keystone - Philly to Harrisburg - to 125 mph speeds. The current HSIPR stimulus funded project to close the last 3 remaining grade crossings on the Eastern Keystone will help clear the way for future 125 mph upgrades.

But since the Pennsylvanian switches to a P-42 diesel locomotive at 30th St Station, it would remain limited to 110 mph, until it someday gets a NextGen 125 mph capable diesel. However, for a PHL to Harrisburg train with multiple stops, the slower acceleration of the diesels mean minimal trip time improvements for a 125 mph max speed. The Keystones with ACS-64 electric locomotive in a few years would be able to make good use of 125 mph max speed segments.

In the Amtrak latest Vision for the NEC, it mentions a projected $1 billion to be spent for upgrades over the next 20 years on the Eastern Keystone. That may be enough for upgrades to > 125 mph speeds - maybe?. If Harrisburg to Philly has a true high speed train service, that over time should build support for extending high(er) speed service to Pittsburgh. The state legislatures from the Pittsburgh region will look at their fellow legislatures from the Philly area take higher speed trains home for the weekend and say "Hey, what about us? Why can't we do that?" Then they start pushing for serious upgrades between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh.

BTW, there is a current Western Keystone Study underway that is looking at the options ranging from incremental to true HSR upgrades for the corridor. Should see documents and updates in the next few months.

That is why the Chi-StL and Chi-Det and the Empire Corridor & Eastern Keystone projects are so important. If the business leaders and politicians in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne see the two 110 mph Chicago hub corridors as successful, then an increasing number will advocate for corridor train service to their cities. Pittsburgh looks eastward for better service to Philly. Then Ohio (post Kasich era) gets into the act, and (in a couple of decades, give or take), there are 110 or 125 or faster corridor services reaching from NYC to Chicago. See, not that difficult.

Hehe its not just the Keystone Corridor...but the whole Northeastern Division...that will be upgraded to 90-125mph+ ,although some corridors will be slower due to congestion and curves...

Lackawanna Cut-off - 195 Mi - 15 stations - Top Speed : 100mph - Electrified - Projected Daily Riders : 9,200
Lehigh Corridor - 170 Mi - 11 Stations - Top Speed : 100mph - Diesel - Projected Daily Riders : 17,400
Keystone Corridor - 104 Mi - 20 Stations - Top Speed (after 2025) : 135mph - Electrified - Projected Daily Riders by 2030 : 16,800
Downstate Delaware Corridor - 122 Mi - 12 Stations - Top Speed : 135mph - Electrified - Projected Daily Riders : 19,400
Northwest line - 86 Mi - 8 Stations - Top Speed : 90mph - Electrified - Projected Daily Riders : 14,800
Hudson Valley Empire Service - 159 Mi - 7 Stations - Top Speed : 125mph - Diesel - Projected Daily Riders by 2030 : 29,200
The Downeaster - 135 mi - 10 Stations - Top Speed : 125mph - Electrified by 2035 - Projected Daily Riders by 2030 : 14,200
Knowledge / Vermonter Corridor - 300 Mi - 20 Stations - Top Speed : 125mph - Electrified by 2035 - Projected Daily Riders by 2030 : 25,000
Virginia Railway Network - 610 Mi - 35 Stations - Top Speed : 135mph - Electrified by 2040 - Projected Daily Riders by 2030 : 95,300
Concord Corridor - 70 Mi - 8 Stations - Top Speed : 125mph - Electrified - Projected Daily Riders : 8,400
Cape Cod Service - 80 Mi - 11 Stations - Top Speed : 90mph - Electrified - Projected Daily Riders : 12,600
Cross England Express - 190 Mi - 9 Stations - Top Speed : 100mph - Electrified - Projected Daily Riders : 16,300