The Business Review (Albany) - November 8, 2002
http://albany.bizjournals.com/albany/st ... ily58.html
DOT accepts first turbotrain for Empire Corridor
Eric Durr The Business Review
State Department of Transportation officials accepted the first of seven
turbotrains being rebuilt for service on Amtrak's Empire Corridor by
SuperSteel Schenectady Inc. in Glenville. on Thursday.
Acceptance of the first five-car trainset came after overnight tests
conducted on the night of Nov. 6, said DOT spokeswoman Melissa Carlson.
State and SuperSteel officials ran the train from Rensselaer to Penn Station
during the late night and early morning hours when no regularly scheduled
Amtrak service is on the route, Carlson said.
The late night/early morning run, was the final shakeout in a series of tests
that began in September, Carlson said.
"We didn't find any problems. We figured out what needed to be fixed and
fixed it," she said.
SuperSteel is refurbishing seven turbotrains dating from the 1970s for $98.5
million from the state. The goal is to put the seven trains into high speed
service on the Empire Corridor that runs from Niagara Falls to New York City.
As part of the agreement, Amtrak is to upgrade the rails to accept high speed
trains and to finance the installation of a second track from Schenectady to
Rensselaer.
As far as the DOT is concerned, now that the train has been accepted for
service, it can be turned over to Amtrak and begin regular runs, Carlson
said.
Amtrak spokesman Daniel Stessel, said there was no date set yet for putting
the turbotrains into service. They can't be used for high speed travel until
the tracks are upgraded and that hasn't happened yet, he said.
Amtrak is facing a budget crunch that could delay its part of the deal with
the state.
New York will turn the turbotrains over to Amtrak to provide additional
service on the Empire Corridor, but it will be up to Amtrak to man and
operate them, Carlson said.
While Stessel, who works in Amtrak's Washington D.C. headquarters said there
was no target for putting the new turbotrains in service.
It is possible the train accepted Thursday could be in revenue service before
Thanksgiving, Phillip Larson told the Daily Gazette.
edurr@bizjournals.com | 518-437-9855
Also, check out Trains, they recently had a photo of the first UA-built/rebuilt consist heading for trials/qualification. There's supposedly either five or six consists that were rebuilt.
hankmorris@earthlink.net
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