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Adirondack(train)

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Not to be confused withAdirondack Railroad.
Adirondack
TheAdirondackatSaratoga Springs stationin 2013
Overview
Service typeInter-city rail
LocaleHudson Valley
PredecessorLaurentian(D&H)
First serviceAugust 6, 1974
Current operator(s)Amtrak
Annual ridership26,892 (FY23)[a][b][1]
Route
TerminiMontreal,Quebec
New York City,New York
Stops19
Distance travelled381 miles (613 km)
Average journey time11 hours[2]
Service frequencyDaily
Train number(s)68, 69
On-board services
Class(es)Coach Class
Disabled accessAll cars, most stations
Catering facilitiesCafé car
Baggage facilitiesOverhead racks
Technical
Rolling stockAmfleetcoaches
Track gauge4 ft8+1⁄2in(1,435 mm)standard gauge
Operating speed35 mph (56 km/h) (avg.)
110 mph (180 km/h) (top)
Track owner(s)MNRR,CSX,CPKC,CN

TheAdirondackis a dailyintercitypassenger trainoperated byAmtrakbetweenNew York CityandMontreal.The scenic route follows theEmpire Corridorthrough theHudson Valleywith major stops inYonkers,Poughkeepsie,Albany–Rensselaer,andSchenectady.North ofSaratoga Springsthe route runs between theAdirondack MountainsandLake Champlainuntil crossing theCanada–U.S. borderatRouses Point.Trains take approximately 11 hours to travel the 381-mile (613 km) route.

Canadian track maintenance issues led to the suspension of theAdirondackfrom June to September in 2023 and 2024.

Operation of theAdirondackis supported by theNew York State Department of TransportationandVia Rail.Amtrak reported thatAdirondackserved 26,892 passengers in fiscal year 2023,[3]down from pre-COVID-19 pandemic ridership of 117,490 in FY2019.[4]

History

[edit]
TheAdirondackat Saratoga Springs in 1980

At the inception ofAmtrakon May 1, 1971, theDelaware and Hudson Railway(D&H) operated two trains betweenAlbany, New Yorkand Montreal: theMontreal Limited(overnight) and theLaurentian(day). Both trains were discontinued, and for three years the D&H main line saw no service.[5]Amtrak service to Montreal began in 1972 with theMontrealer,which ran throughVermontrather than New York.[6]

TheAdirondackbegan running on August 6, 1974 (with a ceremonial train the previous day) fromGrand Central Terminalin New York to Albany, then over the D&H's line toWindsor Stationin Montreal.[7][8]From the outset the train operated with financial support from the state of New York.[7]The train initially operated as a section of the New York–BuffaloEmpire State Express.[9]

Initially, theAdirondackused the same routing as its D&H predecessors, running over the formerRensselaer and Saratoga RailroadviaWatervlietandMechanicville, New York,and over theSchenectady–Mechanicville freight bypassto Saratoga. With the April 30, 1978, timetable change, theAdirondackdropped both stops but continued to use the route.[10]The train was re-routed viaSchenectadyon October 29, 1978, but did not start stopping there until January 29, 1979.[11][12]Both termini have shifted since service began. In Montreal, theAdirondackmoved to theCanadian National Railway'sCentral Stationon January 12, 1986.[13]In New York City, the opening of theEmpire Connectionon April 8, 1991, allowed theAdirondackto servePenn Stationinstead of Grand Central.[14]

21st century

[edit]

As part of an effort to improve on-time performance along the Empire Corridor, Amtrak reached an agreement with CSX to lease the CSX Hudson Subdivision betweenPoughkeepsieand Schenectady. Starting in 2012, Amtrak effectively took operational control of the Hudson Subdivision, handling all maintenance and capital responsibilities.[15]Even with this move, Amtrak still operates less than half of the trackage along theAdirondackroute.

In 2012,U.S. Customs and Border Protectionbegan planning apreclearancefacility atMontreal Central Station,which would allow departing passengers to be prescreened in Montreal, where northbound passengers would be processed by theCanada Border Services Agencyupon arrival, rather than at the border itself. Presently, theAdirondackmust stop atLacolle, Quebecnorthbound andRouses Point, New Yorksouthbound for immigration procedures that can take up to two hours.[16]By early 2017, theUnited States Congresshad passed its necessary enabling legislation.[17]The corresponding Canadian legislation was givenroyal assentin late 2017 and came into force in 2019.[18][19]

All trains using theEmpire Connection,excluding theLake Shore Limited,operated into Grand Central Terminal from May 26 to September 4, 2018, to allow work on the Empire Tunnel, theSpuyten Duyvil movable bridge,and Penn Station.[20]For most of the summer of 2019, the northboundAdirondackran combined with the northboundMaple Leafdue to infrastructure work at Penn Station, splitting in Albany. The two trains ran separately on weekends during July and August.[21]

COVID-19 pandemic and track issues

[edit]

In March 2020, theAdirondackwas truncated to Albany–Rensselaer after all non-essential travel across theCanada–United States borderwas banned in response to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[22][23]In July 2021, that truncated service was replaced by the resumption ofEthan Allen Expressservice, which overlaps theAdirondackbetween New York City andFort Edward.Weekday service fromNew York Cityto Albany resumed on December 5, 2022.[24]Full service resumption toMontrealtook place on April 3, 2023; the Port Kent stop remained closed, as service on the Port Kent-Burlington Ferry remained suspended indefinitely.[25][26]

The Canadian National Railway (CN) owns theRouses Point Subdivision,a 42-mile (68 km) section of track that runs fromRouses Point, New York,to the vicinity of Montreal. During the COVID-19 suspension track conditions "deteriorat[ed]", forcing Amtrak to lengthen an already long running time between Rouses Point and Montreal.[27]Citing a concern overheat kinks,CN imposed a 10 miles per hour (16 km/h) speed restriction when temperatures exceeded 30 °C (86 °F), leading to one trip over in mid-June taking four hours. On June 26, Amtrak suspended service "until further notice" north of Albany over the track conditions.[28]Amtrak criticized "inconsistent application of CN's historical heat order policy"; CN claimed that Amtrak had failed to pay for maintenance to the track, which Amtrak disputed.[29]Adirondackservice was extended toSaratoga Springson July 24, 2023, to serve theSaratoga Race Coursemeet. Trains were turned using a CPwyenear Saratoga Springs.[30]Montreal service resumed on September 11.[31][32]

TheAdirondackwas again suspended north of Saratoga Springs on May 20, 2024, due to unspecified track work.[33]On May 17, 2024, Amtrak and CN announced an agreement under which Amtrak would pay CN to perform track work on the line, which would "mitigate, but not eliminate", heat-related slow orders.[34]The suspension was originally intended to end on June 29; however, in early June it was extended to mid-September.[35]

Operation

[edit]

Equipment

[edit]
TheAdirondackwith D&H equipment in 1976

MostAdirondacktrains consist of five to seven cars hauled by alocomotive.[36]

The passenger cars are theAmfleetseries built by theBudd Companyin the mid-1970s to early-1980s. Most trains include aCafé car(food service/lounge) and four to six Coach Class cars. Unlike otherEmpire Corridortrains, theAdirondackdoes not offer business class seating.[36]

All cars offer complimentary WiFi, an electric outlet (120 V, 60 Hz AC) at each seat, reading lamps, and fold-out tray tables. Passengers self-select seats on a first-come, first-served basis.[37]Reservations are required on all trains; tickets may be purchased online, from an agent at some stations, a ticketing machine at most stations, or, at a higher cost, from the conductor on the train.[38]

Between New York City and Albany–Rensselaer, trains are pulled by aGE Genesis P32AC-DMdual-mode diesel locomotive at speeds up to 110 mph (177 km/h). The locomotives operate onthird railelectric power in Penn Station and the Empire Connection tunnel and on diesel power for the rest of the route.[39]Between Albany–Rensselaer and Montréal, traditional diesel-onlyGE Genesislocomotives are used.

TheAdirondackdebuted in 1974 with D&H equipment, much of it from theLaurentian,as Amtrak was experiencing equipment shortages. These were supplemented by a pair ofSkylinedome carsleased from theCanadian Pacific Railway.Two D&HALCO PAdiesel locomotives hauled each train. On March 1, 1977, newTurbolinergas turbine trainsetstook over from the D&H cars. Conventional Amtrak equipment would eventually displace the Turboliners.[40]

In the coming years all equipment will be replaced with Amtrak Airo trainsets, the railroad's branding of its combination ofSiemens Venturepassenger cars and aSiemens Chargerdiesel-electric locomotive.[41]The trainsets for theAdirondackwill have six passenger cars, which will include a cabcontrol car,a food service area, and a mix of 2x2 Coach Class and 2x1 Business Class seating.[42]The car closest to the locomotive will have batteries to supply electricity to traction motors in the locomotive when operating in Penn Station and the Empire Connection tunnel, eliminating the need for third rail propulsion. The arrangement will eliminate the time-consuming locomotive change at Albany–Rensselaer.

Route

[edit]

TheAdirondackoperates over Canadian National Railway,Canadian Pacific Kansas City,CSX Transportation,Metro-North Railroadand Amtrak rails:[43]

Station stops

[edit]
State/
Province 		Town/City Mile (km) Station Connections/Notes
QC Montreal 0 Montreal Via Rail:Québec City–Windsor Corridor,Ocean,Montreal–Jonquière,Montreal–Senneterre
Exo:Mont-Saint-Hilaire line,Mascouche line
Réseau express métropolitain
Montreal Metro:Orange
STM Bus
Saint-Lambert 4 (6.4) Saint-Lambert Via Rail:Québec City–Windsor Corridor,Ocean
Exo:Mont-Saint-Hilaire line
Bus interchangeRTL
Canada–United States border
NY Rouses Point 49 (79) Rouses Point
Plattsburgh 72 (116) Plattsburgh Bus interchangeClinton County Public Transit(at Government Center)
Port Kent 85 (137) Port Kent ferry/water interchangeLake Champlain Transportation:seasonalferrytoBurlington, Vermont.Train service has been suspended since theAdirondackresumed due to the suspension of ferry service.
Westport 112 (180) Westport AmtrakAmtrak ThruwaytoLake Placid
Port Henry 123 (198) Port Henry
Ticonderoga 140 (230) Ticonderoga ferry/water interchangeFort Ticonderoga Ferry: seasonal ferry toShoreham, Vermont
Whitehall 162 (261) Whitehall
Fort Edward 184 (296) Fort Edward AmtrakAmtrak:Ethan Allen Express
Bus interchangeGreater Glens Falls Transit
Saratoga Springs 203 (327) Saratoga Springs AmtrakAmtrak:Ethan Allen Express
Bus interchangeCapital District Transportation Authority
Schenectady 222 (357) Schenectady AmtrakAmtrak:Empire Service,Ethan Allen Express,Lake Shore Limited,Maple Leaf
Rensselaer 240 (390) Albany–Rensselaer AmtrakAmtrak:Berkshire Flyer,Empire Service,Ethan Allen Express,Lake Shore Limited,Maple Leaf
Bus interchangeCapital District Transportation Authority
Hudson 268 (431) Hudson AmtrakAmtrak:Berkshire Flyer,Empire Service,Ethan Allen Express,Maple Leaf
Rhinecliff 293 (472) Rhinecliff AmtrakAmtrak:Berkshire Flyer,Empire Service,Ethan Allen Express,Maple Leaf
Poughkeepsie 309 (497) Poughkeepsie AmtrakAmtrak:Berkshire Flyer,Empire Service,Ethan Allen Express,Lake Shore Limited,Maple Leaf
Metro-North Railroad:■Hudson Line
Bus interchangeDutchess County Public Transit,City of Poughkeepsie Transit,Ulster County Area Transit
Croton-on-Hudson 349 (562) Croton–Harmon AmtrakAmtrak:Berkshire Flyer,Empire Service,Ethan Allen Express,Lake Shore Limited,Maple Leaf
Metro-North Railroad:■Hudson Line
Bus interchangeBee-Line Bus System
Yonkers 367 (591) Yonkers AmtrakAmtrak:Berkshire Flyer,Empire Service,Ethan Allen Express,Maple Leaf
Metro-North Railroad:■Hudson Line
Bus interchangeBee-Line Bus System
New York City 381 (613) Penn Station AmtrakAmtrak(long-distance):Cardinal,Crescent,Lake Shore Limited,Palmetto,Silver Meteor,Silver Star
AmtrakAmtrak (intercity):Acela,Berkshire Flyer,Carolinian,Empire Service,Ethan Allen Express,Keystone Service,Maple Leaf,Northeast Regional,Pennsylvanian,Vermonter
LIRR:■Main Line,■Port Washington Branch
NJ TransitNJ Transit:■North Jersey Coast Line,■Northeast Corridor Line,■Gladstone Branch,■Montclair-Boonton Line,■Morristown Line
NYC Subway:"1" train​"2" train​"3" train"A" train​"C" train​"E" train
Bus interchangeMTA Bus

Notes

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  1. ^Route suspended mid-2020 to mid-2023.
  2. ^Amtrak's Fiscal Year (FY) runs from October 1 of the prior year to September 30 of the named year.

Footnotes

[edit]
  1. ^"Amtrak Fiscal Year 2023 Ridership"(PDF).Amtrak. November 27, 2023.RetrievedNovember 30,2023.
  2. ^"Amtrak Timetable Results".www.amtrak.com.RetrievedDecember 20,2021.
  3. ^"Amtrak FY23 Ridership"(PDF).
  4. ^"Amtrak FY19 Ridership"(PDF).
  5. ^Schafer (2000),pp. 37–41.
  6. ^Borders, William (October 1, 1972)."New York to Montreal Trains Are Running Again After 18 Months".The New York Times.
  7. ^ab"Montreal Train Run Commences Today".Schenectady Gazette.Associated Press. August 6, 1974. p. 19.RetrievedJuly 28,2010.
  8. ^Burrs, Edward C. (August 6, 1974)."New York-Albany-Montreal Train Is Resumed With a Festive Air".The New York Times.
  9. ^Metivier, Don A. (August 5, 1974)."Historic Rail Service Resumption Set Today".The Post-Star.Glens Falls, New York. p. 2.RetrievedJune 23,2019– via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  10. ^"Amtrak Adirondack to Drop Mechanicville".Schenectady Gazette.April 21, 1978. p. 2.RetrievedMay 23,2023– viaGenealogyBank.
  11. ^"Amtrak Service To Begin Sunday".Schenectady Gazette.October 24, 1978. p. 27.RetrievedMay 23,2023– viaGenealogyBank.
  12. ^"'Adirondack' Train Now Serves City ".Schenectady Gazette.January 29, 1979. p. 11.RetrievedMay 23,2023– viaGenealogyBank.
  13. ^"Amtrak to use Central Station".The Gazette.January 11, 1986. p. 70.RetrievedMay 13,2024– viaNewspapers.com.
  14. ^Scull, Theodore W. (August 1991). "Change at Penn Station: An Opportunity".Trains.Vol. 51, no. 10. pp. 16–18.ISSN0041-0934.
  15. ^Anderson, Eric (October 18, 2011)."Amtrak leasing track corridor".Times Union.Albany.RetrievedOctober 25,2011.
  16. ^Bowen, Douglas John (May 11, 2012)."Customs relief in sight for Amtrak's Adirondack".Railway Age.RetrievedJune 22,2012.
  17. ^Anderson, Eric (March 19, 2017)."Amtrak's Adirondack on track to benefit from customs legislation".Times Union.Albany.RetrievedAugust 7,2017.
  18. ^"House Government Bill C-23 (42-1)".Parliament of Canada. Archived fromthe originalon June 5, 2019.RetrievedJune 11,2019.
  19. ^Government of Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada (June 12, 2019)."Canada Gazette, Part 2, Volume 153, Number 12: Order Fixing the Date on which the Preclearance Act, 2016 Comes into Force as the Day on which the Agreement on Land, Rail, Marine and Air Transport Preclearance between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States of America Enters into Force".gazette.gc.ca.RetrievedMay 13,2024.
  20. ^"Most Hudson Line trains to Operate to/from Grand Central Terminal during Infrastructure and Bridge replacement Period"(Press release). Amtrak. April 10, 2018. Archived fromthe originalon August 14, 2022.RetrievedApril 10,2018.
  21. ^"Summer 2019 infrastructure alert".Amtrak.Archived fromthe originalon July 6, 2019.
  22. ^"Service Adjustments Due to Coronavirus"(Press release). Amtrak. March 24, 2020.Archivedfrom the original on March 25, 2020.RetrievedMarch 25,2020.
  23. ^Dickson, Jane (March 18, 2020)."Canada-U.S. border to close except for essential supply chains".The Globe and Mail.RetrievedMarch 18,2020.
  24. ^"Adirondack Train".Amtrak. Archived fromthe originalon January 18, 2023.
  25. ^Alan, David Peter (March 29, 2023)."Amtrak Adirondack Returning to the Rails".Railway Age.RetrievedJune 17,2023.
  26. ^"Amtrak, New York State Department of Transportation and VIA Rail Canada Fully Restore Adirondack Service"(Press release). Amtrak. March 20, 2023.
  27. ^Johnston, Bob (March 22, 2023)."'Adirondack' tickets now on sale for service beginning April 3 ".Trains.RetrievedJune 27,2023.
  28. ^Johnston, Bob (June 27, 2023)."Amtrak abruptly suspends 'Adirondack' after CN imposes heat restriction".Trains.RetrievedJune 27,2023.
  29. ^Tomesco, Frédéric (July 6, 2023)."Amtrak, CN at odds over suspension of daily Montreal-New York train".Montreal Gazette.RetrievedJuly 7,2023.
  30. ^Johnston, Bob (July 17, 2023)."Adirondack round trips to be extended to Saratoga Springs".Trains.RetrievedJuly 17,2023.
  31. ^"Amtrak tentatively sets Sept. 11 date to resume 'Adirondack' service to Montreal".Trains News Wire.September 2, 2023.RetrievedSeptember 2,2023.
  32. ^LaShomb, Alek (September 11, 2023)."Amtrak service rolls back into Northern New York".WCAX.
  33. ^Johnston, Bob (May 9, 2024)."Adirondack to be cancelled in northern New York State, Canada for more than a month: News and analysis".Trains News Wire.RetrievedMay 9,2024.
  34. ^"Amtrak, CN reach agreement on track work for Adirondack route in Canada".Trains News Wire.May 17, 2024.RetrievedMay 17,2024.
  35. ^Lassen, David (June 7, 2024)."Suspension of Amtrak's Adirondack to Montreal will continue into September".Trains News Wire.RetrievedJune 8,2024.
  36. ^ab"Amtrak – Adirondack".TrainWeb.RetrievedDecember 27,2022.
  37. ^"Reserved Coach Class Seat".Amtrak.RetrievedApril 8,2018.
  38. ^"Travel Guide to Train Fares".Amtrak.RetrievedApril 8,2018.
  39. ^Vermont Agency of Transportation(January 2010)."Passenger Rail Equipment Options for the Amtrak Vermonter and Ethan Allen Express"(PDF).Vermont Legislature.RetrievedDecember 29,2014.
  40. ^"Celebrating 40 Years of the Adirondack".Amtrak.August 5, 2014.RetrievedAugust 5,2014.
  41. ^"Introducing Our New Trains: Amtrak Airo".Amtrak.December 15, 2022.RetrievedDecember 15,2022.
  42. ^"Amtrak FY 2022–2027 Asset Line Plan"(PDF).Amtrak.p. 132.RetrievedApril 11,2022.
  43. ^Roberts & Stremes (2023),p. 15-40.
  44. ^Roberts & Stremes (2023),p. 14-45.
  45. ^Roberts & Stremes (2023),p. 14-48.
  46. ^abRoberts & Stremes (2023),p. 14-119.

References

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