Berkshire Flyer

Last updated

Berkshire Flyer
Berkshire Flyer at Pittsfield (2), September 2022.jpg
The Berkshire Flyer at Pittsfield in September 2022
Overview
Service type Inter-city rail
StatusPilot, seasonal
Locale Hudson Valley and Berkshires
First serviceJuly 8, 2022 (2022-07-08)
Current operator(s) Amtrak
Website amtrak.com/berkshire-flyer
Route
Termini New York City, New York
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Distance travelled190 miles (306 km)
Average journey time4 hours
Service frequencyOne trip northbound on Friday, one trip southbound on Sunday
Train number(s)1235 (northbound)
1244 (southbound)
Technical
Rolling stock Amfleet Coaches
Track gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Track owner(s) MNRR, Amtrak, CSXT
Route map
BSicon CONTg.svg
BSicon ACC.svg
190 mi
306 km
Pittsfield
BSicon STR+GRZq.svg
BSicon CONTg.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon STRl.svg
BSicon ldACC.svg
BSicon dSTRq.svg
BSicon ABZr+r.svg
141 mi
227 km
Albany–Rensselaer
Train reverses
BSicon HSTACC.svg
114 mi
183 km
Hudson
BSicon HSTACC.svg
100 mi
161 km
Rhinecliff
BSicon HSTACC.svg
80 mi
129 km
Poughkeepsie
MTA NYC logo.svg
BSicon HSTACC.svg
40 mi
64 km
Croton–Harmon
MTA NYC logo.svg
BSicon HSTACC.svg
18 mi
29 km
Yonkers
MTA NYC logo.svg
BSicon hKRZWae.svg
BSicon tdCONTgq.svg
BSicon PORTALg.svg
BSicon tABZg+r.svg
BSicon tINTACC.svg
0 mi
New York City
BSicon SUBWAY.svg MTA NYC logo.svg NJT logo.svg
BSicon tSTRl.svg
BSicon tdCONTfq.svg

The Berkshire Flyer is a seasonal Amtrak passenger train service between New York City and the Berkshire Mountains in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, via the Hudson Valley. The weekly train departs Penn Station on Friday afternoons during the summer and returns on Sundays (Mondays on holiday weekends). The route's 2023 season began on May 26 and ran through October 9 as the second year of a three-year pilot program.

Contents

History

Development

In 2014, Massachusetts proposed moving ahead with plans for commuter rail service between the Berkshires and New York City. [1] [2] Eight round trips per day would have followed the Housatonic Railroad from Pittsfield through Connecticut to Southeast, New York, where they would have taken the Harlem Line to Grand Central Terminal. [3] [4] Four stops were proposed in Berkshire County: Pittsfield, Lee, Great Barrington, and Sheffield. [5] The commuter rail project failed to progress due to lack of interest from the administration of Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy. [6]

In 2017, the Massachusetts legislature began new efforts toward a summer tourist train, not commuter rail, between New York City and the Berkshires. Eddie Sporn, a Berkshire-based consultant, was researching the topic of restoring passenger rail service and sent an outline of plans to State Senator Adam Hinds. [7] The plan for the "Berkshire Flyer" was modeled on the CapeFLYER, a popular seasonal train between Boston and Cape Cod. The proposal routed the train on the Empire Corridor through New York State rather than Connecticut. In September the legislature empaneled a working group consisting of MassDOT representatives, government officials, business leaders, and involved citizens to work on the project. [6]

MassDOT released a Berkshire Flyer feasibility study in March 2018 in which three alternatives were studied. The first option (which was ultimately selected) was to extend an Empire Service round trip from Albany–Rensselaer to Pittsfield. The second option would have added a new limited-stop express train on this route, saving 10 to 12 minutes. The third would have added a new train that skipped Albany–Rensselaer by traversing the Schodack Subdivision, cutting 18 miles (29 km) and saving 20 minutes. NYSDOT stated it would not support a service that did not stop at all Empire Corridor stations. The report also raised the possibility of a new Amtrak station in Chatham, New York, but this was not evaluated due to its large capital costs. [8]

In May 2018, the Massachusetts Senate approved funds for a two-year trial of the Berkshire Flyer. The service would be a seasonal extension of a weekend Empire Service round trip to Pittsfield. [9] [10] [11]

Pilot

The service pilot was originally scheduled to begin in June 2020, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and questions around the program's legal sponsorship. [12] It was rescheduled to take place in summer 2022 and 2023, and was later expanded to a third year, 2024.

In April 2022, Amtrak announced that the first trip would depart on July 8. [13] Tickets went up for sale on May 25, starting at $45 one way. [14] [15] Service began as announced on July 8, 2022, with train 1235 departing on-time from Penn Station. Several local and state officials were aboard the first train, while others greeted it in Pittsfield. [16] [17] The season ended with a southbound trip on September 5, running on Labor Day instead of Sunday. [18]

The 2022 season saw nine total Berkshire Flyer round trips, carrying 401 passengers northbound to Pittsfield and 418 riders southbound. [19] Feedback on the route was positive, though many passengers desired the option to spend more time in Pittsfield, saying the limited schedule was inconvenient. Supporters hoped the schedule could be expanded for the 2023 season. [20]

In April 2023, MassDOT announced the Berkshire Flyer's second season would run from Memorial Day weekend to Columbus Day weekend. The first northbound train departed on May 26, and the last southbound train was scheduled for October 8. Twenty total round trips were scheduled, more than double that of 2022. [21] [22]

In 2023, MassDOT indicated that the pilot would be funded for a third season (summer 2024) in order to make up for the late start and minimal marketing of the 2022 season. This required a new agreement with track-owner CSX, who desired the construction of a passing siding at Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center. [19] As of April 2024, the service is expected to run between June 21 and September 2, 2024. Connecting bus service (possibly Amtrak Thruway) between Albany–Rensselaer and Pittsfield may be added after the Berkshire Flyer season ends. [23]

Service

A P42DC locomotive, only used on the Pittsfield leg, being removed from the train at Albany-Rensselaer Berkshire Flyer locomotive swap at Albany, September 2022.jpg
A P42DC locomotive, only used on the Pittsfield leg, being removed from the train at Albany–Rensselaer

As of 2023, the Berkshire Flyer is scheduled to depart New York Penn Station on Fridays at 3:15 p.m. and arrive at Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center in Pittsfield at 7:12 p.m.. The reverse trip is made Sundays, departing Pittsfield at 3:00 p.m. and arriving at Penn Station at 7:10 p.m.. Intermediate stops are made in both directions at Yonkers, Croton–Harmon, Poughkeepsie, Rhinecliff, Hudson, and Albany–Rensselaer, the same stops as a typical Empire Service train. [24] In Pittsfield, passengers are welcomed by "ambassadors" who provide information and assist in wayfinding. [25] [18]

Route details

The Berkshire Flyer operates over CSX Transportation, Metro-North Railroad, and Amtrak trackage:

Though the Berkshire Flyer is the first and only Amtrak train to offer a direct ride between New York City and Pittsfield without layovers, all sections of the route are served by other Amtrak trains. The line between New York City and Rensselaer is part of Amtrak's Empire Corridor, while service between Rensselaer and Pittsfield is provided by the Lake Shore Limited .

Stations

StateLocation Mile (km) StationConnections
MA Pittsfield 190 (310) Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak: Lake Shore Limited
Aiga bus trans.svg BRTA: 1, 2, 4, 5A, 5B, 11, 12 , 14, 15, 21, 921
Aiga bus trans.svg Peter Pan Bus
NY Rensselaer 141 (227) Albany–Rensselaer BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak: Adirondack , Empire Service , Ethan Allen Express , Lake Shore Limited, Maple Leaf
Bus-logo.svg CDTA: 114, 214
Hudson 114 (183) Hudson BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak: Adirondack, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Maple Leaf
Rhinecliff 100 (160) Rhinecliff BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak: Adirondack, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Maple Leaf
Poughkeepsie 80 (130) Poughkeepsie BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak: Adirondack, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Maple Leaf
MTA NYC logo.svg Metro-North Railroad:   Hudson Line
Bus-logo.svg DCPT: A, B, C, D, E, Poughkeepsie RailLink; UCAT: Ulster-Poughkeepsie LINK
Croton-on-Hudson 40 (64) Croton–Harmon BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak: Adirondack, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Lake Shore Limited, Maple Leaf
MTA NYC logo.svg Metro-North Railroad:   Hudson Line
Bus-logo.svg Bee-Line: 10, 11, 14
Yonkers 18 (29) Yonkers BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak: Adirondack, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Maple Leaf
MTA NYC logo.svg Metro-North Railroad:   Hudson Line
Bus-logo.svg Bee-Line: 6, 9, 25, 32, 91
New York City 0 (0) New York Penn Station BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak (long-distance): Cardinal , Crescent , Lake Shore Limited , Palmetto , Silver Meteor , Silver Star
BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak (intercity): Acela , Adirondack , Carolinian , Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Keystone Service , Maple Leaf , Northeast Regional , Pennsylvanian , Vermonter
MTA NYC logo.svg LIRR:   City Terminal Zone,   Port Washington Branch
NJT logo.svg NJ Transit:   North Jersey Coast Line,   Northeast Corridor Line,   Gladstone Branch,   Montclair-Boonton Line,   Morristown Line
BSicon SUBWAY.svg NYC Subway: NYCS-bull-trans-1-Std.svg NYCS-bull-trans-2-Std.svg NYCS-bull-trans-3-Std.svg NYCS-bull-trans-A-Std.svg NYCS-bull-trans-C-Std.svg NYCS-bull-trans-E-Std.svg
PATH logo.svg PATH: HOB-33 JSQ-33 JSQ-33 (via HOB)
Bus-logo.svg NYC Transit buses: M7 , M20 , M34 SBS , M34A SBS , Q32 , SIM23 , SIM24

Related Research Articles

<i>Maple Leaf</i> (train) International passenger train operated by Amtrak and Via Rail

The Maple Leaf is an international passenger train service operated by Amtrak and Via Rail between New York Penn Station in New York City and Union Station in Toronto via the Empire Corridor. Daily service is offered in both directions; the 544-mile (875 km) trip takes approximately 12 hours, including two hours for U.S. or Canadian customs and immigration inspection at either Niagara Falls, New York, or Niagara Falls, Ontario. Although the train uses Amtrak rolling stock exclusively, the train is operated by Via Rail crews while in Canada and by Amtrak crews in the United States. Service began in 1981.

<i>Empire Service</i> Amtrak service between New York City, NY and Niagara Falls, NY

The Empire Service is an inter-city rail service operated by Amtrak within the state of New York in the United States. The brand name originated with the New York Central Railroad in 1967. Trains on the line provide frequent daily service along the 460-mile (740 km) Empire Corridor between New York City and Niagara Falls via Albany, the state capital.

<i>Ethan Allen Express</i> Intercity rail service in the United States

The Ethan Allen Express is a daily passenger train operated by Amtrak in the United States between New York City and Burlington, Vermont, via Albany, New York. One daily round trip is operated on a 310-mile (500 km) north–south route with a 7-hour 35 minute scheduled running time. The train is subsidized by New York and Vermont for the portion north of Albany. It is named for Vermont cofounder and American Revolutionary War hero Ethan Allen.

<i>Lake Shore Limited</i> American intercity passenger train service

The Lake Shore Limited is an overnight passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago and the Northeastern United States, with sections to New York City and Boston. The central segment of the route runs along the southern shore of Lake Erie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poughkeepsie station</span> Train station in New York

Poughkeepsie station is a Metro-North Railroad and Amtrak stop serving the city of Poughkeepsie, New York. The station is the northern terminus of Metro-North's Hudson Line, and an intermediate stop for Amtrak's several Empire Corridor trains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Croton–Harmon station</span> Train station in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, US

Croton–Harmon station is a train station in Croton-on-Hudson, New York. It serves the Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line and all Amtrak lines running along the Empire Corridor. It is the main transfer point between the Hudson Line's local and express service and marks the northern endpoint of third-rail electrification on the route.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yonkers station</span> Train station in Yonkers, New York, US

Yonkers station is a Metro-North Railroad and Amtrak railroad station located near Getty Square in Yonkers, New York. It is served by Metro-North Hudson Line commuter rail service and five Amtrak intercity services. The station building was constructed in 1911–1912, replacing an older structure.

<i>Adirondack</i> (train) Amtrak service between New York City, NY and Montreal, QC

The Adirondack is an intercity rail passenger train operated daily, partially along the Empire Corridor, by Amtrak between New York City and Montreal. Trains take approximately 11 hours to travel the 381 miles (613 km) route through the scenic Hudson Valley and along the eastern border of the Adirondack Mountains. Operation of the Adirondack is supported by the New York State Department of Transportation and Via Rail. Service was suspended in March 2020 due to the closure of the Canada–United States border in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, resumed in spring 2023, and suspended again at the end of June 2023 because of track conditions in Canada. Service again resumed in September. Amtrak reported that Adirondack served 26,892 passengers in fiscal year 2023, down from pre-COVID-19 pandemic ridership of 117,490 in FY2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston and Albany Railroad</span> American railroad line (1867-1961)

The Boston and Albany Railroad was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Albany, New York, later becoming part of the New York Central Railroad system, Conrail, and CSX Transportation. The line is currently used by CSX for freight. Passenger service is provided on the line by Amtrak, as part of their Lake Shore Limited service, and by the MBTA Commuter Rail system, which owns the section east of Worcester and operates it as its Framingham/Worcester Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Empire Corridor</span> Railroad corridor in the U.S. state of New York

The Empire Corridor is a 461-mile (742 km) passenger rail corridor in New York State running between Penn Station in New York City and Niagara Falls, New York. Major cities on the route include Poughkeepsie, Albany, Schenectady, Amsterdam, Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo. Much of the corridor was once part of the New York Central Railroad's main line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Springfield Union Station (Massachusetts)</span> Train station in Springfield, Massachusetts, US

Springfield Union Station is a train and bus station in the Metro Center area of Springfield, Massachusetts. Constructed in 1926, Springfield Union Station is the fifth-busiest Amtrak station in the Commonwealth, and the busiest outside of Greater Boston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albany–Rensselaer station</span> Train station in New York State, US

Rensselaer Rail Station, signed as Albany–Rensselaer on its platforms, is a train station in Rensselaer, New York, located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from downtown Albany across the Hudson River. Operated by the Capital District Transportation Authority, it serves as Amtrak's primary station for the Capital District. To emphasize the station's location across the river from Albany, as well as to distinguish from the Rensselaer station in Indiana, Amtrak refers to the station as "Albany–Rensselaer."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhinecliff station</span> Amtrak rail station in Rhinebeck, New York

Rhinecliff station is an Amtrak intercity rail station located in the Rhinecliff hamlet of Rhinebeck, New York, United States. The station has one low-level island platform, with a wheelchair lift for accessibility. It is served by the Adirondack, Berkshire Flyer, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Lake Shore Limited, and Maple Leaf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center</span> Transit facility in Massachusetts, US

The Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center is a transit facility located in downtown Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The $11 million facility is named after Joseph Scelsi, a longtime State Representative who represented Pittsfield. Owned by the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA), it is serviced by local BRTA bus services, Amtrak intercity rail service, and Peter Pan intercity bus service. The second floor of the building houses two classrooms used by Berkshire Community College and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berkshire Subdivision</span>

The Berkshire Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in the U.S. states of Massachusetts and New York. The line runs from near Springfield, Massachusetts west to Schodack, New York, along a former New York Central Railroad line. Its east end is in Wilbraham, east of Springfield, at the west end of the Boston Subdivision. Its west end is just east of the Alfred H. Smith Memorial Bridge, at a junction with the Castleton Subdivision and Schodack Subdivision. Along the way, the line junctions Amtrak's Post Road Branch in Schodack.

The Post Road Branch is a railroad line owned and operated by Amtrak in the U.S. state of New York. The line runs from a junction with CSX Transportation's Berkshire Subdivision in Castleton-on-Hudson, New York, northwest to CSX's Hudson Subdivision at Rensselaer, New York, along a former New York Central Railroad line. Freight service is provided by CSX Transportation, who calls it the Post Road Subdivision, via trackage rights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hudson Subdivision</span> Rail line in New York state

The Amtrak Hudson Line, also known as the CSX Hudson Subdivision, is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation and leased by Amtrak in the U.S. state of New York. The line runs from Poughkeepsie north along the east shore of the Hudson River to Rensselaer and northwest to Hoffmans via Albany and Schenectady along a former New York Central Railroad line. From its south end, CSX has trackage rights south to New York City along the Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line. The Hudson Line junctions the Castleton Subdivision in Stuyvesant, Amtrak's Post Road Branch in Rensselaer and the Carman Subdivision in Schenectady. Its northwest end is at a merge with the Mohawk Subdivision. The entirety of the line overlaps with the Empire Corridor, one of Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration's candidate lines for future high-speed rail.

<i>Hartford Line</i> (Amtrak) Amtrak service between Springfield, MA and New Haven, CT

The Hartford Line is a train service run by Amtrak primarily between Springfield, Massachusetts, and New Haven, Connecticut, along Amtrak's New Haven–Springfield Line.

<i>Valley Flyer</i> (Amtrak train)

The Valley Flyer is a train service run by Amtrak between New Haven, Connecticut and Greenfield, Massachusetts along Amtrak's New Haven–Springfield Line and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's Connecticut River Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East-West Passenger Rail (Massachusetts)</span> Massachusetts east-to-west rail project

East-West Rail is a proposed intercity passenger rail project that would provide new service between Boston and western Massachusetts, with stops including Worcester, Palmer, Springfield, Pittsfield, and Amtrak's Albany–Rensselaer station in New York. The 171-mile (275 km) route between Boston and Albany would use the former mainline of the Boston and Albany Railroad, which is now owned by the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority and CSX Transportation.

References

  1. Scribner, David (July 18, 2014). "State to buy Berkshire rail line; first step in restoring passenger service". The Berkshire Edge. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  2. Scribner, David (July 25, 2014). "State to move ahead with funding for rail commuter service to NYC". The Berkshire Edge. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  3. Scribner, David. "Study backs restoring trains to Berkshires". Hill Country Observer. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  4. Sheppard, Stephen. "Economic Benefits of Housatonic Railroad Passenger Service" (PDF). Center for Creative Community Development. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  5. "Berkshire Passenger Rail Station Location & Design Analysis" (PDF). Berkshire Regional Planning Commission. August 2014. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  6. 1 2 Cowgill, Terry (September 27, 2017). "Panel reimagines passenger rail service -- once again -- between New York and the Berkshires". The Berkshire Edge. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  7. Cowgill, Terry (September 27, 2017). "Panel reimagines passenger rail service -- once again -- between New York and the Berkshires". The Berkshire Edge. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  8. "Berkshire Flyer: Pittsfield to New York City Feasibility Study". MassDOT Transit & Rail Division. March 26, 2018. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  9. "News Briefs: Mass. Senate approves funding for opioid prevention services; Mass. Senate provides funding for Berkshire FLYER; Mass. Senate to review small bridge repair regulations". Berkshire Edge. May 30, 2018.
  10. Vaccaro, Adam (March 27, 2018). "A Berkshires-NYC train service could relaunch by 2019". Boston Globe.
  11. Bellow, Heather (March 1, 2019). "Berkshire Flyer group 'ready to take the leap' from vision to reality". Berkshire Eagle.
  12. Parnass, Larry (May 29, 2020). "Debut of Berkshire Flyer service to NYC delayed by legal questions". The Berkshire Eagle. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  13. "Berkshire Flyer Passenger Train Service Begins July 8" (Press release). Massachusetts Department of Transportation. April 25, 2022. Archived from the original on April 26, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  14. "Amtrak Travelers Can Now Buy Tickets for Berkshire Flyer Service Between Pittsfield and New York City". Amtrak Media. May 25, 2022. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  15. "Tickets on sale for Berkshire Flyer service between Pittsfield and NYC". spectrumnews1.com. May 26, 2022. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  16. Britton-Mehlisch, Meg (July 8, 2022). "'Sold out' Berkshire Flyer train is rolling towards Pittsfield, after on-time departure from New York City". The Berkshire Eagle. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  17. Britton-Mehlisch, Meg (July 8, 2022). "Five years in the making, Berkshire Flyer's inaugural run from New York City to Pittsfield a 'sold out' success". The Berkshire Eagle. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  18. 1 2 "Berkshire Flyer Train From NY To Pittsfield and the Berkshires". Berkshire Flyer Pittsfield. City of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  19. 1 2 Britton-Mehlisch, Meg (June 7, 2023). "The Berkshire Flyer is back for another season, but future of the passenger line between New York and Pittsfield remains up in the air". The Berkshire Eagle. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  20. "Our Opinion: Seeing some sustained ridership on Berkshire Flyer is valuable. So are the travelers' insights". The Berkshire Eagle. August 18, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  21. McLaughlin, Chris (April 12, 2023). "Pittsfield to NYC line returns this summer, Amtrak announces". masslive. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  22. "Our Opinion: Berkshire Flyer arrives for another pilot run with momentum and hope in tow". The Berkshire Eagle. June 3, 2023. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  23. Slesinger, Meredith (April 16, 2024). "Rail and Transit Report". Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
  24. "Berkshire Flyer Passenger Train Service Begins July 8". Amtrak Media. April 26, 2022.
  25. McGrath, Ben (August 29, 2022). "All Aboard the Berkshire Flyer!". The New Yorker . Condé Nast . Retrieved September 22, 2022.