Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Service type | Inter-city rail | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Status | Pilot, seasonal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Locale | Hudson Valley and Berkshires | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First service | July 8, 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current operator(s) | Amtrak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Website | amtrak.com/berkshire-flyer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Route | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Termini | New York City, New York Pittsfield, Massachusetts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance travelled | 190 miles (306 km) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Average journey time | 4 hours | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Service frequency | Two northbound and one southbound trip weekly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Train number(s) | 1233, 1235, 1246 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rolling stock | Amfleet coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Track owner(s) | MNRR, Amtrak, CSX | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 and Sunday 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.
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]
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] The 2024 season will operate from June 21 to September 2, 2024, with a Sunday northbound trip added. [23] Connecting bus service (possibly Amtrak Thruway) between Albany–Rensselaer and Pittsfield may be added after the Berkshire Flyer season ends. [24]
The Berkshire Flyer operates northbound (New York to Pittsfield) on Friday afternoons and Sundays midday, and southbound on Sunday afternoon. Intermediate stops are made in both directions at Empire Service stations. [25] In Pittsfield, passengers are welcomed by "ambassadors" who provide information and assist in wayfinding. [26] [18]
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 .
State | Location | Mile (km) | Station | Connections |
---|---|---|---|---|
MA | Pittsfield | 190 (310) | Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center | Amtrak: Lake Shore Limited BRTA: 1, 2, 4, 5A, 5B, 11, 12 , 14, 15, 21, 921 Peter Pan Bus |
NY | Rensselaer | 141 (227) | Albany–Rensselaer | Amtrak: Adirondack , Empire Service , Ethan Allen Express , Lake Shore Limited, Maple Leaf CDTA: 114, 214 |
Hudson | 114 (183) | Hudson | Amtrak: Adirondack, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Maple Leaf | |
Rhinecliff | 100 (160) | Rhinecliff | Amtrak: Adirondack, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Maple Leaf | |
Poughkeepsie | 80 (130) | Poughkeepsie | Amtrak: Adirondack, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Maple Leaf Metro-North Railroad: ■ Hudson Line DCPT: A, B, C, D, E, Poughkeepsie RailLink; UCAT: Ulster-Poughkeepsie LINK | |
Croton-on-Hudson | 40 (64) | Croton–Harmon | Amtrak: Adirondack, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Lake Shore Limited, Maple Leaf Metro-North Railroad: ■ Hudson Line Bee-Line: 10, 11, 14 | |
Yonkers | 18 (29) | Yonkers | Amtrak: Adirondack, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Maple Leaf Metro-North Railroad: ■ Hudson Line Bee-Line: 6, 9, 25, 32, 91 | |
New York City | 0 (0) | New York Penn Station | Amtrak (long-distance): Cardinal , Crescent , Lake Shore Limited, Palmetto , Silver Meteor , Silver Star Amtrak (intercity): Acela , Adirondack, Carolinian , Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Keystone Service , Maple Leaf, Northeast Regional , Pennsylvanian , Vermonter LIRR: ■ City Terminal Zone, ■ Port Washington Branch NJ Transit: ■ North Jersey Coast Line, ■ Northeast Corridor Line, ■ Gladstone Branch, ■ Montclair-Boonton Line, ■ Morristown Line NYC Subway: PATH: HOB-33 JSQ-33 JSQ-33 (via HOB) NYC Transit buses: M7 , M20 , M34 SBS , M34A SBS , Q32 , SIM23 , SIM24 |
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 Amtrak's Empire Corridor, and the south western part of Via Rail's Quebec City–Windsor 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.
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.
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.
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. East of Chicago, the Lake Shore Limited follows the former main line of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway to South Bend, Toledo, Cleveland, and Buffalo. From here the train takes the Empire Corridor through Rochester and Syracuse to Albany–Rensselaer station in Rensselaer, New York. At that station, the train divides, with one section continuing to Springfield and Boston in Massachusetts, while the other continues along the Empire Corridor to New York City. The train is scheduled for 19+1⁄2–20+1⁄4 hours for the 959 miles (1,543 km) between Chicago and New York, and 21+1⁄2–22 hours for the 1,018 miles (1,638 km) between Chicago and Boston.
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.
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.
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.
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 mainline is currently used by CSX for freight as the Berkshire Subdivision and Boston Subdivision. 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.
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.
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.
Albany–Rensselaer station, formally the Joseph L. Bruno Rail Station, 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. The station is served by Amtrak's Empire Corridor routes – Adirondack, Berkshire Flyer, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Lake Shore Limited, and Maple Leaf.
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.
Hudson station is a train station in Hudson, New York. Hudson serves a total of four different Amtrak trains, all of which have a southern terminus at Pennsylvania Station in New York City. They consist of the Adirondack from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the Empire Service from Niagara Falls, New York, the Ethan Allen Express from Burlington, VT, and the Maple Leaf from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Lake Shore Limited trains from Chicago served Hudson until April 4, 2009.
The Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center is a transit facility located in downtown Pittsfield, Massachusetts, United States. 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.
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.
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.
The Amtrak Hartford Line is a train service run by Amtrak primarily between Springfield, Massachusetts, and New Haven, Connecticut, along Amtrak's New Haven–Springfield Line.
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.
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.