New Atlantic City Train To Begin Service This Summer

[Analogrules]

I read in the Star Ledger today that the long awaited, NYC to AC train should begin service on the weekends starting this summer. The train will be called the "ACES" train which stands for Atlantic City Express Service and supposedly will make stops at NY Penn Station, Newark Penn Station, Trenton, Philly, and then intersect with the already existing AC line for the remainder of the trip. The ACES train will be operated by NJT, however owned and funded by the Borgota, Caesars, and Harrah's Casino.

Therefore, this train will NOT be going along the North Jersey Coastline as someone originally posted on here a while back. I'm wondering if they are already licensed to a frequency (frequencies) to be used in the future OR will just share 161.010 with the Northeast Corridor/Amtrak line? Anyone with frequency info on this new, proposed train line?

 

[ctrabs74]

I would suspect that the new rail service would use the existing Amtrak/NEC and NJT/AC Rail Line freqs for communications.

I do, however, find it to be a waste to go to from NYC to Philly then backtrack to AC, unless there's an engine switch at 30 St Station (which, IMHO makes no sense, but that's for another forum).

 

[robbinsj2]

As long as the train is on the Amtrak-owned Northeast Corridor line, it will be dispatched by Amtrak on the regular Amtrak frequency(ies). Once it departs the Amtrak line then it would switch to something else, presumably the road channel for the other line. I'm not familiar with the second leg of its future journey; if there are trains running that line now then this ACES train should use the same channel as them.

Jim

 

[kb2vxa]

It's pretty easy if you look at the NJT route map. They use Amtrak from NY to Trenton, SEPTA from there to Philly and the Atlantic City Line from PA to ACY. North Jersey Coast Line? Not unless they have one of these.

 

[wevans]

The existing frequencies will be used, the trainset will change ends at Shore Interlocking and proceed to A. City, There is no need for them to go into Philadelphia. Don't look for this service to begin before November of 08.

 

[Analogrules]

It looks like Wevans is right and the Star Ledger was wrong. No direct train service yet. Has anyone heard any updates on this?

 

[FF86]

I believe NJT was still wating for the rail cars to be delivered. They are also trying something new in regards to motive power. Since they will offer a one seat ride from NY to AC, they will use a electric locomotive for NY Penn Station and the tunnels (and likely much of the NEC) and then use a diesel locomotove coupled to the other end for the non-electrified territory (the AC line). This is the first time they are doing this and I believe they were still making nessesary equipment mods and doing some crew training.

While on the NEC they'll operate on 161.01 (NEC road) and they'll switch over to the NJT dispatcher after SHORE on the AC line which is on 161.40 (same as the Hoboken Division frequency).

 

[Analogrules]

Yeah, the frequency useage makes a lot of sense since they'll be using both the NEC line and the Atlantic City Line. I'm just afraid to see how much they're planning on charging for the trip. I hope they at least offer casino bonus packages, although I doubt it.