Amtrak gave up the Clockers and NJT was to have taken them over…but I don’t know what happened that such service does not exist today…a couple of ideas: 1) SEPTA likes to get the revenue to Trenton and 2) Amtrak is doing well with their service and doesn’t want to rock the boat by a quicker and cheaper service by NJT.
New Jersey Transit’s express trains run as fast as the Clockers ever did. There may not be all that many of them (as you discovered when you got your express to Metro Park that made all stops after that) but the ones that do run express are very fast.
I rarely ride SEPTA to Philadelphia. I don’t know if SEPTA has any fast service to Philadelphia.
PS. I just took a look at a SEPTA time table. All SEPTA trains, as far as I can see, take 50 minutes from Trenton to 30th Street Station. There are some express trains but they take 50 minutes too.
Clockers stops I believe were NYP, Newark, New Brunswick, Princeton, Trenton, No. Philadelphia, 30th St.; some making all those stops, others skipping one or two…90 minutes stop to start either direction. NJT’s expresses make more stops; SEPTA makes all stops. Clocker coaches also were a step above the MU’s but not full long distance comfort. Timing–both frequency and speed—was the selling point but comfort was the bonus.
Different Clockers made different stops. From the Pennsylvania Railroad’s perspective they were local trains. And yes, they were not long distance coaches but they were more comfortable than New Jersey Transit’s coaches. At that time all NJT coaches had 5 across seating.
Same issue as the Pennsylvanian, perhaps. Amounted to ‘unfunded’ service that can arguably be described as “local” service to Philadelphia – since all the regular Boston-Washington trains still happily serve the Amtrak market between New York and Philadelphia at higher speed.
RME.
Agreed. Since I personally have traveled both the Amtrak and the NJT/SEPTA service between New York and Philly, the extra cost for Amtrak is worth whatever savings the commuter rail option is. I suspect Amtrak still does very good business in the NY-Philly “commuter” market even without the Clockers.
Getting back to Amtrak providing commuter service, their Springfield shuttles, Downeaster and Hiawatha services while not labeled as a commuter service do act in that sort of capacity.
Amtrak could be anywhere from $26 if you buy now to $60 or so if you wait til the last minute. Acela starts at $97 and goes up from there. SEPTA to Trenton is $8.75 and Trenton to NYP is $15.50 for a $25.25 total based on single trip fares. Sr. discounts are 15% on Amtrak except weekday Acela, NJT and SEPTA Sr fares are approximately 40% of the full fare. So if you plan at least 4 months in advance the cost for certain Amtrak trains is about even or worth the extra fare. But, if cost is the factor, undoubtedly the commuter fares will best suit your pocketbook.
And yes, while not labeled commuter services, for those who can afford the fares, there are numerous Amtrak trains that will fill the bill.
Although Amtrak does not designate any train as a Clocker it does provide fairly frequent service between New York and Washington. On weekdays almost all Northeast Regional Trains (including Keystone Trains) are no more than an hour apart beginning at 3 AM and ending at 11:05 pm. Many trains are about a half hour apart. There is a littler more than an hour between the first two trains of the day and the last two.
All I can add, Henry, is that the SEPTA trains are slow. With NJT if you choose your train it can be quite fast, an hour between Trenton and Newark.
There are people who commute between Philadelphia and New York. If I did and I could possibly afford it I would ride Amtrak.
John
I would drive to Hamilton and catch NJT there, particularly if I lived in the nothern PA suburbs (Bucks, Montgomery counties) or South Jersey (Burlington, Camden, Gloucester counties)
In the mid 70s, the Phila to NYP fare was about $5 ($1 more for a Metroliner). That’s about $20 now adjusted for inflation. Clearly, Amtrak has tried to keep the short-haul seats from turfing out longer trips - or at least improve the yield on them.
according to various AMTRAK document when the new ACELAs are delivered ( 2020 -2024 ? ) AMTRAK plans trips every half hour during the main times of the day. That may provide the frequency and speed that will cause for PHL - NYP to once again be called clockers ? There will also be regionals in between these ACELAs.
Clockers was a PRR name for NYP to 30th St. Philadelphia only…90 miles in 90 minutes leaving on the hour…no other trains or services were designated Clockers.
But if Acela starts half hourly service from NYP to D.C., then there might be a chance of lowering of fares and more use.
Don,
I know parking is more expensive in Trenton than in Hamilton. Hamilton station is pretty popular. I guess you don’t want to take a SEPTA train to Trenton and then change.
John
Henry,
Why do you think Amtrak would lower Acela fares? Right now from NYP to DC Acela runs full. Actually, I’m too frugal to ride Acela but when I was commuting from Newark to Trenton as I waited for my train an Acela would pull up across the platform and there were always people waiting to get on.
As you have pointed out if you schedule in advance you can get very reasonable fares on Northeast Regional trains. I find a month in advance is early enough for a good fare.
John
Can’t predict right now how half hour frequency will affect ridership…demand is high for what they have now, but it might soften enough that even the 97 buck base from NYP to Phila could lower or at least stay in place right up to the “all aboard”.
I just checked for this Friday, March 15. Acela at 4, 5 or 6 pm is $161. But if you can wait until 8:20 it is only $97. With an 8:20 departure you get to Philadelphia about 9:30 pm.
So yes, with more cars we can certainly expect fares to stay closer to the base. A win win situation.
I just did some price comparisons for the lowest one way adult fare between New York and Philadelphia.
Adding the fares in my head NJT plus SEPTA comes to $24.25. Of course there is no need to buy tickets in advance. No WiFi. NJT trains (and I suspect SEPTA trains) have a few electrical outlets that appear to be intended for car cleaners. However, it might be possible to plug into them. I don’t know if the conductor would allow it, though. I wonder if anyone has any experience.
Amtrak’s lowest fare on a Northeast Regional Train same trip is $36. The fare is available for trains 2 weeks from today. If you shop around I’m sure you could get a closer date, especially if you are flexible in scheduling.
This is part three of my New York to Philadelphia trilogy.
Acela takes 73 minutes.
Northeast regional takes 97 minutes which is 24 minutes more.
NJT fastest trains are about 72 minutes NY to Trenton. SEPTA fastest trains are about 53 minutes Trenton to Philadelphia. Total 125 minutes but there is a little time long in changing so I estimate best time is 135 minutes. This is 62 minutes more than Acela and 38 minutes more than NE Regional.
As a matter of practical reality if you are going to use NJT and SEPTA occasionally you probably go to the station and take the next train. This may well be a local and add 45 minutes or so to your trip That can bring your trip from New York to Philadelphia up to 3 hours. Bring a book. If you want a cup of coffee and a roll or bagel I recommend Zaros at Newark Penn Station. Expensive for that kind of food but worth it.
Can someone explain to me the ‘logic’ behind paying an extra $62 to get to Philadelphia about 20 minutes faster at 9:30 at night?