Amtrak Dream Routes

[ArchBishop]

Have not seen this topic raised, but got to thinking of routes I wish were available. So lets hear your a dream route. Let's have just a couple rules. Give end points of the route and possible stops in between, and why you think the route would be popular.

Let's please make this a fun thread worthy of pinning to the top, like the "What is this Station?" Maybe when we get a few we can do a poll to find which ones people like.

I have a few in mind so I will start with my first choice of Kansas City - Denver

The route would follow existing Amtrak route of SWC from KC to Topeka, then switch to UP tracks to Denver. Stops would include Lawrence (home of Univ. of Kansas), Topeka (State Capital and Washburn University), Manhattan (home of Kansas State University), Salina (couple small colleges), Hays (Fort Hays State U.), Limon.

Because of the length, not sure if you need sleepers especially if you could run all in daylight. The east bound could be scheduled to leave Denver after the CZ arrived from the west, would make for a great option of travel from California.

The route could be an extention of the Missouri River Runner which connects Kansas City to St. Louis, and would give a good way to get to Colorado from KC for skiing or whatever.With all the traffic on I-70 KC to Denver, think this would be a valid option for travel.

 

[johnny.menhennet]

I've thought about the KC-Denver routing a lot. I think if there were a way for cars from the SWC to transfer at KC and get to Denver in time for the CZ, it would be super cool. But I don't think it could go that fast.

A train I'd love to see is FTW-Wichita Falls-Amarillo-Trinidad-Denver-Cheyenne-Casper-Laurel-Helena-Missoula-Spokane-Seattle. It would form most of the service that Montana wants with the NCH, even though it misses Billings by 15 miles, and it would be an amazing tourist train as well. The Front Range, Wind River Canyon, Northern Rockies, and Cascades. Solves some major connectivity problems as well. IMO, this train would be well used and very pretty. This would be my dream (somewhat realistic) Amtrak service. I say somewhat realistic so that we do not get anything like we got the past November, and many know what I'm talking about.

 

[Mackensen]

Amtrak gave a Washington-Denver train serious consideration in the mid-1970s; it would have operated via Cincinnati, St. Louis, Kansas City and La Junta. Apparently it fell through because of track problems in Indiana, funding, and equipment shortages (in short, the trifecta that wrecked everything else in the 1970s). We got the Shenandoah instead.

Now me, I'm selfish and I want something either in or close to the Lehigh Valley that goes west. If the long-delayed Scranton project ever gets off the ground then that would be a start.

 

[railiner]

'I had a dream'......I would wake up one morning and find that suddenly, it was 1960 again.....with the passenger rail map of that year intact....

 

[Anderson]

Picking one train out to want, personally? I'd want to see either the NPN leg of the Riley re-established on a daily basis (i.e. NPN-RVR-CVS-CIN-CHI) or a through leg NFK-RVR-LYH-ROA-CIN-CHI. Yeah, basically I want either the George Washington or the Powhatan Arrow back so I've got a direct link west.

 

[Grandpa D]

Dream Route? Any route where the trains are always on time.

(I know, I'm a dreamer.)

 

[johnny.menhennet]

Picking one train out to want, personally? I'd want to see either the NPN leg of the Riley re-established on a daily basis (i.e. NPN-RVR-CVS-CIN-CHI) or a through leg NFK-RVR-LYH-ROA-CIN-CHI. Yeah, basically I want either the George Washington or the Powhatan Arrow back so I've got a direct link west.

If you want it to go from Norfolk and through Lynchburg, it would not hit RVR, at least I think not. At Petersburg instead of going on to the CSX track it would keep going straight on through to Lynchburg. It seems that Richmond would be out of the way.

 

[AutoTrDvr]

Have not seen this topic raised, but got to thinking of routes I wish were available. So lets hear your a dream route. Let's have just a couple rules. Give end points of the route and possible stops in between, and why you think the route would be popular.

Let's please make this a fun thread worthy of pinning to the top, like the "What is this Station?" Maybe when we get a few we can do a poll to find which ones people like.

I have a few in mind so I will start with my first choice of Kansas City - Denver

The route would follow existing Amtrak route of SWC from KC to Topeka, then switch to UP tracks to Denver. Stops would include Lawrence (home of Univ. of Kansas), Topeka (State Capital and Washburn University), Manhattan (home of Kansas State University), Salina (couple small colleges), Hays (Fort Hays State U.), Limon.

Because of the length, not sure if you need sleepers especially if you could run all in daylight. The east bound could be scheduled to leave Denver after the CZ arrived from the west, would make for a great option of travel from California.

The route could be an extention of the Missouri River Runner which connects Kansas City to St. Louis, and would give a good way to get to Colorado from KC for skiing or whatever.With all the traffic on I-70 KC to Denver, think this would be a valid option for travel.

My dream route would be to extend the AutoTrain up to the NY Metro area(i.e. Northern NJ - so Superliners can be used)

Next, follow through with the plans to add Auto Train service to the SWC. Maybe even the Cap. Ltd. for a complete East <--> West Coast service.

Additionally, Some extension into the Florida Panhandle (Talahassee) for further travel to Pensacola or Panama City. Perhaps from Savanah or Atlanta.

Finally, maybe re-routing of the CZ to pass through South Dakota and right by Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone and other Natl. Parks . (Old Faithful, etc.).

 

[reefgeek]

1341198879[/url]' post='377269']

1341193012[/url]' post='377231']Have not seen this topic raised, but got to thinking of routes I wish were available. So lets hear your a dream route. Let's have just a couple rules. Give end points of the route and possible stops in between, and why you think the route would be popular.

Let's please make this a fun thread worthy of pinning to the top, like the "What is this Station?" Maybe when we get a few we can do a poll to find which ones people like.

I have a few in mind so I will start with my first choice of Kansas City - Denver

The route would follow existing Amtrak route of SWC from KC to Topeka, then switch to UP tracks to Denver. Stops would include Lawrence (home of Univ. of Kansas), Topeka (State Capital and Washburn University), Manhattan (home of Kansas State University), Salina (couple small colleges), Hays (Fort Hays State U.), Limon.

Because of the length, not sure if you need sleepers especially if you could run all in daylight. The east bound could be scheduled to leave Denver after the CZ arrived from the west, would make for a great option of travel from California.

The route could be an extention of the Missouri River Runner which connects Kansas City to St. Louis, and would give a good way to get to Colorado from KC for skiing or whatever.With all the traffic on I-70 KC to Denver, think this would be a valid option for travel.

My dream route would be to extend the AutoTrain up to the NY Metro area(i.e. Northern NJ - so Superliners can be used)

Next, follow through with the plans to add Auto Train service to the SWC. Maybe even the Cap. Ltd. for a complete East <--> West Coast service.

Additionally, Some extension into the Florida Panhandle (Talahassee) for further travel to Pensacola or Panama City. Perhaps from Savanah or Atlanta.

Finally, maybe re-routing of the CZ to pass through South Dakota and right by Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone and other Natl. Parks . (Old Faithful, etc.).

Coast to coast auto train, you read my mind! Maybe one stop in the middle, and then around LA.

 

[rusty spike]

My dream route would reroute SSL back thru PHX 7 days a week. Uncle Pete isn't having any of my dream though.

 

However, having grown up on UP's City of St. Louis' route from St. Louis to LA via Denver, I second the motion regarding a KCY>DEN route over the UP's old Kansas division though Topeka, Salina, Hays etc. I-70 is a mess! The extension of the MRR would work. Sadly, Kansans will be lucky if they can keep the SWC running through the western part of the state.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I've thought about the KC-Denver routing a lot. I think if there were a way for cars from the SWC to transfer at KC and get to Denver in time for the CZ, it would be super cool. But I don't think it could go that fast.

A train I'd love to see is FTW-Wichita Falls-Amarillo-Trinidad-Denver-Cheyenne-Casper-Laurel-Helena-Missoula-Spokane-Seattle. It would form most of the service that Montana wants with the NCH, even though it misses Billings by 15 miles, and it would be an amazing tourist train as well. The Front Range, Wind River Canyon, Northern Rockies, and Cascades. Solves some major connectivity problems as well. IMO, this train would be well used and very pretty. This would be my dream (somewhat realistic) Amtrak service. I say somewhat realistic so that we do not get anything like we got the past November, and many know what I'm talking about.

I would also love your route, but I wnt it to start in HOU. A train from HOU-SEA would be great IMO. But I also really want a CHI-ATL-MIA train to fill in Amtrak's big Southeastern gaps. I really do not know which one of those two I would want more. Restoration of the Texas Chief would also be great, but not as great as the other two.

 

[PerRock]

While it's more then one, I did do up this map a while ago:

http://goo.gl/maps/ystr

However if I had to pick one, I'd like a High-Speed Line that ran Chicago-New York.

peter

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

While it's more then one, I did do up this map a while ago:

http://goo.gl/maps/ystr

However if I had to pick one, I'd like a High-Speed Line that ran Chicago-New York.

peter

Very nice to see! Although I would like to add to your map another train into Mexico from LAX and i think that the Alaska route should start at Fort Nelson, because that is where the old BC Rail ends.

 

[Texan Eagle]

If you ask me for one new route, I'd like to see a Texas to East Coast service that does not require the long detour via Chicago. Something on the lines of-

Dallas -> Shreveport -> Birmingham -> Atlanta -> Charlotte -> Washington DC

OR

Dallas -> Little Rock -> Memphis -> Nashville -> Knoxville -> Roanoke -> Charlottesville -> Washington DC

The second route might end up slower but scenic, cutting right across the Appalachians, something like the Cardinal route, and since there is already work in progress towards extending Charlottesville service to Roanoke, and some feasibility surveys undertaken to consider its extension all the way to Knoxville and Nashville too, it would be great to extend it all the way into Texas as an LD route. It would connect at Dallas or Fort Worth with Texas Eagle/Sunset Limited thereby giving an east coast to west coast route that bypasses Chicago.

Also, pigs would fly.

 

[gswager]

LAX to Las Vegas! And then extend to Salt Lake City. Imagine driving on I-15 or flying into/from one airport at once during weekend getaway.

Disadvantage on train is telling everyone while riding home with "What happens in Vegas doesn't stays in Vegas!"

 

[johnny.menhennet]

Dallas -> Shreveport -> Birmingham -> Atlanta -> Charlotte -> Washington DC

Crescent Star!

Pat of Warrington's plan for a disguised freight rail network. Actually appeared in timetables but never implemented.

 

[Texan Eagle]

Dallas -> Shreveport -> Birmingham -> Atlanta -> Charlotte -> Washington DC

Crescent Star!

Pat of Warrington's plan for a disguised freight rail network. Actually appeared in timetables but never implemented.

Whoa! There actually was a train proposed with this routing? I had no idea, I simply picked out the route seeing a map!

Wait what, 'Crescent Star'? Umm I think we might have a little problem in today's America having a train with that name, if you know what I mean.

 

[Braniff747SP]

I'd love a LAX-NYP train. That would be a long, awesome transcon train. If it had AutoTrain services, it would be even better.

Hey, one can dream, can't he?

 

[ArchBishop]

My second one.

Fort Worth - Minneapolis

 

This could be an extention of the Hearland Flyer, but the major stops would be OKC, Wichita, Kansas City, Des Moines. This route would serve two purposes, not only a great route between 6 major mid-west cities, but also would allow for mid route connections to 4 east-west long distance trains (EB, CZ, SWC, TE.)

This would basically be a I-35 companion route.

I might also consider Omaha as either an addition or instead of Des Moines

I would even consider the southern terminus to be San Antonio to connect with SL.

 

[CHamilton]

I'll take them all. Source. But if I had to pick one, how about this for "The Flying Pig Portland to Portland Limited":

Connections to VIA - Seattle - Portland, OR - Boise - Denver (old Pioneer) - Topeka - Kansas City - St. Louis - Louisville - Asheville - Charlotte - Raleigh - Newport News/Norfolk - Salisbury, MD (!!) -- Wilmington, DE - Philadelphia - Scranton - Binghamton - Albany - Burlington, VT - Montpelier - Portland, ME - connections to VIA

That routing would let me see almost all of my friends and family from one train... [insert icon of not holding breath]

 

[JayPea]

I've thought about the KC-Denver routing a lot. I think if there were a way for cars from the SWC to transfer at KC and get to Denver in time for the CZ, it would be super cool. But I don't think it could go that fast.

A train I'd love to see is FTW-Wichita Falls-Amarillo-Trinidad-Denver-Cheyenne-Casper-Laurel-Helena-Missoula-Spokane-Seattle. It would form most of the service that Montana wants with the NCH, even though it misses Billings by 15 miles, and it would be an amazing tourist train as well. The Front Range, Wind River Canyon, Northern Rockies, and Cascades. Solves some major connectivity problems as well. IMO, this train would be well used and very pretty. This would be my dream (somewhat realistic) Amtrak service. I say somewhat realistic so that we do not get anything like we got the past November, and many know what I'm talking about.

Johnny, I like this route! Being the selfish swine that I am :lol: I'd make sure it was timed so as to give Spokane daytime service, and I'd want the Spokane-Seattle section run over the Stampede Pass route, restoring service to Yakima and Ellensburg. And I'd add a stop in Cheney, 15 miles SW of Spokane, to accommodate students at my alma mater, Eastern Washington University.

And as for last November, I still like the idea of a bridge over the Grand Canyon. :lol:

 

[Shanghai]

There should be train service in South Dakota & Wyoming.

This would provide Amtrak trains to all of the 48 states

in the continental US. Perhaps the senators and representatives

(6) of those states would support Amtrak funding!!

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Any train that has a sleeper is an Amtrak Dream Route.

 

[NETrainfan]

Hi- We have done our dream route and hope to do it again.

Our "dream route" is: Boston to Chicago on the Lake Shore Limited.

Chicago to SANTA FE to Los Angeles on the Southwest Chief

Los Angeles to SANTA BARBARA and then to SAN FRANCISCO on the Coast Starlight.

Oakland to DENVER and then to Chicago on the California Zephyr.

Chicago to WASHINGTON D.C. on the Capitol Limited.

Northeast Regional from D.C. to Boston.

The places we visited are in UPPER CASE letters. Beautiful journey. (We can get there from here already!)

 

[jphjaxfl]

South Dakota had fairly limited passenger trains even before Amtrak. Most of the rail lines were freight orientated. The major transcons were built to the north across North Dakota or to the south across Nebraska, Kansas and Texas. Of course Wyoming has Union Pacific's main line, but UP was very anti Amtrak from Day # 1. As of May 1, 1971, the only UP route to have Amtrak on it was Denver - Borie - Ogden and that was because the DRG&W didn't join Amtrak. UP had quite a few passenger trains on April 30, 1971.