chrsjrcj
OBS Chief
Pretty sure he meant Meridian, MS
Do trains of "overnight" duration really require sleepers ? Was that a part of RPSA '70 ? The dining car requirement was, but I think it was required only for trains of "over 12 (or was it 18 ? ) hours' duration. Remember, this would focus on the "middle" stops, and the end points would be pretty much just that -- ends of the route.. . . . . .Chicago to Winnipeg, via MKE, MSN, and STP, branching off the existing Empire Builder route at GFK.
But on this thread we're allowed to dream, aren't we?
Now as for Canadian dreams, not so much. Not sure Winnipeg is a strong enuff market, just 620,000 in the city, only 800,000 in the metro area. An overnight would require sleepers and a diner and oh my! Meanwhile we can barely get passengers on the Adirondack, Maple Leaf, and the Cascades past the papers demanders at the border as it is. And VIA seems to suffer repeated amputations by the Conservative government. So maybe extend a train to Winnipeg further down the line.
Oh. Well, it certainly would make it more convenient to me.Pretty sure he meant Meridian, MS
Yup. It would be a great way to get tourists between Chicago and northern Michigan, particularly during the Cherry Festival (Traverse City).Sarah:
I'd ride it! I haven't seen Mackinac Island in years and years!
Tom
So from 2:10 to 1:30, cut 40 minutes from the schedules of 8 trains that currently go beyond Richmond. I'll take it. Leave Norfolk at 5:40 a.m. instead of 5 a.m. as now? After 5:40, because we'll save some minutes Petersburg-Richmond. Sleep almost an hour later, what's that worth to ridership? LOL.I don't think you can cut more than an hour from RVR-WAS...honestly, knocking 40-50 minutes off there is as far as you can get before the costs start going on a tear: The Meteor (SB) is timed at 2:10 WAS-RVR ...
Ideally, though, VHSR is pushing for "90-90-90": 90 MPH top speed, 90 minutes end-to-end, and 90% reliability/OTP. ...
Has Amtrak or a previous rail service had the service you suggested? Do tracks exist for the routes you have suggested?My dream scenario:
North south route connecting SL, SWC, CZ, and EB. To wit El Paso, Albuquerque, Denver and then.....Wolf Point. Upon the last I could entertain discussion.
Then SL East and daily through out.
Then, once the new North/South route is established. Add Houston/Dallas/Amarillo/Albuquerque would be another great addition
As I recall, there is no where to turn the train past Emeryville, and the route from Oakland is unsuited to backing a train for an extended trip, to say nothing of San Jose. I suppose there might be a way to turn it in San Jose with Caltrain tracks branching off, but then you have no place to service it.I started a few posts that expand on this topic.
http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/65287-capitol-pennsylvanian-connection-progress/
http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/65290-discontinued-amtrak-routes-any-future/
In addition to those, how about expanding the California Zephyr back to Oakland? I'm not sure they cut it at Emeryville in the first place. In fact, why not extend the CZ south to Santa Clara and San Jose to give direct service from Chicago and the South Bay? San Jose has more people now than both Oakland and San Francisco. They can just use the same route as the Capitols.
I thought the CZ once did go to Oakland directly without the use of Thruway Buses. Were there too many problems?As I recall, there is no where to turn the train past Emeryville, and the route from Oakland is unsuited to backing a train for an extended trip, to say nothing of San Jose. I suppose there might be a way to turn it in San Jose with Caltrain tracks branching off, but then you have no place to service it.I started a few posts that expand on this topic.
http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/65287-capitol-pennsylvanian-connection-progress/
http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/65290-discontinued-amtrak-routes-any-future/
In addition to those, how about expanding the California Zephyr back to Oakland? I'm not sure they cut it at Emeryville in the first place. In fact, why not extend the CZ south to Santa Clara and San Jose to give direct service from Chicago and the South Bay? San Jose has more people now than both Oakland and San Francisco. They can just use the same route as the Capitols.
I think you're right that they did. My guess would be that when Jack London Square station opened the street running or some other factor changed to prevent it.I thought the CZ once did go to Oakland directly without the use of Thruway Buses. Were there too many problems?As I recall, there is no where to turn the train past Emeryville, and the route from Oakland is unsuited to backing a train for an extended trip, to say nothing of San Jose. I suppose there might be a way to turn it in San Jose with Caltrain tracks branching off, but then you have no place to service it.I started a few posts that expand on this topic.
http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/65287-capitol-pennsylvanian-connection-progress/
http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/65290-discontinued-amtrak-routes-any-future/
In addition to those, how about expanding the California Zephyr back to Oakland? I'm not sure they cut it at Emeryville in the first place. In fact, why not extend the CZ south to Santa Clara and San Jose to give direct service from Chicago and the South Bay? San Jose has more people now than both Oakland and San Francisco. They can just use the same route as the Capitols.
If you are going to do that a better option would be a Thruway bus route. And even that is problematic from Denver to Wolf Point (btw, Philly, Wolf Point is in Eastern Montana). Or at least a Thruway bus route between Denver and Wolf Point. Actually, a more direct bus route would connect in Williston. That one would (in a way) give Amtrak service to Wyoming and South Dakota via the bus route. But if you insist on an EB connection in the Central Time Zone, a Thruway route via I-25 to Buffalo, WY, I-90 to Billings, I-94 to Glendive, MT, and 90+ miles over the Montana state highway system would get you to Wolf Point.My dream scenario:
North south route connecting SL, SWC, CZ, and EB. To wit El Paso, Albuquerque, Denver and then.....Wolf Point. Upon the last I could entertain discussion.
Then SL East and daily through out.
Then, once the new North/South route is established. Add Houston/Dallas/Amarillo/Albuquerque would be another great addition
I think you probably went to the beautiful old station, completely different neighborhood.I traveled the CZ a bunch in the 80's when it terminated in Oakland, then a bus to the Ferry Building
The old 16th and Wood SP station was pretty much halfway between Jack London and Emeryville. They did run the CZ out of OKJ for awhile, but they had do a back-up move out of the yard to position it and EMY and OKJ are really only about 10 minutes apart or less by car, so they decided to cut the back up move and expenses. 16th and Wood was a forward move out of the coach yard.I think you probably went to the beautiful old station, completely different neighborhood.I traveled the CZ a bunch in the 80's when it terminated in Oakland, then a bus to the Ferry Building
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