Amtrak taking first step on Meridian Speedway LD service

[jis]

Apparently Amtrak is seeking funding to institute LD service on the Meridian Speedway …

Amtrak seeks expansion of Crescent section to Dallas-Ft. Worth - Trains

NEW ORLEANS — Amtrak will apply for a federal grant that, if approved by the Federal Railroad Administration, would pay for 80% of a study of track and station improvements necessary to extend a section of the New York-New Orleans Crescent between Meridian, Miss., and Fort Worth, Texas. Nicole...

www.trains.com

 

[MARC Rider]

Will they be having flex dining out of a single cafe car for this extended service?

 

[ascii42]

Will they be having flex dining out of a single cafe car for this extended service?

I would hope it'd be the cafe car going to New Orleans and they add the dining car back which will go to Dallas-Fort Worth, but heh, we'll see.

Taking a nod from the "adding frequency to LD services thread" I think they should also consider running the routes independently. Then there would be doubled service on the Meridian to New York section.

 

[Cal]

Nice to see something happen.

 

[AmtrakMaineiac]

Taking a nod from the "adding frequency to LD services thread" I think they should also consider running the routes independently. Then there would be doubled service on the Meridian to New York section.

I wonder if there would be enough traffic south of Atlanta to justify 2 trains. Even in the days when Southern ran the Crescent it was only triweekly south of Atlanta.

 

[George Harris]

Key question: Will they run 79 mph where practical? The Mississippi portion is somewhat curvy, but once in Louisiana there are long stretches of straight track. I am fairly sure the line now has signals throughout, but in ICRR days it was unsignaled. The one train a day in the 50's and 60's was never very fast. I will look up the times later, but not now. In fact, the earliest Delta Airlines flights were "treetoppers" along this route which suggests that the train service was not very good even then.

 

[prech786]

Calm down everybody; note from the story, this is only for a proposal for a STUDY:

". . .would pay for 80% of a study of track and station improvements. . ."

What will be a typical timeframe from study to booking a trip from NYC to DAL; 10 - 15 years? Just sayin'!

 

[Cal]

Calm down everybody; note from the story, this is only for a proposal for a STUDY:

". . .would pay for 80% of a study of track and station improvements. . ."

What will be a typical timeframe from study to booking a trip from NYC to DAL; 10 - 15 years? Just sayin'!

Better to see something happen rather than nothing. Although I do agree that actual service starting, assuming this study is in favor of it, is very far away.

 

[ascii42]

Calm down everybody; note from the story, this is only for a proposal for a STUDY:

". . .would pay for 80% of a study of track and station improvements. . ."

What will be a typical timeframe from study to booking a trip from NYC to DAL; 10 - 15 years? Just sayin'!

A feasibility study and a capacity study were done in the last few years. Both found on the I-20 Corridor Council website here:

Feasibility Study

Read the Feasibility Study that Amtrak carried out, in coordination with the I-20 Corridor Council using federal grant funding obtained by the Corridor Council; related outcomes from study provided.

www.i-20corridorcouncil.com

Capacity Study

Read the Capacity Study that was conducted by Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT), in coordination with the I-20 Corridor Council using federal grant funding obtained by the Corridor Council; related outcomes from study provided.

www.i-20corridorcouncil.com

So they shouldn't be starting from scratch, at least.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

A feasibility study and a capacity study were done in the last few years.

So they shouldn't be starting from scratch, at least.

Well it’s standard operating procedures to study everything to death. So nothing to see here. Does Amtrak even recalled that it once study this route. Or anything over two weeks old would require a new study.

Sarcasm alarm on.

 

[west point]

Back in the 1950s the SOU / N&W Pelican ( #41 42 ) carried a NYP - DAL / FTW sleeper that connected to the IC RR at Meridian. It was later cut back to Shreveport. Maybe no longer a connection to MP at SHE ? If someone has a guide they might bring up some times ?

Waiting for the STB merger decision

 

[MARC Rider]

I wonder if there would be enough traffic south of Atlanta to justify 2 trains. Even in the days when Southern ran the Crescent it was only triweekly south of Atlanta.

Uh, back in the day, the Southern ran 2 trains from NY to New Orleans, the Crescent and the Southerner.

 

[dlerach]

And if we're really talking about back in the day, the Southern ran the Crescent, Southerner, Pelican, and Piedmont, with the Washington-Atlanta-New Orleans express offering a connection to the PRR from WAS to NYP.

 

[Steve4031]

And 2 railroads did not participate.

 

[manchacrr]

Uh, back in the day, the Southern ran 2 trains from NY to New Orleans, the Crescent and the Southerner.

They did, but on 2 different routes. The Crescent ran Atlanta to New Orleans via Montgomery and Mobile, while the Southerner ran Atlanta to New Orleans via Birmingham and Meridian. The question is, does the Crescent's current route west/south of Atlanta (the former Southerner route) have enough traffic to support a 2nd daily frequency between Atlanta and Birmingham?

On that note, I would love to see a separate train running from New York to Fort Worth running on a different schedule from the Crescent between New York and Meridian, but would be happy with any service on the line, even if the train splits at Meridian like the Empire Builder does at Spokane.

 

[jiml]

Waiting for the STB merger decision

The key to the discussion. I doubt Amtrak would be exploring this right now if CP had not indicated its openness when the merger was announced.

 

[AmtrakMaineiac]

Uh, back in the day, the Southern ran 2 trains from NY to New Orleans, the Crescent and the Southerner.

I was referring to the early 1970's when Southern continued to run its trains outside of Amtrak.
I do stand corrected on one thing. It ran daily as far as Birmingham, triweekly south of there to NOL.

 

[MARC Rider]

I was referring to the early 1970's when Southern continued to run its trains outside of Amtrak.
I do stand corrected on one thing. It ran daily as far as Birmingham, triweekly south of there to NOL.
View attachment 31684

Looks like the Southern ran a version of the Lynchburger, too. (#s 7 & 8). But no cafe car/snack bar coach for a 4:15 ride. I guess they weren't really encouraging that one.

 

[west point]

Back as late as the late 50s there was the third train the SOU / N&W WASH - Roanoke - Bristol - Knoxville - Chattanooga - BHM - NOL - Pelican Trains #41 & 42 that was a very heavy mail train with several PRR thru storage mail cars to each of those various stations. BHM - NOL was overnight with all heavy weight coaches & Pullman's + NYP <> DAL / FTW sleeper off at MEI for SHE / DAL. Believe SHE <> DAL was on MP ( now UP ) (Maybe T&P Trains 21 & 22 )

Arrive FTW ~0900 Leave ~~ 1645.
DAL ~0830 leave ~~ 1800
if the MEI <> Marshall / DAL would make good connections to Eagle probably at DAL
If connecting at Marshall or attaching to Eagle at Marhsall would be start if UP tries to delay another train SHE <> DAL. Still the SHE <> Marshall on UP is much better as KCS SHE <> Marshall poorer route. The question is can the train make MEI - DAL in those time constraints?

This would make the full train a day NYP <> Richmond <> Raleigh <> CLT <> ATL a day train then ATL <> BHM <> MEI <> DAL a Night train.
5 single level train sets. each set Baggage, 4 - coaches, diner, lounge, 2 - 4 sleepers. Amtrak will need more single levl equipment.

The last 2 paragraphs have mistakes so disregard.

 

[railiner]

Wish that connection between Salisbury and Asheville still existed…

 

[jphjaxfl]

The Southern trains, except The Crescent, at that time, carried TOFC cars so they were really mixed trains. The Piedmont did have a buffet car for limited meal service,

 

[west point]

Mistakes am trying to correct. Here are the times from the SOU RR connection to the IC RR going to Shreveport.

SOU RR Ar #41 Meridian " 0115
IC
2 50 Lv Meridian )
5 40 Ar Jackson "
7 40 Ar Vicksburg "
10 00 Ar Monroe. "
1330 Ar Shreveport "

SHE <> Marshall was 1:05 enroute on T&P. not a connection.

So, we have 10:40 enroute time MEI - SHE
11:45 MEI - Marshall
3:40 Eagle MHL - FTW

so, MEI - FTW 15:25

# 19 Crescent schedule MEI about 1615. How much time will it plan for the split westbound ? Builder and LSL times only give a rough answer of 50 - 90 minutes depending on station. Combining at MEI is even more questionable. Establishing a crew base at NOL has already changed departures at NOL as the other day a very very late # 19 had 20 leaving NOL ON time. That "may " mean NOL departures change to an earlier time ?

For speculation only let us use 1800 as MEI departure.
JAN 2050 CNO there ~ 1750 gives MOB / would give NOL passengers access to westbound train. No way for northbound to Memphis and beyond.
Vicksburg 2250
Monroe 0110
SHE 0440
MHL 0550 Eagle leave west bound at 0750.
DAL 0930
FTW 1325

So, this schedule would give all sorts of connections for DAL and west for potential passengers especially south of WASH. Will cover east bound later.

 

[cirdan]

Wish that connection between Salisbury and Asheville still existed…

would this have been a connecting train, or a bus?

 

[crescent-zephyr]

One of the "Amtrak America" booklets showed the "Crescent Star" as a new route that would be added in the next year. I have it stored away somewhere, not sure what year it's from. As others have said this really should be a 2nd train as Amtrak needs more frequency in this area. Charlotte - Atlanta - Birmingham would be a VERY busy corridor if there were more trains available.

 

[jis]

One of the "Amtrak America" booklets showed the "Crescent Star" as a new route that would be added in the next year. I have it stored away somewhere, not sure what year it's from. As others have said this really should be a 2nd train as Amtrak needs more frequency in this area. Charlotte - Atlanta - Birmingham would be a VERY busy corridor if there were more trains available.

Crescent Star was part of the PIP (Performance Improvement Plan) for the Crescent IIRC.