nshvlcat
Service Attendant
Interesting article about a possible return of the Desert Wind between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
While your suggestion could possibly have some merit....I am not sure if the response to an occasional 'excursion' on some route, even if highly successful, is a reliable means of determining whether a regular operation will echo that result....My suggestion is for Amtrak try occasional excursion trains on these routes and see how the public responds.
Agreed, but a set of excursions would give a basis upon which to build a case for the service. Witness how Iowa Pacific has worked in this respect with both Oklahoma City-Tulsa and, rumor has it, Chicago-Madison.While your suggestion could possibly have some merit....I am not sure if the response to an occasional 'excursion' on some route, even if highly successful, is a reliable means of determining whether a regular operation will echo that result....My suggestion is for Amtrak try occasional excursion trains on these routes and see how the public responds.
Sometimes an excursion train can also have the effect of channeling public awareness and interest.While your suggestion could possibly have some merit....I am not sure if the response to an occasional 'excursion' on some route, even if highly successful, is a reliable means of determining whether a regular operation will echo that result....My suggestion is for Amtrak try occasional excursion trains on these routes and see how the public responds.
Not quite. We've already been down this road, and back then the UP required that double-track be put down on Cima Hill to accomodate the train. After a few studies--of course--the desert tortoise put a stop to the whole thing, IIRC.Only way it will happen is if California subsidizes it as part of Amtrak California. And its going to have to happen as a corridor service and NOT a LD train to Salt Lake. Most likely 2 or three round trip to start.
As I have said before, I will fall off my chair in utter astonishment if California steps up to fund this. They have many other bigger fish to fry that as things stand are under-funded.Only way it will happen is if California subsidizes it as part of Amtrak California. And its going to have to happen as a corridor service and NOT a LD train to Salt Lake. Most likely 2 or three round trip to start.
As I have said before, I will fall off my chair in utter astonishment if California steps up to fund this. They have many other bigger fish to fry that as things stand are under-funded.
Someone's an optimist. They've been studying LA to Coachella for more than thirty years with another study currently in progress.They'll start studying it as soon as they're done studying extending the Capitol Corridor to Salinas. They've been at it about 15 years, and should be done in another 10 or 12. :wacko:As I have said before, I will fall off my chair in utter astonishment if California steps up to fund this. They have many other bigger fish to fry that as things stand are under-funded.
Yes, service to Coachella valley and Palm Springs has been stuck in a repeated feasibility study phase for many years (do a study, rinse, repeat). However, the FRA recently awarded $2.9 million to California towards a full up Service Development Plan and EIS for the corridor. There is also a website for the Coachella Valley corridor service studies. There is real progress being made towards starting corridor service from LA to Coachella Valley. That said, revenue service won't happen any time soon, because of just how bleeping slow the Alternative Analysis and EIS process has become. The fact sheet for the corridor study lays out a 7 year long schedule with the Alternative Analysis, SDP/Tier I EIS, and FEIS & PE phases taking a mind numbing 5 years to complete. This for an active freight train corridor which already has passenger service.Someone's an optimist. They've been studying LA to Coachella for more than thirty years with another study currently in progress.
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