Amtrak's Sunset Schedule

[Ben]

Is there any new information regarding the rescheduling/splitting of the Sunset route? If this route were to be made daily, would splitting the route at NO require an extra trainset?

 

[Trogdor]

No new information.

As for your second question, assuming the equipment was not interlined, then yes, it would require eight trainsets for daily service instead of seven.

Instead of splitting the route, I'd suggest extending the City of New Orleans instead.

 

[jccollins]

But the City of New Orleans' on time percentage hovers around 75.0% The Sunset's IS 0.00% Why drag the City's OTP down? :unsure:

 

[Ben]

So if the Sunset becomes daily, which Gunn has said he intends to do, then a split at NO would require an extra train set, which would be inefficient. UP is keeping double-tracking the line a priority as it is its most congested route, so relief should be in the works. I say just keep the train as is so that there won't be a train set waisted. Plus it would be America's only transc. train, which sounds pretty neat.

 

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

The City hasen't been doing so hot lately both trains have been Avg around an Hr late or more.

 

[Trogdor]

Month-to-date OTP for the City of New Orleans is about 89%. FY-to-date is about 76%.

Most of the Sunset's delays occur on the UP track west of New Orleans. There are some delays on the NOL-ORL segment, however, if they kept a couple hours for servicing in NOL (really, no train should have to sit there a couple of hours, but still...), the train would be able to be on time quite frequently.

Besides, quite often, the train is late into NOL westbound because it originated late in Florida. That often occurs because the eastbound is late. Keep that train on time, and you don't have as much of a problem with it getting into NOL late.

 

[saxman]

So if the Sunset becomes daily, which Gunn has said he intends to do, then a split at NO would require an extra train set, which would be inefficient.

So is Gunn actually considering this? Is the equipment available to run a dialy Sunset? I'd like to see a daily Cardinal run as well. When splitting the train in NOL, would the eastbound wait for a late train in NOL?

Chris

 

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

So if the Sunset becomes daily, which Gunn has said he intends to do, then a split at NO would require an extra train set, which would be inefficient.

So is Gunn actually considering this? Is the equipment available to run a dialy Sunset? I'd like to see a daily Cardinal run as well. When splitting the train in NOL, would the eastbound wait for a late train in NOL?

Chris

the way it would work is the City of NOL trainset would go all the way to FL and back to make a daily sunset from NOL into FL

 

[Trogdor]

Gunn wants to do this.

There is no equipment currently available to do this.

If the eastbound train out of NOL had to wait for the inbound Sunset, there would be practically no benefit to splitting the route.

 

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

Gunn wants to do this.
There is no equipment currently available to do this.

If the eastbound train out of NOL had to wait for the inbound Sunset, there would be practically no benefit to splitting the route.

Thats the plan run the City all the way into FL to have a daily train East of NOL.

 

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

And here is why if this could happen you could take the train all the way from CHI into FL on a direct route.

 

[Ben]

So Gunn is really considering just running the City all the way down to Florida? When will this happen?

 

[Trogdor]

No. That's just an idea dreamed up by a few folks here.

In fact, other than rebuilding equipment and the "desire" to run the Sunset Limited daily, Gunn really has no plans for Amtrak's long-distance trains.