Autumn Express?

[Oreius]

Now that Amtrak is supposedly getting more government money, will there be a return of that Autumn Express Special? I think a great route would be from Erie, PA to Corry on the ex. PRR line (owned by BPRR). There’s a junction at Corry where the train could transfer to the former Erie-Lackawanna mainline (now owned by NS, but leased to WNYP). From there, the train would travel to Hornell, NY then turn and return to Erie. This is almost entirely single-track line. And you’d pass through beautiful scenery and towns like Jamestown, NY and Salamanca.

 

[Tlcooper93]

Now that Amtrak is supposedly getting more government money, will there be a return of that Autumn Express Special? I think a great route would be from Erie, PA to Corry on the ex. PRR line (owned by BPRR). There’s a junction at Corry where the train could transfer to the former Erie-Lackawanna mainline (now owned by NS, but leased to WNYP). From there, the train would travel to Hornell, NY then turn and return to Erie. This is almost entirely single-track line. And you’d pass through beautiful scenery and towns like Jamestown, NY and Salamanca.

I wouldn’t expect any new routes.

At this point, resurrecting an old route is the same as adding a new route (especially if the Southern coast situation were to be similar elsewhere).

There are so many more urgent things to do with the potential cash than start up/resurrect routes.

In my mind, it would really be foolish to spend money on new routes (though maybe im alone on that). Once certain urgent things are achieved (Baltimore Tunnels, Hudson Tunnels, new equipment), then maybe new routes could be considered.

 

[Ryan]

Someone mentioned somewhere around here that someone that might be in a position to know mentioned that the special might be coming back not this year, but next year. We shall see.

 

[MikefromCrete]

I wouldn’t expect any new routes.

At this point, resurrecting an old route is the same as adding a new route (especially if the Southern coast situation were to be similar elsewhere).

There are so many more urgent things to do with the potential cash than start up/resurrect routes.

In my mind, it would really be foolish to spend money on new routes (though maybe im alone on that). Once certain urgent things are achieved (Baltimore Tunnels, Hudson Tunnels, new equipment), then maybe new routes could be considered.

Orieus was proposing this as a one-time special train, not a new route. In any case, I doubt if any special trains will be run until the Covid situation is under control --- and I doubt if an Autumn Express would be run on some out-of-the-way route over short lines.

 

[Tlcooper93]

Orieus was proposing this as a one-time special train, not a new route. In any case, I doubt if any special trains will be run until the Covid situation is under control --- and I doubt if an Autumn Express would be run on some out-of-the-way route over short lines.

My mistake. Thanks for the correction!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I wouldn’t expect any new routes.

At this point, resurrecting an old route is the same as adding a new route (especially if the Southern coast situation were to be similar elsewhere).

There are so many more urgent things to do with the potential cash than start up/resurrect routes.

In my mind, it would really be foolish to spend money on new routes (though maybe im alone on that). Once certain urgent things are achieved (Baltimore Tunnels, Hudson Tunnels, new equipment), then maybe new routes could be considered.

He’s not proposing a new route. He’s proposing a route for one time use like they’ve done in the past for Autumn Express weekend.
You can probably find some threads about them on the forum. I think the first one was in 2013 or 2014.

 

[jis]

He’s not proposing a new route. He’s proposing a route for one time use like they’ve done in the past for Autumn Express weekend.
You can probably find some threads about them on the forum. I think the first one was in 2013 or 2014.

Amtrak ran the Autumn Express to fulfill the requirements laid down in a legislation. They ran it pretty much as long as that legislation was in force. As it expired so did the Autumn Express. And then came Anderson. Or was it at about the same time when it went away?

If memory serves me right, the last one ran under Boardman. I seem not to recall any that ran under Moorman, but then maybe I am forgetting something.

 

[Trogdor]

Amtrak ran the Autumn Express to fulfill the requirements laid down in a legislation. They ran it pretty much as long as that legislation was in force. As it expired so did the Autumn Express. And then came Anderson. Or was it at about the same time when it went away?

If memory serves me right, the last one ran under Boardman. I seem not to recall any that ran under Moorman, but then maybe I am forgetting something.

What legislation required running the Autumn Express? Never heard of that before.

As I recall, the Autumn Express was cancelled under Anderson on the basis that these sorts of specials took too many resources for relatively little return and also compromised reliability of their regular service by tying up too many cars in the days before/after the special (i.e. not just the weekend when the cars were supposedly available).

Strangely, the first year it ran they had to deadhead Horizon cars from the midwest to run the special, and couldn’t just take it from the NEC fleet. I don’t recall that being the case in subsequent years.

 

[20th Century Rider]

Whatever the discussion on those autumn specials that we all enjoy... let's see Amtrak get fully back to pre-pandemic levels; repair and return all the SSL's and dining cars that are sitting idle... and do away with Anderson's flex meals on eastern trains.

IMHO another priority should be full restoration of the TE as a western train with SSL and full dining service. And 'in my dreams' to see reintroduction of the 'Pioneer' which is so needed in the West.

 

[jis]

What legislation required running the Autumn Express? Never heard of that before.

I have just a vague recollection that the 2012 /13 Authorization included a little ditty mentioning that Amtrak ought to try running charter excursions as a new revenue source, and the folks in Albany ( Brian and Co.) and Washington DC, picked up on that and started putting together the Autumn Excursions to meet that.

Here is the AU thread on the first Autumn Express run in 2013...

https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/amtrak-fall-foliage-trips-out-of-philly.56405/