Feds dole out 22 million for passenger rail

[Palmetto]

I did not see this discussed anywhere here. Bascially, it funds

- two additional trains for CTrail
- a station agent in Hartford, CT
- a second round trip between Chicago and St. Paul
- restoration of service between New Orleans and Mobile, AL

Link is below.

U.S. Department of Transportation Announces More Than $22 Million in Grants to Restore and Enhance Intercity Passenger Rail Network | FRA

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Interesting: does anybody have further information on these?

 

[railiner]

Interesting...a new train between CHI and MSP...
According to that link, the train would leave from 4 to 6 hours apart from 7 and 8...
So, from Chicago it would leave between 8:15 and 10:15 AM
and from St. Paul it would leave between Noon and 2 PM...

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

I couldn't find any other news stories with additional information, but interestingly one was dated 5/3 based on a story from 5/2 which was a day before the press release (dunno if it was actually posted a day earlier, or even a couple of days which gets one to the 2nd).

https://www.nola.com/news/article_8d5b97ba-8d73-11ea-8e70-5fdcc71b2470.html

 

[Anderson]

...is this going to be sufficient to actually start up the service(s) in question? The amounts seem somewhat low considering all the noise about amounts needed in the past.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

One of them sounded like it was in tandem with state support, but I thought that as well. The information was light, to say the least.

 

[the_traveler]

Interesting...a new train between CHI and MSP...
According to that link, the train would leave from 4 to 6 hours apart from 7 and 8...
So, from Chicago it would leave between 8:15 and 10:15 AM
and from St. Paul it would leave between Noon and 2 PM...

And with #8/28 being 4-6 hours late, there will be 2 trains at the same time!

I ran into that at Winter Haven once. The Star was running very late, and when the train came everybody lined up to board. Only 1/2 of them were on the Meteor, and were told it was right behind. (I think it was just outside of the station.) So there were 2 trains to Miami within 3-5 minutes of each other!

 

[bms]

If state funding is required, 2020 certainly is not the best year to get it. I would love that schedule, though. I could take the morning CHI-MSP train in coach, spend the evening in St. Paul (hockey game?), and continue from MSP-SEA in a sleeper. It would probably cost less than going the whole way in a sleeper.

 

[Tom in PA]

And with #8/28 being 4-6 hours late, there will be 2 trains at the same time!



This happened also at Winter Park a few months ago. Both SB Silver's arrived virtually at the same time, one just behind the other. Both going to Miami, of course, but one headed to Tampa first which would then arrive Miami many hours later. Station agents at WPK were having a hard time sorting out passengers. Additionally, the agent announced which track only to have CSX put it on the opposite track. This created a further delay as passengers had walk the length of the train to get to the opposite platform. Wheelchair passengers were taken, one at a time, around the train to the other platform.

 

[Barb Stout]

Is there a problem with infrastructure such that Madison WI doesn't have train service or are other factors at play?

 

[railiner]

Is there a problem with infrastructure such that Madison WI doesn't have train service or are other factors at play?

It just happens that it is not on any of the historic "best routes" between Chicago and St. Paul...they could run a train that way, but would require a lot of upgrading to match current speeds...

 

[niemi24s]

I could take the morning CHI-MSP train in coach, spend the evening in St. Paul (hockey game?), and continue from MSP-SEA in a sleeper. It would probably cost less than going the whole way in a sleeper.

Think again. Even with a coach saver fare and low bucket Roomette, it would cost you $22 more than going all the way in a low bucket Roomette.

 

[Deni]

Is a new CHI-MSP round trip ready to go? Or are we talking about a study funding? I'd love it if this really was that close to happening.

 

[railiner]

I don’t see why they’d have to do much of a study to add another train on an existing route...certainly not spend much for that.... they probably have all the stats they need already...

 

[WICT106]

There is also the factor of political will. Any addition of service to Madison would have to be funded by the State of Wisconsin, and there is considerable anti- Madison sentiment in other parts of the state. There was a great deal of opposition once one left the Capitol city. Then there is the fact that most Wisconsinites have grown up without ever taking a train, anytime, anywhere ( except, maybe, to Philmont ) , and are unable to imagine themselves ever taking a train. Wisconsinites do, however, drive everywhere, and are accustomed to driving. During the efforts of a few years ago, one frequently heard that "no one's gonna ride," or, "I wouldn't take it, so I don't want my taxpayer dollars to support it," or, "Cow speed rail." Then there is local talk radio, which has considerable influence. It's tough to compete against a radio host with 50, 000 watts behind his voice, in the State's largest media market. So, there are some significant obstacles to overcome.

It just happens that it is not on any of the historic "best routes" between Chicago and St. Paul...they could run a train that way, but would require a lot of upgrading to match current speeds...

Is there a problem with infrastructure such that Madison WI doesn't have train service or are other factors at play?

 

[WICT106]

Some more factors are listed in this article: "What's so scary about a train ?"

Is there a problem with infrastructure such that Madison WI doesn't have train service or are other factors at play?

 

[Barb Stout]

and there is considerable anti- Madison sentiment in other parts of the state. e.

Yes, I remember that having lived in Madison 'round the turn of the century. I was wondering if that was a factor.

 

[me_little_me]

Some more factors are listed in this article: "What's so scary about a train ?"

This?
Interesting train video

 

[Ziv]

That is one twisted video! "The Exciting of Trains" is one of a kind.

This?
Interesting train video

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Is there any new information? Does anybody have anything new about the grants?

 

[niemi24s]

Is there a problem with infrastructure such that Madison WI doesn't have train service. . .?

Oh dear, those poor unfortunate souls in Madison have to go an excruciating 28 miles to get to their closest Amtrak Station. Wait, that's my closest station too but it's only a 290 mile drive. Lucky me!

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

But... Madison... SO important... (oh, did I just say that?)

 

[MARC Rider]

Oh dear, those poor unfortunate souls in Madison have to go an excruciating 28 miles to get to their closest Amtrak Station. Wait, that's my closest station too but it's only a 290 mile drive. Lucky me!

The point of providing train service to Madison (the state capitol, after all) is to provide frequent corridor or commuter service that will be an alternative to driving in the local region. A station 28 miles away that has once-a-day transcontinental service that is commonly not running on schedule won't do that.

 

[MARC Rider]

Is there a problem with infrastructure such that Madison WI doesn't have train service or are other factors at play?

Here's a rail map of Wisconsin.

It looks like the most direct route from Milwaukee to Madison would be by CP to Watertown and then the state-owned Wisconsin and Southern into Madison. A more roundabout route would be to Waukesha on UP and then the Wisconsin and Southern (a different line) into the Madison area. If you're talking about direct service to Chicago, UP has line that passes through Janesville and continues on to Madison, connecting to the Wisconsin and Southern, but, except for Janesville, doesn't serve any intermediate towns of any size.

It's interesting that there's a lot of state-owned trackage in the area, which might reduce the costs of land acquisition, etc., thereby decreasing construction costs, ut then, I don't know what shape these lines are on and how much work would be needed to upgrade to even 79 mph service. (which would probably be sufficient for a short corridor like this.)

 

[Eric S]

Here's a rail map of Wisconsin.

It looks like the most direct route from Milwaukee to Madison would be by CP to Watertown and then the state-owned Wisconsin and Southern into Madison. A more roundabout route would be to Waukesha on UP and then the Wisconsin and Southern (a different line) into the Madison area. If you're talking about direct service to Chicago, UP has line that passes through Janesville and continues on to Madison, connecting to the Wisconsin and Southern, but, except for Janesville, doesn't serve any intermediate towns of any size.

The stillborn Madison extension of the Hiawatha from 10ish years ago would have used the CP/Wisconsin & Southern route through Watertown with stations initially planned at Brookfield, Oconomowoc, and Watertown. A later extension from Madison to St. Paul would likely have used the CP line between Madison and Portage to reconnect with the existing Empire Builder route.