If you could add routes....

[saxman]

Despite all the more serious issues discussed about Amtrak on the forum, I'd thought I'd poke a little fun here. As do I, many of you, I'm sure has their dream of what Amtrak should be like as far as routes. I have a few good ones in mind. I would like to know what routes you would add, take away, or change.

Remember, money is no issue. You have unlimited equipment, and the government fully supports your dream Amtrak 100%!

Here's some of mine ideas. I'm gonna be reasonable too. I'd like to see the Hiawatha Line back in action breaking off in Fargo and going through Billings, Bozeman, Spokane and Seattle. I would most definatley bring the Desert Wind and Pioneer back too. Houston to Dallas needs service and the Sunset would run daily. I would continue the Heartland Flyer up to Tulsa and on to KC, Des Moines and to Minn/St. Paul and maybe a seperate train to Duluth. I'd also like to see DFW to Denver as well as the Cresent Star going from DFW to Meridian and up to NYC. I'd like to see South Dakota get service however their are no good rail routes that go straight throught the state. There could possibly be a route breaking off from St. Paul and go along the route to Sioux Falls or Brooking and on west to Pierre and Rapid City. Track would have to be laid west from there to Billings or it could go south to Denver. There should be Denver to Albuquerque and El Paso too.

Well thats part of it anyways....sorry if its not gramatically correct because I have to be somewhere in 10 mins! eek

Any comments? What are your ideas? Remember, this is for fun only. Don't tell me it will never happen.

Chris

 

[Ben]

If Amtrak does get the 1.2 billion $ it wants, can it repay Congress the 100 million and get the permission to add routes? I hear that that's the only holdup from adding routes. Of course more equipment is needed too.

My vote would go for Cleveland-Cincinnati, Texas triangle, Chicago-Florida, extending the Flyer to Minneapolis, Pioneer, Desert Wind, LA-Vegas, and perhaps some transcontinental train, maybe combining the Zephyr with the Caplitol Limited or something to make it a world-famous transcontinental train. Imagine that.

 

[Trogdor]

If Amtrak does get the 1.2 billion $ it wants, can it repay Congress the 100 million and get the permission to add routes? I hear that that's the only holdup from adding routes.

The only holdup from adding routes...except for equipment, funding, political will, management dedication, acceptance from the freights, etc.

 

[AlanB]

If Amtrak does get the 1.2 billion $ it wants, can it repay Congress the 100 million and get the permission to add routes?  I hear that that's the only holdup from adding routes.  Of course more equipment is needed too.

Amtrak doesn't want 1.2 Billion, Amtrak wants 1.79 Billion this year.

Sadly they may have to settle for 1.2 though and even that's uncertain. :angry:

I'm also not sure that the 100 M loan is the only hangup anymore. Starting with last year's money, Congress is no longer giving the money directly to Amtrak. It now goes to the Dept of Transportation who doles the money out to Amtrak.

Amtrak must submit a plan/budget for everything they want to do to the DOT, before the DOT will release any monies. So if the DOT says no to a new route, then there will be no money for it.

 

[engine999]

Uh oh, I guess it will be years before we get new routes; even with adequate amtrak funding. DOT's always spend years with routes in the "development" phases. Most planned systems and routes never get past that phase. The firms hired to do the studies miscalculate often and dont just see the plain picture of the need for the proposed service. Just look at the multiple propsed state funded Amtrak corridors.

 

[jccollins]

My dream (and it is very realistic, we would just need to get some people interested and talking): Convince the State of Nevada to set up a department of rail (similar to Amtrak California) in which Amtrak Nevada would take the lead role in starting corridor service between Los Angeles-Las Vegas and San Francisco-Reno/Sparks. They would be the ones to seek operational funding assistance from the casinos and Amtrak California to run the services.

The LA-LV service must be fast (come on, it IS through the desert, 110mph track should not be out of the question), efficient (those would be the endpoints so the trains would depart both ends ON TIME, every time), frequent (five round trips/day would be a good place to start), comfortable (the Talgo trains are the most comfortable I have ever ridden with the at seat audio/video/GPS location system/laptop plugs/reclining seats, etc.), reasonably priced ($50/person round trip would really attract a strong ridership), and offer REAL en-route dining car service.

The SF-Reno/Sparks corridor service could start out with two round trips/day plus the California Zephyr, but should not start before the completion of the train trench through downtown to avoid the massive delays. Even though the trains would not be able to compete with the SF-Reno/Sparks freeway market, they should capitalize on first class service and onboard entertainment.

Okay, I've got myself all fired up again. I'm going to write a letter to the State of Nevada and encourage them to get up off their ***** and do something! B)

 

[battalion51]

I personally think Surfliner sets would do better on a corridor such as the Vegas-Los Angeles, since you have the flexibility of the bi-level trainset that can easily have Coach setups similar to a Surfliner and a Dining Car setup similar to a Superliner Diner.

 

[engine999]

I personally think Surfliner sets would do better on a corridor such as the Vegas-Los Angeles, since you have the flexibility of the bi-level trainset that can easily have Coach setups similar to a Surfliner and a Dining Car setup similar to a Superliner Diner.

Only problem is you limit your self to 90mph. I think the minimum would have to be 110, with 125 being better.

 

[jccollins]

I personally think Surfliner sets would do better on a corridor such as the Vegas-Los Angeles, since you have the flexibility of the bi-level trainset that can easily have Coach setups similar to a Surfliner and a Dining Car setup similar to a Superliner Diner.

True, and I would agree with you except that the Surfliner sets are kind of stripped down in terms of amenities. If an agreement could be reached that would incorporate some of the comforts all the Talgo sets have into the bi-level Surfliner style sets, they would truly be great equipment for the service. The only benefit you have with the single level equipment is that it makes it possible for the elderly and disabled passengers to move/walk around the train without having to climb up and down stairs.

 

[battalion51]

Only problem is you limit your self to 90mph. I think the minimum would have to be 110, with 125 being better.

I thought the MSP was 100 maybe 110. I know a Superliner is good for 100.

 

[engine999]

Only problem is you limit your self to 90mph.  I think the minimum would have to be 110, with 125 being better.

I thought the MSP was 100 maybe 110. I know a Superliner is good for 100.

AFAIK superliners, heritage, and horizons were 90mph max. I could be wrong though.

 

[battalion51]

Superliners are 100 for sure.

Heritage is 110 for sure.

I know Trains did a profile on all the maximum speeds a while back, I'll look through my archives and see if I can find the table in there or in an employee timetable.

 

[battalion51]

From NEC Employee Timetable No. 7:

Inspection Cars 10001 and 10002-125

Amfleet car series-125

Amfleet Capstone car series-125

Capitoliner control car series-125

Horizon passenger car series-125

Amtrak Viewliner cars-110

Heritage car series-110

Baggage cars-110

Express baggage cars-110

Now I'll try to find that article in Trains.

 

[engine999]

ok, I guess I am wrong. Im suprised the viewliners are only 110mph.

 

[AlanB]

Im suprised the viewliners are only 110mph.

That's because, if you go too fast, you loose the view. :lol:

 

[Anthony]

I can just imagine a trip in a decrepit, rough-riding Heritage car at 110mph. :lol:

 

[battalion51]

OK, can't find that table in Trains, but that's ok. The ride at 110 in a Viewliner isn't exactly smooth as glass. If you think CSX is bad at 79, the NEC is worse at 110, in a Viewliner anyway. It wasn't too terribly bad in an Amfleet at 125 or MARC's new Kawasaki Coaches at however fast those things go.

 

[engine999]

OK, can't find that table in Trains, but that's ok. The ride at 110 in a Viewliner isn't exactly smooth as glass. If you think CSX is bad at 79, the NEC is worse at 110, in a Viewliner anyway. It wasn't too terribly bad in an Amfleet at 125 or MARC's new Kawasaki Coaches at however fast those things go.

:lol: Amfleet's arnt exaclty smooth at 79 on csx's track. I guess designers of the viewliners never though about csx's tracks in the design.

 

[AlanB]

I can just imagine a trip in a decrepit, rough-riding Heritage car at 110mph.     :lol:

Actually I've been in a Heritage Sleeper at 90 MPH on the NEC, and it wasn't that horrible. For all I know, we may have been going even faster than 90. They used real springs back when they built those cars. Not airbags and other strange things.

Oddly enough some of the old NYC subway cars actually ride smoother than the newer ones do, although not the lastest ones the R142's & R143's.

 

[AlanB]

OK, can't find that table in Trains, but that's ok. The ride at 110 in a Viewliner isn't exactly smooth as glass. If you think CSX is bad at 79, the NEC is worse at 110, in a Viewliner anyway. It wasn't too terribly bad in an Amfleet at 125 or MARC's new Kawasaki Coaches at however fast those things go.

:lol: Amfleet's arnt exaclty smooth at 79 on csx's track. I guess designers of the viewliners never though about csx's tracks in the design.

I've been bounced pretty good on NS tracks too, in a Viewliner. But then again I've been tossed around pretty good in just about every car Amtrak owns on tracks owned by several different RR's, including Amtrak.

 

[battalion51]

Besides Acela, I have to say the smoothest ride I've had on Amtrak was probably in a Superliner II on the Sunset's route.

 

[engine999]

Besides Acela, I have to say the smoothest ride I've had on Amtrak was probably in a Superliner II on the Sunset's route.

East of NOL? Where csx just relayed tracks.

 

[AlanB]

Besides Acela, I have to say the smoothest ride I've had on Amtrak was probably in a Superliner II on the Sunset's route.

Well you've only done Acela in the 75 MPH MN territory. Ya gotta try it at 135 in Amtrak territory south of NYP.

 

[battalion51]

Even on the Sanford Sub it's a pretty smooth ride in the Trans Dorm.

 

[AlanB]

I guess you two guys aren't amoungst the 2 million without power in Florida tonight.

Hope it stays that way for you.