henryj
Conductor
Just to reiterate and focus the discussion more distinctly, here are the proposals put forth to Amtrak in concert with their Route Performance Improvement initiative for the Sunset Limited. These were developed as a joint effort between the various support groups lobbying for improvements to the historic and famed Sunset Limited train that has faithfully served the Southwest since 1894. Here are the support groups.
http://groups.google.com/group/sunset-limited-west
http://sunsetteam.net/
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/SunsetFriends/
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/SMAR...group&slk=1
And the plan. This is the outline for a slide presentation put together by representatives from these groups.
SUNSET LIMITED SERVICE
ACTION PLAN FOR 2009-2010
IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE AMTRAK’S 2009 ROUTE PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVE WE HAVE LISTED SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS WE THINK ARE NEEDED TO IMPROVE THE SUNSET LIMITED’S LEVEL OF SERVICE
PHASE I
These are suggested improvements that can be implemented in a short time frame with great benefit to the Sunset Limited’s service and minimal effort and expense on the part of Amtrak.
RESTORE SERVICE BETWEEN NEW ORLEANS AND ORLANDO
This requires no additional equipment as the necessary train set currently sits in New Orleans for three days with crew before returning west. Much of the traffic east of San Antonio and Houston was for destinations in Florida, primarily Orlando. Either restore the Sunset’s transcontinental status or implement a separate connecting train from New Orleans to Florida destinations.
SHUTTLE SERVICE BETWEEN PHOENIX AND MARICOPA
Contract for an airport type shuttle to service the Phoenix area connecting with the Sunset Limited at Maricopa. A shuttle service could make pickups and drops from multiple locations within the Phoenix area similar to what airport shuttle services do and provide a convenient, reliable, economical and guaranteed connection.
DAILY SERVICE
This is a necessity if this train is to survive and provide the kind of service expected of it by the communities it serves. There are currently four train sets assigned to the Sunset’s three times a week service. It only takes five sets to run it daily between Los Angeles and New Orleans and two more to run it all the way to Orlando.
SCHEDULE IMPROVEMENTS
Remove the padding added during the Union Pacific’s major construction project west of El Paso.
Restore the pre-Katrina timings with some adjustments.
Westbound: Earlier departure from New Orleans so as to reach San Antonio before Midnight. Early morning arrival in Los Angeles.
Eastbound: Late evening departure from Los Angeles with early morning arrival in Maricopa, Tucson and improved timing into San Antonio and Houston.
The goal here is to better serve the major metropolitan areas with more reasonable timings. San Antonio, Houston and Phoenix are suffering the most from the current schedule. San Antonio in particular is a major tourist draw attracting over 25 million visitors a year. Both Houston and Phoenix have populations exceeding 4-5 million.
Add additional stops in Texas to better serve the communities through which the train operates and offer boarding to and from suburban locations. Uvalde, Hondo, Seguin, Schulenburg and Rosenburg for instance. Proper studies could be done and facilities added to accomplish this. The idea is to get more communities involved and interested in rail service. Communities have little interest in a train that just blow through each day with stopping.
Better Time Keeping by the Host Railroads. With the winding down of UPRR’s major construction projects and the drop in freight traffic this should be easy to accomplish.
PHASE II
These represent easily doable projects, but ones that will take more investment of time and money on the part of Amtrak.
REFURBISHMENT OF EQUIPMENT
Why not develop a theme for the lounge and diner cars as was done with the Coast Starlight. Some possible themes, New Orleans French Quarter, Western or West Texas, El Paso & San Antonio possible Spanish theme, Orlando theme parks, Florida sun and beaches, etc.
ADDITIONAL CAPACITY
Add additional equipment to the rotation during the busy periods. Daily service will automatically more than double capacity. Adding additional cars during peak periods will boost ridership and availability.
ADDITIONAL THRU-WAY BUS CONNECTIONS
Add bus connections to expand market area and bring in more passengers.
Galveston - Houston
Austin - Houston
Corpus Christi – San Antonio
Baton Rouge – New Orleans
Albuquerque – El Paso
BETTER PROMOTION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE SUNSET
With daily service and more equipment it should be productive to implement more dynamic promotion for the train including travel magazines, TV adds, news releases and promotions as stations are rehabilitated.
PHASE III
These are long term projects that are necessary for the continued long term viability of rail service along this route.
New Station in Beaumont, Texas. Funds for this are included in the current stimulus package. Currently the station location is just a concrete slab.
Restore the track west of Phoenix and reroute through Phoenix. Work with AZDOT and UPRR to put the tracks west of Phoenix back in service and restore the tracks through Phoenix to passenger train speeds.
Replace Houston station with multi use intermodal facility. Houston Metro already has plans for a new intermodal facility to replace the existing small passenger station. New facility would include trains, buses and light rail connections.
New railroad bridge over Mobile Bay. Interstate 10 currently crosses directly accross Mobile Bay. The CSX tracks make a long detour north from Mobile and around the bay. A railroad bridge parallel to I10 would greatly shorten this route and speed up both freight and passenger service.
http://groups.google.com/group/sunset-limited-west
http://sunsetteam.net/
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/SunsetFriends/
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/SMAR...group&slk=1
And the plan. This is the outline for a slide presentation put together by representatives from these groups.
SUNSET LIMITED SERVICE
ACTION PLAN FOR 2009-2010
IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE AMTRAK’S 2009 ROUTE PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVE WE HAVE LISTED SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS WE THINK ARE NEEDED TO IMPROVE THE SUNSET LIMITED’S LEVEL OF SERVICE
PHASE I
These are suggested improvements that can be implemented in a short time frame with great benefit to the Sunset Limited’s service and minimal effort and expense on the part of Amtrak.
RESTORE SERVICE BETWEEN NEW ORLEANS AND ORLANDO
This requires no additional equipment as the necessary train set currently sits in New Orleans for three days with crew before returning west. Much of the traffic east of San Antonio and Houston was for destinations in Florida, primarily Orlando. Either restore the Sunset’s transcontinental status or implement a separate connecting train from New Orleans to Florida destinations.
SHUTTLE SERVICE BETWEEN PHOENIX AND MARICOPA
Contract for an airport type shuttle to service the Phoenix area connecting with the Sunset Limited at Maricopa. A shuttle service could make pickups and drops from multiple locations within the Phoenix area similar to what airport shuttle services do and provide a convenient, reliable, economical and guaranteed connection.
DAILY SERVICE
This is a necessity if this train is to survive and provide the kind of service expected of it by the communities it serves. There are currently four train sets assigned to the Sunset’s three times a week service. It only takes five sets to run it daily between Los Angeles and New Orleans and two more to run it all the way to Orlando.
SCHEDULE IMPROVEMENTS
Remove the padding added during the Union Pacific’s major construction project west of El Paso.
Restore the pre-Katrina timings with some adjustments.
Westbound: Earlier departure from New Orleans so as to reach San Antonio before Midnight. Early morning arrival in Los Angeles.
Eastbound: Late evening departure from Los Angeles with early morning arrival in Maricopa, Tucson and improved timing into San Antonio and Houston.
The goal here is to better serve the major metropolitan areas with more reasonable timings. San Antonio, Houston and Phoenix are suffering the most from the current schedule. San Antonio in particular is a major tourist draw attracting over 25 million visitors a year. Both Houston and Phoenix have populations exceeding 4-5 million.
Add additional stops in Texas to better serve the communities through which the train operates and offer boarding to and from suburban locations. Uvalde, Hondo, Seguin, Schulenburg and Rosenburg for instance. Proper studies could be done and facilities added to accomplish this. The idea is to get more communities involved and interested in rail service. Communities have little interest in a train that just blow through each day with stopping.
Better Time Keeping by the Host Railroads. With the winding down of UPRR’s major construction projects and the drop in freight traffic this should be easy to accomplish.
PHASE II
These represent easily doable projects, but ones that will take more investment of time and money on the part of Amtrak.
REFURBISHMENT OF EQUIPMENT
Why not develop a theme for the lounge and diner cars as was done with the Coast Starlight. Some possible themes, New Orleans French Quarter, Western or West Texas, El Paso & San Antonio possible Spanish theme, Orlando theme parks, Florida sun and beaches, etc.
ADDITIONAL CAPACITY
Add additional equipment to the rotation during the busy periods. Daily service will automatically more than double capacity. Adding additional cars during peak periods will boost ridership and availability.
ADDITIONAL THRU-WAY BUS CONNECTIONS
Add bus connections to expand market area and bring in more passengers.
Galveston - Houston
Austin - Houston
Corpus Christi – San Antonio
Baton Rouge – New Orleans
Albuquerque – El Paso
BETTER PROMOTION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE SUNSET
With daily service and more equipment it should be productive to implement more dynamic promotion for the train including travel magazines, TV adds, news releases and promotions as stations are rehabilitated.
PHASE III
These are long term projects that are necessary for the continued long term viability of rail service along this route.
New Station in Beaumont, Texas. Funds for this are included in the current stimulus package. Currently the station location is just a concrete slab.
Restore the track west of Phoenix and reroute through Phoenix. Work with AZDOT and UPRR to put the tracks west of Phoenix back in service and restore the tracks through Phoenix to passenger train speeds.
Replace Houston station with multi use intermodal facility. Houston Metro already has plans for a new intermodal facility to replace the existing small passenger station. New facility would include trains, buses and light rail connections.
New railroad bridge over Mobile Bay. Interstate 10 currently crosses directly accross Mobile Bay. The CSX tracks make a long detour north from Mobile and around the bay. A railroad bridge parallel to I10 would greatly shorten this route and speed up both freight and passenger service.
