The Texas Eagle finally has Hope

[afigg]

This makes for 4 new Amtrak station stops in the past 5 months. Can't say that there is not progress in expanding Amtrak.

A new stop is expansion of sorts ... but I would rather see new routes.

We will see that happen in the next 3-4 years, although perhaps not as extensive as many would like.

Sometime in early 2014, 3 new stops in central MA on the CT River line replacing the stop at Amherst.

Further out, maybe late 2015 or 2016 in the Midwest: Chicago to Dubuque, Chicago to Quad Cities maybe to Iowa City (TBD).

VA: by 2016/20167: Roanoke VA

VT: state pushing for extending Ethan Allen to Burlington by 2017; Vermonter to Montreal, date TBD.

CA: Coast Daylight LA to San Francisco, likely by 2016.

There are other possible new or extended routes, but these are good bets to happen.