22 replies to this topic

[Anderson]

While I'll allow that higher train frequencies are in no small part responsible (something like 35 trains/day between WAS and NYP, and close to 50 between PHL and NYP, to say nothing of the massive commuter interchange options in PHL, NYP, and BOS/BBY...and lesser options in WAS, BAL, and other cities, plus cross-honoring of tickets in some places), Normal and Springfield are more on par with either New Carrollton, MD or Richmond, VA (and in light of service frequencies, Richmond is probably the most apt comparison). The jam with IL is that it doesn't have a couple of big markets, but rather a lot of smaller markets (a number in the 50,000 range, a few scattered higher, spread over three primarily IL corridors plus the Hiawatha), so your ability to run a more express train gets hamstrung. Granted, I suspect that if you boosted the Lincoln Service to roughly hourly operation, you'd generate a boon (and have more comparable numbers to hold up to the NEC), but my point is that the volume situation just isn't there in the same way it is up in the NEC.

As to Missouri, Jefferson City only netted 49,000 passengers in FY10 (Kirkwood was at 48,000 and everyone else trailed behind). Again, the problem is that Jefferson City's metro area only comes to about 150,000 (Kirkwood rolls into the St. Louis metro area). It's a candidate for more frequent service, but it just doesn't quite come to the level of a number of other proposed services.

Look, getting the corridor to 90 MPH (really the new top end of conventional rail IMHO after the PTC ruling) is an excellent priority, and 110-125 MPH trains on the route make perfect sense and should drive ridership. It's going beyond there that I don't quite buy the cost/benefit calculation on anymore than I buy the idea someone mooted in Virginia of dropping a 150 MPH train on the Virginia Peninsula.

[DET63]

I think we need to start with basic electrification and upgrading tracks first.

Only Amtrak tracks that are electrified is the Northeast corridor. And oh, parts of Empire corridor (MN section) but Amtrak doesnt use that one for most part.

Empire corridor trains include a portion through Minnesota? Talk about going around Robin Hood's barn!

Although it sounds like a trip the_traveler would relish.

[PRR 60]

I think we need to start with basic electrification and upgrading tracks first.

Only Amtrak tracks that are electrified is the Northeast corridor. And oh, parts of Empire corridor (MN section) but Amtrak doesnt use that one for most part.

Empire corridor trains include a portion through Minnesota? Talk about going around Robin Hood's barn!

Although it sounds like a trip the_traveler would relish.

in this case, MN = Metro North, not Minnesota.