RailPlan has a reputation alright..."Railplan International in Baltimore "is being hired as a subcontractor to retrofit luggage towers and modular bathrooms into the cars, to make them fit for daily intercity operation and be responsible for maintenance," Plous says.""
...
Also, ""We were selected based on our reputation and our sub-contractors reputation," Plous says, "but costs are not settled yet."" Hmm.
Probably will remain under Amtrak system (ticketing, rewards, etc)
I didn't realize that.Rickey, you do know the Amtrak commissary in Oakland contracts directely with Gourmet Rail Services. The CCJPA does not.
Gourmet Rail Services food, which is also on the San Joaquins, generally puts the standard AmCafe fare served by Amtrak to shame. One has to wonder when one thinks of all the better food on state supported routes like these and the Downeaster, the Cascades, the Surfliners...Speaking of the Capitol Corridor... that's an example of a line where Amtrak has very little involvement...
The Capitol Corridor is operated by the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority... [which] contracts... ...commissary services for the café cars... ...to Gourmet Rail Services... ...as more states move to situations like this Amtrak will have to bid aggressively to keep contracts.
The Cardinal would almost assuredly not go to R/D north of Indianapolis, possibly save for Dyer, IN (the last stop before Chicago) unless one of two things happened:Do we know yet if the state is going to pay for any significant track improvements? As it stands, the HS is way too slow (5 hours) to compete with intercity bus service (~3 hours). This is made worse because the train is often late.
To me, that should be the first priority before operations shakeups, and getting new equipment.
I'm assuming that the plan to change control of the Hoosier State means that it will run separately of the Cardinal now? Would that mean that the Cardinal would shift to a detrain/receive only format north of IND (as is the case in other areas with LD trains and SD trains using the same stops)?
Yeah, but NCDOT was SERIOUS. They fought a court case to regain control of the tracks; they committed hundreds of millions to improve them; they rebuilt over a dozen stations; they had a speed target, a long-term plan, a medium-term plan, and a short-term plan.Indiana DOT should contact NC DOT. NC started out the same way, with Amtrak providing everything for the Piedmonts. As time went on, NC provided it's own equipment (with Amtrak doing some of the rebuilds) and got some contractors to do the cleaning and daily maintenance. Amtrak still does the ticketing, provides the train and engine crews and the station agents. NCDOT sets the schedules.
It's totally doable.
Well: my only attempt at explanation: There are different types of "right wing".I know that we're not supposed to talk politics here, but I just don't understand why so many people on the right oppose passenger rail development. I say this as a conservative/libertarian sort of guy. The backwardness of my peers annoys me so much sometimes.
No, we do not know if IN DOT and the Governor are willing to consider providing funds for capital improvements. Even if they are willing to start a small freight and passenger rail capital program - and can do so without explicit authorization from the state legislature - it would be years before any track improvement projects could get started on construction. In the meantime, there are operational improvements that can be implemented such as a better schedule for Indiana stops and Corridor Capital is offering alternate old equipment in place of the Horizons.Do we know yet if the state is going to pay for any significant track improvements? As it stands, the HS is way too slow (5 hours) to compete with intercity bus service (~3 hours). This is made worse because the train is often late.
To me, that should be the first priority before operations shakeups, and getting new equipment.
I'm assuming that the plan to change control of the Hoosier State means that it will run separately of the Cardinal now? Would that mean that the Cardinal would shift to a detrain/receive only format north of IND (as is the case in other areas with LD trains and SD trains using the same stops)?
BART is a member of the CCJPA, not a contractor. It is the managing member.The CCJPA contracts with the Bay Area Rapid Transit District (the operators of BART) for day-to-day management of the line
Passenger rail service between Chicago and Indianapolis might end before a new vendor gets the chance to take over the line and make good on its promises to dramatically improve service.
Last year, Indianapolis officials signed on for the one-year deal to subsidize the Amtrak line running between Indy and Chicago after Amtrak announced in 2012 that it would end its shorter routes, which meant Indiana’s last passenger line. Now they have announced they’re ending that subsidy.
“They have told me they are not interested in doing it next year, and take that as a final no,” said Bob Zier, director of multimodal program and planning for Indiana Department of Transportation.
Indianapolis’ announcement comes as the state tapped Corridor Capital to take over the Amtrak line running between the two cities with stops along the way, including in Lafayette. Corridor Capital promised changes ranging from cleaner cars, modest food service, Wi-Fi, and on-time service — goals that Amtrak was supposed to have reached by this time in order to continue to receive state, county and city support.
Enter your email address to join: