New Orleans to Jacksonville on Sunset Limited

[Devil's Advocate]

However the reason why Amtrak has kept it on suspended status instead of abandonment must be that there is some interest in reintroducing service one day.

I for one would not read too much into this. If it costs Amtrak nothing to call it "suspended" instead of discontinued then it's not really predictive of their future plans. In addition, the states that would be served are simply not interested. At the federal level the House is already staunchly anti-rail. The Senate is still status quo but ripe for post election reversal, and none of the candidates running to replace the current president are likely to support passenger rail outside of the NEC. Or at least that's the way I see it.

 

[cirdan]

Amtrak should just end it and quash all the rumors about bringing this section back. it will never happen ever.

Why? It is not exactly costing anyone anything to maintain status quo.

They could at least delete that section from the map and timetable so as to avoid confusion.

Unless they are somehow calculating that the line on the map will catalyze public support for reinstatement.

 

[cirdan]

Furthermore, bringing this route back will end this ridiculous and idiotic notion that you have to go to the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic to get to and from Texas and Florida, which are two of the top four states in regards to population.

It's not the only excessive detour on the map.

And its not Amtrak's role to attempt to cover all possible journeys.

 

[George Harris]

Furthermore, bringing this route back will end this ridiculous and idiotic notion that you have to go to the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic to get to and from Texas and Florida, which are two of the top four states in regards to population.

It's not the only excessive detour on the map.

And its not Amtrak's role to attempt to cover all possible journeys.

If it were, there are quite a few other routes that should come before this one, much as this one serves places I would go and some of the ones that would have greater demand do not.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Just remember the real name of the Amtrak Corporation ,IIRC, is the NATIONAL Passenger Rail Corporation, so it IS Amtraks job to provide NATIONAL Passenger Rail, not just NEC and selected favored Political Routes!(of course Politics drives all in Washington so this is sort of a pie in the sky idea!)

 

[dlagrua]

There are a few discontinued/suspended/abandoned routes that many travelers would like to see but as long as our government prefers to subsidized big business and billionaires instead of a service that serves the public interest; there will be no new passenger train routes.

 

[AlanB]

However the reason why Amtrak has kept it on suspended status instead of abandonment must be that there is some interest in reintroducing service one day.

I for one would not read too much into this. If it costs Amtrak nothing to call it "suspended" instead of discontinued then it's not really predictive of their future plans. In addition, the states that would be served are simply not interested.

I agree TS, and it should be noted that it's also easier for Amtrak to just say that it is suspended. In order to officially cancel the train Amtrak must post 180 day notices to all affected areas and go through some hoops & procedures, before they can cancel things. And the states do get a say in things, although short of finding money it is unlikely that they could stop the procedure.

Yes, the idea of easy restoration is still a potential factor in things too, but it is also quite likely that the above has far more to do with why things are suspended and not officially cancelled.