I ride a lot of long distance trains this year and every year and on most trips the host railroad would have nothing to be ashamed of and several Class I s choose to run TV ads (you've seen them). NS is back in the steam program business. So there is some interest in and perceived advantage in...
Here's a thought to make outsourcing something other than a joke. The basic problem is that the bidder assumes financial risk for something that never makes a profit. (Hoosier State Experiment). How about this: Tax credit to any Class I that operates a long distance train that is equal to...
This summer the timekeeping for LDT in and out of Chicago has been nothing short of horrendous. The vast majority of these trips did not involve private cars. That said, when private cars are picked up or dropped off enroute some time will be lost. It can range from almost unnoticeable to...
Printman2000 asks Mr. Gallagher a key question. "If the reroute is cheaper and has the potential for higher ridership how does that not help Amtrak?" I would be very surprised if Brian or Mr. Boardman would dispute this if the two premises contained therein we in fact true. Printman2000 says...
This is confusing. If the transcon would be faster, attract more riders and be cheaper to operate what is the head of Amtrak and the head of BNSF doing spending their valuable time riding a train through western Kansas promoting the inferior route?
How about a daily train connecting the two biggest cities in Texas connecting with the Eagle with sleeping car and serving the best university in Texas?
Two fact corrections that may not make any difference.
1. The bill Colorado passed does not require the train to detour thru Pueblo. It requires a detour to Pueblo be considered five years from the bills passage with the money to do that not the responsibility of Amtrak, BNSF, Kansas or New...
Union Station WAS used by Amtrak in the early seventies. The Texas Chief (Lone Star) left and arrived there until it was moved to the current SP station after some track modified to allow it to join the Sunset. During this time Amtrak had employees at both stations.
What they told me when the van left before 22 got in was that the van also carried passengers from a southbound CHI-STL train; so the van didn't leave Springfield empty.
In November I went from Denver to Austin to see OK state beat Texas. That was bad enough but on the way back 22 was late enough to Springfield that the van left. The conductor told me the same thing about going to Chicago and talking to passenger services. I called a friend at Amtrak Chicago...
If the SWC were ever to go through Pueblo all the upgrades to track and additional infrastructure would have to be paid for totally by Colorado and nobody else and the operation would have to be blessed not only by BNSF but also by Amtrak; so talking about what Amtrak would be forced to do or...