Exactly! Every time I’ve taken an LD train, it’s been at least mostly full. And I’ve been on plenty of corridor trains which ran pretty empty. They should look at how sold out a given service tends to be, and figure out desirability from there.
Anderson’s argument in that paragraph is that the vast majority of riders take short distance routes. While true, that point really doesn’t really mean anything if you think about the fact that the vast majority of trains are short distance. So even if Anderson is also looking at how sold out the different services tend to be, by omiting that point here, it doesn’t make much difference.
If you study the link closely you will note there is not any reference to replacing Amfleet-2s which have 40%+ more mileages that -1s. If that doesn't say something what does? Another point is that the last available of figures has ~ 40% of total passenger miles are on LD trains. Why does Anderson and Amtrak ignore that figure?
And if you had read Anderson’s testimony, also linked in this thread, you would have found that he addressed Amfleet 2 replacement. Depending on what route they choose to go with the Amfleet 1 replacement order, the long distance single level procurement will either happen as part of the upcoming order, or shortly after.
Agree with the first part of your statement but not sure if measuring per route rather than per train would present a positive picture of the LD routes. . On a LD service like the EB , CZ or SWC you only have four train sets running on each route. Even if all the trains are filled to capacity, the usage per route will be light As for corridors that run many more trains; judging by route load may present a more positive picture.
The LD network can be utilized to feed the corridors or supplement the corridors or vice versa. There is a reason why ridership on the Pigeon increased between certain city pairs when they added another train to the route. If you bring back the Broadway Limited or some sort of replacement, you'll see the numbers to PGH rise since you've added additional service, with a favorable pattern. The LSL and the Silver Service all benefit from having additional trains. If you can improve OTP, another MSP-CHI train would certainly help the Empire Builder. There is talk of restoring service to Mobile. That's nice but why not add it to the Crescent, and give yourself more capacity between NYP-ATL? After all, that was one of the benefits of the Gulf Breeze.
As JIs explains, not all LD trains have dining cars and sleepers. Vermonter, Pennsylvanian and the Palmetto are examples of long distance trains, that aren't quite corridor trains as they only have one frequency. Yet,they don't seem to incur the wrath of the LD trains, although two are state supported.
Couldn’t agree more. Whatever is decided, fund the routes properly, and equip them properly. Do what needs to be done about the host freight railroads to address OTP. Look at everything including reevaluating the question of whether the current rate they are being paid by Amtrak is fair and if that should be re-examined (and if that may entice them to be a better host to Amtrak trains) along with enforcing the laws regarding priority and holding them accountable when they aren’t following through on their obligations. Again, what makes anyone think that these hosts are going to play any better with a corridor service than a daily train? If we can’t address the OTP problem with the once daily trains we are running now I don’t see how we add corridors with reasonable OTP in some of these areas.
Very well said!
Agreed. As a first step, let's dust off the Product Improvement Plan docs from, what was it, 2010, and see what suggestions still make sense.
What is the end to end percentage of the NEC trains? What is the end to end ridership of the NEC/State Supported trains, the busiest corridor? In other words, how many people are riding the entire route from BOS-RNK? BOS-NPN? WAS-SPG? What is the end to end ridership percentage of the Vermonter?
An additional consideration: How many riders (who might or might not need to ride end-to-end on any train) already need to transfer from one LD train to another to get from their point A to point B? If those routes are broken up into multiple trains, how many riders will be lost because too many transfers will be needed, with waits at each transfer point and connectivity dependent on currently-not-reliable OTP?
The proposed corridors don't connect across the country.
Lets not forget that sleepers tend to be the most sold out and the reduction of space is adding a lot of mis information about how many people use the long distance service. In the old days a train like the Empire Builder carried 5 sleepers and a first class lounge and dinner year round. Toward the end however they claimed the sleepers were sold out so they could then complain no one was riding them. That made it appear that people didn't want the service. I rode it the last month when the notices were posted in the sleepers that in 30 days they would turn the passenger service over to the government. That train consist was nearly empty in the sleepers and yet when we tried to book one from Vancouver they said they were sold out. An officer of the Great Northern was also a passenger and his wife told us they tired to get a reservation at the 30 day time period they were accepting them, and were told there was no space available.
Furthermore, a clockface timetable leads to an eficient utilization of rolling stock and personell.
A removal of the ability to take one train, with its needed diner and sleeper is at the heart of rail passenger service. It had been mostly in America where the railroads and now Amtrak has decided that isn't the case. Amtrak was formed to make sure the a system of city to city or cross country routes were not removed from public use. To accept that they are not needed is a real blow to passenger rail service. I wouldn't even consider a train where there were no diner or sleepers and you had to change trains three times to get where you trying to go. Its ridiculous at best. Look around at other nations. The premiere long distance routes are still being served by up to date and well taken care of equipment. With the growing amount of younger people interested in rail as a choice should be encouraging us to provide more points which can be easily reached not making the trips near impossible.
