Bradenmeridian
Train Attendant
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- Dec 28, 2014
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Midlands Steve
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I would agree with a daily Cardinal to both Chicago and St. Louis (splitting at IND). Given that the LSL and CL are already serving Chicago on a daily basis, I'm not sure how important it is for the Card to be doing the same thing (unless you're worried about IND-CHI service). Sadly, the timing between CIN and CHI is very slow along circuitous routing.
With regard to possible restored service from IND-STL, about 240 miles, there is high potential for excellent patronage. By comparison, the present KCY-STL service (2 trains each way--funded by MODOT), about 278 miles, is well-patronized and there is talk about adding another train. So, in the opposite direction from STL, with similar demographics, why wouldn't we expect the same results? The route east of STL even offers a connection to other Amtrak trains at EFG.
With regard to possible restored service from IND-STL, about 240 miles, there is high potential for excellent patronage. By comparison, the present KCY-STL service (2 trains each way--funded by MODOT), about 278 miles, is well-patronized and there is talk about adding another train. So, in the opposite direction from STL, with similar demographics, why wouldn't we expect the same results? The route east of STL even offers a connection to other Amtrak trains at EFG.
nshvlcat
Service Attendant
I am in complete agreement. We must get Amtrak back in Music City.
And why stop there? If they can split the Cardinal at its 'western end', why not at its 'eastern end'? Oh, wait a minute....they already did that with the Cardinal's predecessor....(between Charlottesville and Newport News).....anyone remember that?
I'm familiar with that. At the time, CVS-RVR had workable tracks, too...the train made rather good time per the timetable.And why stop there? If they can split the Cardinal at its 'western end', why not at its 'eastern end'? Oh, wait a minute....they already did that with the Cardinal's predecessor....(between Charlottesville and Newport News).....anyone remember that?
The main issue is that splitting the train at both ends would be a logistical headache. Let's go with sections for NPN and NYP and sections for CHI and STL. You now have four possible pairs for a given car (NYP-CHI, NYP-STL, NPN-CHI, and NPN-STL). So either someone is going to have to switch cars somewhere (cue thrilled passengers being advised of this at about 0500 in Indianapolis because the crew dropped the ball beforehand) or you're going to get a lot of capricious space limitations (e.g. either the train would require at least four sleeping cars or one of those pairs won't have a sleeper, and trying to sort pax between cars would be a nightmare for Arrow). For this reason alone, I do see doing splits in more than one direction (i.e. on the east end or west end) on almost any train as impractical. Put another way, you really need to have the whole train end up at one endpoint or the other (cut-off cars notwithstanding [1] [2]).
[1] Depending on long-term timekeeping trends, I wouldn't be opposed to seeing coaches added to the LD trains to run just NYP-WAS (ideally you'd run them both ways, but NB the timekeeping issue means that doing so runs into issues; one thing you might be able to do is have those coaches reconstituted into a stray Regional or deadhead them on the back of 66/67, which is quite capable of handling a car drop at NYP on the way back north). This is, however, another discussion.
[2] Related to [1] is the fact that, at least in theory, one could always run a sleeper (and/or through coach) from BOS to either NYP or WAS on a Regional to transfer to the SB trains. Considering that *mutters* the food service on the Star is set to be indistinguishable from that on the Regional in six weeks *stops muttering*, it might be worth Amtrak's time and energy to consider such an option.
IIRC the reliability issues from then weren't actually on the eastern end...they were largely out between Indianapolis and Chicago, where they had to switch routes about once a year throughout the 1970s because of track conditions deteriorating under PC/Conrail.
Absolutely correct....I rode all of those interesting routes thru Indiana on the George Washington/James Whitcomb Riley as well as the South Wind/Floridian back then.
Remember the embarrassing disclaimer Amtrak actually printed in the National Timetables apologizing for the unreliability due to the "deteriorated track conditions" of the Penn Central as well as the search for a better route....
That said, I think the complication of any split, good tracks or not, and a multiple set of splits would really jeopardize the timekeeping of any train.
Remember the embarrassing disclaimer Amtrak actually printed in the National Timetables apologizing for the unreliability due to the "deteriorated track conditions" of the Penn Central as well as the search for a better route....
That said, I think the complication of any split, good tracks or not, and a multiple set of splits would really jeopardize the timekeeping of any train.
I think you can safely do one split on most routes (historically, Amtrak did a bunch of splits in Florida over the years, split a bunch of Regionals at New Haven, etc.), but going to more than one split significantly increases the chance of things going wrong (I'm informed that the "City of Everywhere" had all sorts of issues related to "If one of the X sections is delayed the whole train gets to stick around Green River for a few hours).
The most logical splits (in addition to those already done) would be:
-Splitting the Cardinal to serve STL/KCY (thereby providing a secondary gateway between east and west so that when CHI melts down [or, rather, freezes up] there's a practical second option).
-Splitting trains in Florida to better handle the geography there.
-Splitting a non-LSL east-west train to serve Detroit-New York.
-Splitting the Cap at PGH to run cars on the Pennsylvanian or on a separate train.
-Splitting the Zephyr at SLC to support either a Pioneer or Desert Wind.
-Splitting the Coast Starlight to run direct through-service along the Central Valley to/from Los Angeles and to/from points north of SAC.
Agreed...a split at one end can usually be maintained. Back in the pre-Amtrak days, passenger trains were run much more reliably, allowing a lot more splits, and without the benefit of the enormous schedule "padding", that is the norm today. In fact, IIRC the C&O/B&O George Washington did split at both ends...The Washington and Newport News sections at Charlottesville, as well as the St. Lous, Louisville, and Detroit sections (split at Ashland, Ky). And if you consider the thru Pullmans that were connected at Washington to/from New York, (PRR) as well as the ones at Cincinnati to/from Chicago (NYC),and possibly to/from Washington on the B&O, it is truly mind-boggling. Certainly a rival to the UP "City of Everywhere".....
http://www.streamlinerschedules.com/concourse/track1/georgewash196706.html
http://www.streamlinerschedules.com/concourse/track1/georgewash196706.html
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Or the Zephyr/Desert Wind/ Pioneer combined train split to go on three different routes! Always been sorry I never got to ride this Long baby out of Chicago!
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