New Sunset Limited Possibilities

[henryj]

I am sure all you smart guys on here have figured it out by now. But the day trip from Houston to Lafayette on Fridays is gone with the new schedule change. However, an even better trip is now possible. Houston(or San Antonio) to Alpine on Wednesdays. Leaves Houston at 6:55pm Wednesday and arrives in Alpine 10:38am Thursday. Have a nice lunch and depart at 8:45pm and arrive back in Houston Friday at 11:10am. Coach it's $154. Sleeper.......haha.

 

[mfastx]

The new SSL schedule for Houston is much better. You can take a weekend trip to New Orleans/San Antonio at convenient times!

 

[henryj]

The new SSL schedule for Houston is much better. You can take a weekend trip to New Orleans/San Antonio at convenient times!

I know, this change was sooooo over due. Finally.

 

[NE933]

I have a plan to force Amtrak into a corner on the issue of returning the Sunset Limited to Florida, by either forcing it to answer to taking it off the schedule eliminating the "service suspended" b.s., or, by forcing it to answer to an overwhelming spike in interest.

The idea? Persuade a generally well liked individual, music group, sports team, etc. to charter an Amtrak train over the CSX Gulf coast route. This will effect a peaceful but solid standing lynch mob banging on doors demanding some semblance of passenger train service on said route. What's Amtrak going to do, say no to major cash, in hand, ready to spend in good faith, only in return that this proposed run go at least between Florida and New Orleans?

 

[Anderson]

I have a plan to force Amtrak into a corner on the issue of returning the Sunset Limited to Florida, by either forcing it to answer to taking it off the schedule eliminating the "service suspended" b.s., or, by forcing it to answer to an overwhelming spike in interest.

The idea? Persuade a generally well liked individual, music group, sports team, etc. to charter an Amtrak train over the CSX Gulf coast route. This will effect a peaceful but solid standing lynch mob banging on doors demanding some semblance of passenger train service on said route. What's Amtrak going to do, say no to major cash, in hand, ready to spend in good faith, only in return that this proposed run go at least between Florida and New Orleans?

The problem is that, at least on the operating side of things, such a train is set to lose $15+ million if I recall the numbers right. Amtrak will gladly run the charter (assuming that CSX doesn't get in the way, and they always might), but unless the operational numbers are going to look decent there (i.e. a much smaller operating loss) and unless you can find the extra equipment set(s) to run this train, it won't have any impact.

To be candid, assuming a stable subsidy, I'd rather have Amtrak get an extra 4 bilevels or 6 single-level cars per year than have them restart the Sunset Limited without adequate equipment in hand to serve existing routes at increasing demand levels.

Of course, to come at this from the other side, I think Amtrak should be open to running the train if FL, AL, MS, and LA were willing to kick in for the needed cars to run it (I'll ignore the operating side of things in deference to the rest of the LD network), but right now that equipment has to come from a pool that very much lacks the spares to pull it off.