I'm sure many of you read my proposal for Boston to Florida service. In the middle of it came the topic of North Carolina to Florida service.
http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/66344-revisiting-boston-florida-service/?p=635753
I had discussed the tight time between train 76 and train 91 going from Charlotte to Florida via Raleigh. I had also discussed a third train from the NEC to Florida.
The 2011 PRIIA for the Silver Service said that they studied rerouting the Silver Star via Charlotte and Greensboro but said it wasn't feasible.
http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/570/756/2011%20PRIIA%20210%20Report%2009-26-11_final.pdf
I also thought about Seaboard92's proposal for Chicago-Florida service via Atlanta.
http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/66184-revived-floridian/
Well I put that all together and thought about a new idea for a train...
Have a train take the Crescent route from NYP to ATL, then turn at ATL to serve Florida. Of course this has to wait until the Viewliner II's come in.
There are a few different ways this can be done.
Option 1 (Easiest implementation): Through cars from ATL to MIA on the Crescent.
The train would split/merge with the Crescent in ATL. Using a rough estimate of 6 hours from ATL to JAX, the train could leave ATL around 9am, JAX around 3pm, ORL around 6pm,and MIA around midnight. The return would leave MIA around 3am, ORL around 9am, JAX around noon, and ATL around 6pm to connect with the Crescent from NOL. To get better times in Florida, you can move the southbound 19 up an hour and the northbound 20 back 3 hours.
Option 2: Separate train NEC-CLT-ATL-Florida (Silver Moon), Crescent stays same
The train would run approximately 33 hours (NYP-ATL 18 hrs, ATL-JAX 6 hrs, JAX-MIA 9 hrs). This train could serve as a 2nd daily from NYP to ATL as well as access from GRO/CLT/ATL to Florida. It's doubtful anyone from the NEC would go to Florida using this train.
Southbound 9: NYP 7:15pm, PHL 8:55pm, WAS 11:30pm, CLT 7:20/7:45am, ATL 1:13/1:38pm, JAX 7:39/8:04pm, ORL 11:14/11:29pm, MIA 5:09am
Northbound 10: MIA 7:50am, ORL 1:03/1:15pm, JAX 4:22/4:42pm, ATL 10:35/11:04pm, CLT 4:21/4:46am, WAS 12:53pm, PHL 3:08pm, NYP 4:46pm
You might have to move the northbound 98 back a bit to avoid overlap with the northbound 10.
Option 3: Separate train NEC-CLT-ATL-Florida (Silver Moon), Switch Crescent 19 southbound back
Southbound 9: (NYP to ATL times same as current 19 southbound) JAX 2:39/3:04pm, ORL 6:14/6:29pm, MIA 12:09am
Northbound 10: MIA 7:50am, ORL 1:03/1:15pm, JAX 4:22/4:42pm, ATL 10:35/11:04pm, CLT 4:21/4:46am, WAS 12:53pm, PHL 3:08pm, NYP 4:46pm
Southbound 19: NYP 6:15pm, PHL 7:55pm, WAS 10:30pm, Charlotte 6:20/6:45am, ATL 12:13/12:38pm, NOL 11:32/midnight
Northbound 20 unchanged
Option 4: Separate train NEC-CLT-ATL-Florida (Silver Moon), Extend Crescent to SAS (similar to previous proposal)
http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/65927-proposal-for-extending-crescent-to-sas-improving-te-schedule/
Southbound 9: (NYP to ATL times same as current 19 southbound) JAX 2:39/3:04pm, ORL 6:14/6:29pm, MIA 12:09am
Northbound 10: MIA 7:50am, ORL 1:03/1:15pm, JAX 4:22/4:42pm, ATL 10:35/11:04pm, CLT 4:21/4:46am, WAS 12:53pm, PHL 3:08pm, NYP 4:46pm
Southbound 19: NYP 6:15pm, PHL 7:55pm, WAS 10:30pm, Charlotte 6:20/6:45am, ATL 12:13/12:38pm, NOL 11:32/midnight, HOU 9:18/9:55am, SAS 3:05pm
Northbound 20: SAS 2:25pm, HOU 7:10/8:10pm, NOL 5:40/7:00am (NOL to NYP times unchanged)
Southbound 21/421: CHI noon, STL 5:36/6:15pm, DAL 9:45/10:05am, SAS 8:10/9:00pm, El Paso 7:37/8:02am, Tucson 1:00/1:50pm , Maricopa 3:07/3:17pm, LAX 11:50pm
Layover in SAS from 19 to 21/421: 3:05pm to 9:00pm
Layover in SAS from 22/422 to 20: 5:50am to 2:25pm
When I first proposed this, one of the complaints was shifting the southbound 19 schedule. Under this proposal, the southbound 9 takes its place from NYP to ATL. They also said there would be a lack of trains but assuming the Viewliner II's are in, you might have the necessary equipment.
Under these schedules, you can do 422 to 20 to 9 to go from LAX/Texas to Florida without going through CHI. Unfortunately 10 to 19 via ATL would require an overnight in ATL. You could also do any Florida train to WAS (the 92 would have the shortest layover with the 19) and then the 19 to SAS which sounds stupid but right now there's no way to get from Florida to Texas/LAX without going through CHI.
Option 4 is the most aggressive. Options 2 and 3 allows for two NEC to ATL trains. If you split the current NYP-ATL Crescent traffic between the Crescent and Silver Moon you might be able to run the Crescent with one fewer coach car. Option 1 simply adds the option from ATL (and GRO/CLT) to Florida.
Again, it all depends on the Viewliner II's. But if Amtrak can establish ATL to JAX, it does open up some new city pairs.