Sunset Limited / Texas Eagle PRIIA §210 FY10

[Green Maned Lion]

UP is asking for a ridiculous sum of money, so don't worry about it. It won't happen.

 

[henryj]

They could make most of the improvements they proposed to the Sunset Limited right now at zero cost or actually at a positive return. They could change the schedule back to it's pre-katrina timings eastbound, eliminate the long layover in San Antonio and set up a bus connection to Phoenix that would probably make money. Eliminate the three day layover of equipment in New Orleans and the associated crew costs and eliminate the extra layover in Los Angeles and it's associated crew costs. That would free up at least one of the four sets of equipment for use elsewhere and result in more efficient use of crews and equipment. It would also give the eastbound train better timings out of San Antonio and through Houston. Why don't they just go ahead and make these changes? Daily service can just wait until they sort out the contract with the UP.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

As much as I enjoy having Amtrak available to my city, if they were smart they'd probably cut the Texas Eagle off at Fort Worth and drop the Sunset Limited altogether. Once they did that they could focus on improving more important routes with the newly freed up hardware and staff.

 

[Anderson]

I tend to disagree...though I will say that I'm not opposed to the concept of some sort of consolidation of the services in the SW, I think that scrapping virtually all service in Texas is a bad move. Congressional mandate notwithstanding, it would make more sense to kill the Cardinal for redundancy, but I'm iffy on both prospects. Of course, the equipment shortages are a perpetual problem...and will likely continue to be.

 

[henryj]

Of course, the equipment shortages are a perpetual problem...and will likely continue to be.

Part of the equipment problem is just inefficient use by Amtrak itself. When the current Sunset Limited gets to New Orleans the equipment just sits there for three days before returning because they have never revised the schedule since they suspended service to Florida. They should either reinstate Florida service or change the schedule. In Los Angeles the same thing happens because the westbound morning arrival and mid-afternoon departure does not allow enough time to turn the train so the arriving set sits around until the next tri-weekly departure. This ties up four sets of equipment when three would do. Amtrak also has to pay the crews to sit around for that three days and put them up in a hotel somewhere. Most of the changes Amtrak proposed in the PIP on the Sunset could be done now to the existing train, yet they sit around doing nothing. As for the proposal to just eliminate the Sunset and Cardinal, well you could say that about almost any of the long distance trains as they all loose money. However, eliminating all service to Texas would be a bad idea with Texas being the second most populous state and have a lot of votes in Congress. Amtrak would have established a permanent and powerful enemy to it's existance.

 

[Palmland]

Good analysis, henryj. Amtrak is good at doing studies, but not so much at implementing changes. Before going public, Amtrak should have first negotiated with UP on what was feasible on TE/Sunset changes. If their plan is good, why don't they implement it, just make it 3 days a week on the Sunset portions? If nothing else, it will show if there is a market for a daylight train across Texas.

 

[had8ley]

I have 2 questions for those in the know. What if the Sunset stub was piggybacked to the original routing to Orlando; wouldn't this put it over the 750 mile cap for a LD train eliminating the need for Texas and Louisisiana to pony up $$$ ??? Secondly, is my interpretation of a "diner-lounge" is a CCC correct ?

 

[Bob Dylan]

I have 2 questions for those in the know. What if the Sunset stub was piggybacked to the original routing to Orlando; wouldn't this put it over the 750 mile cap for a LD train eliminating the need for Texas and Louisisiana to pony up $$$ ??? Secondly, is my interpretation of a "diner-lounge" is a CCC correct ?

:hi: Excellent idea Jay! (means it wont happen when the suits meet in DC! )Id bet my pension that the CCC will be exactly what the stub train will have, perhaps they could reconfigure them to be more of a lounge instead of a diner/lounge as is the current set up, making it neither feast nor fowl as the old saying goes! Personally with UP being the landlord dont see this happening soon, if ever! :help:

 

[bretton88]

It can happen, easy. Amtrak takes it to the Surface Transportation Board to force UP to host the service. Granted, this is a recipe that won't earn Amtrak any friends in the Class 1 RRs.