SWC Reroute

[MattW]

Here's a wacky not-gonna-happen idea, why not split the SWC at the last station before the split from the current route, then rejoin at Belen after the section taking the current route stops at Albuquerque? It'd require a somewhat complex switching move at both ends, but meh...it's a thought. Maybe the sleepers and Diner go through Amarillo and the coaches and SSL go the current route.

 

[AlanB]

What happens to the cities that would lose service? Are they just wiped from the map? Any thruway service? Is Amtrak obligated in any way to maintain service at any level to smaller communities (knowing major routes have been wiped out before, I am guessing not), or do they just focus on getting from A to B (LA to Chicago) with whatever communities they pick up on the way just having luck of the draw? I would think this would have a major negative economic impact on those communities.

Amtrak must post 180 day train off notices, and unless the howls of protest stir Congressional action or the areas affected can find some way to fund either the train or a connecting bus, then service to those cities will cease.

 

[George Harris]

Hey, what can I say, I want a perfect rail system. A train in Denver to every point I ever want to get to.

You know, you don't really want that. If we had a system that wasteful, very quickly we'd have no system at all. Amtrak can only justify itself by being efficient and heavily loaded.

Are you the same guy that went on at length about horrible it was that Caltrain did not have all night service on the San Francisco - San Jose route and that the first morning train on weekends was at 8:00am?

 

[MikefromCrete]

Here's a wacky not-gonna-happen idea, why not split the SWC at the last station before the split from the current route, then rejoin at Belen after the section taking the current route stops at Albuquerque? It'd require a somewhat complex switching move at both ends, but meh...it's a thought. Maybe the sleepers and Diner go through Amarillo and the coaches and SSL go the current route.

The whole reroute question originated with BNSF wanting the Chief off its present route so that the railroad wouldn't have to maintain the track to 79/90 mph standards or add PTC in the future, so no, such a split route wouldn't make sense at all.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Are you the same guy that went on at length about horrible it was that Caltrain did not have all night service on the San Francisco - San Jose route and that the first morning train on weekends was at 8:00am?

Sure. Since when was Caltrain Federally funded?

 

[printman2000]

For reference, the Train news wire article showed up on their public site now...

http://www.trains.com/trn/default.aspx?c=a&id=5784

 

[George Harris]

Are you the same guy that went on at length about horrible it was that Caltrain did not have all night service on the San Francisco - San Jose route and that the first morning train on weekends was at 8:00am?

Sure. Since when was Caltrain Federally funded?

And that statement makes sense, how??

 

[Green Maned Lion]

State politics are more locally focused, and thus can be run in a fashion that only needs to be justified on a more local level. At the federal level, things have to be justified in the eyes of people that not only aren't supportive of rail funding, but may likely never actually see the service in operation.

 

[JAChooChoo]

Hey, what can I say, I want a perfect rail system. A train in Denver to every point I ever want to get to.

...................Show pictures of empty Amtrak trains running from Norfolk to Cattlettsberg, however, and you can start laughing at the waste and calling the late unlamented Hilltopper the Staggers Special or Byrd Express.

Staggers Special was the Parkersburg-DC Blue Ridge

Byrd Express is the Cardinal

Norfolk-Cattletsburg was the Mountaineer which ran ro Chicago coupled with the Cardinal

The Hilltopper ran between Boston and Cattlettsburg via Richmond (with 2 cars south of the NEC)

 

[jis]

Staggers Special was the Parkersburg-DC Blue RidgeByrd Express is the Cardinal

Norfolk-Cattletsburg was the Mountaineer which ran ro Chicago coupled with the Cardinal

The Hilltopper ran between Boston and Cattlettsburg via Richmond (with 2 cars south of the NEC)

Was it the Hilltopper that carried the funky Amfleet car with two roomettes installed in it?