SWC Routing

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T

Tom

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With the Albuquerque-Topeka section of the line in danger, is Amtrak going to reroute that portion of the route? Would the other route be faster or slower?
 
It will be re-route from ABQ (Belen) to Kansas via Amarillo. It's a double track (single track in some area such as Abo Canyon, Pecos River bridge, etc.) and the route is flatter than the Raton Pass route.

I'm guessing it would be about the same because of heavy freight traffic. It won't be go faster than 79 mph (currently is 90 mph on some of current line). The biggest obstacle, in my opinion, would be ABQ station. It requires backing up, like 30 miles or add a switcher locomotive. Other things are restoring the stations along the Amarillo line, plus some track works.
 
Has there been recent talk of Burlington Northern shedding the old Santa Fe route through Raton? If the re-route happens, the Belen cutoff would be a non-senic route for sure. I would say they would still need to go from Emporia to Newton and down through Wichita to get out on that line. The one plus, (besides all the minuses) would enhance a Heartland Flyer from Wichita-Fort Worth.

How did the San Francisco Chief and the southern section of the Grand Canyon handle the ABQ back up?
 
From my understanding of comments I've read on another online forum by someone that works for BNSF, the Raton Line is safe as long as Amtrak uses it. He seems to imply that if Amtrak is gone, then so is the line.

Take it for what it's worth.
 
bmlock said:
I thoght I read something somewhere that the state of New Mexico is trying to help by running a commuter train which would allow them to help take care of the line.
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I've been monitoring on that line. The commuter line will be between Belen and Santa Fe (Lamy). Phase I which covers from Belen to north of ABQ should be up and running in the fall or winter. Rest of it will be like two years from now because the tracks are in the wrong place (outside of Santa Fe) so it requires more studies.

Here's the NM commuter line.

There is even a talk about connecting to Denver, but that way into the future.
 
I think that re-routing the SWC via the Belen cutoff would be a serious mistake. I had my first exposure to train travel going to Philmont Scout Ranch, and my group traveled to Raton by train. Many Scouts' first train trips occur on this route. If this train was re-routed, think of all the future passengers (and passenger rail supporters) who would not consider train travel because they hadn't been on a train.
 
If they did reroute the Chief to that southerly routing being discussed, my fear is that it could spell the end of intercity service to Albuquerque. I am doubtful that Amtrak and BNSF will want a 30-mile backup move twice a day. Amtrak will want to gain back some precious minutes that it may lose by running via a longer, L-shaped route.

Look what happened when the Sunset Limited was rerouted to bypass Phoenix. A new station eventually opened in Maricopa, with no connecting motorcoach services between the station and the major city it is supposed to serve. At least Belen, MN will have commuter rail service between there and Albuquerque, which I hope will be scheduled to meet the Southwest Chief at a new station stop there.
 
Superliner Diner said:
If they did reroute the Chief to that southerly routing being discussed, my fear is that it could spell the end of intercity service to Albuquerque.  I am doubtful that Amtrak and BNSF will want a 30-mile backup move twice a day.   Amtrak will want to gain back some precious minutes that it may lose by running via a longer, L-shaped route.
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Clovis to LA via Belen is very busy route which it runs east and west. From Belen to ABQ is minimal traffic which it runs north and south. However, it will be the new "home" for Rail Runner from Belen to ABQ and eventually to Santa Fe.

Wondering if Amtrak could use the switcher to use it to pull on back end of train set?
 
Maybe Amtrak and Rail Runner could reach an agreement to tack one Amtrak car on a Rail Runner to enable the connection into wherever Rail Runner goes that Amtrak would have to back into? (If I'm reading this right?) Seems like that would be win-win for everybody and save Amtrak at least an hour and a half?
 
Could they move that to wherever they would meet the commuter to pick up / drop off the pax? If it would save them an hour and a half of travel, seems like it would be a money saver and would help keep from having crews go on the law as much.
 
I presented the idea of having passengers use the new commuter line between Belen and Albuquerque, but now let's play devil's advocate and examine the con's here.

  • A commuter railroad is based on a dependable schedule. If the SW CHIEF is running late, the commuter train cannot wait for the late arrival to take on transferring passengers for Albuquerque.
  • It is doubtful that RailRunner will operate on weekends. Heck, even in our nation's capitol there are two commuter railroads, neither of which runs on weekends.
  • The old multi-seat ride phenonemon. Passengers, particularly the elderly and physically challenged, will not enjoy the change of trains. Ditto for sleeper passengers who obviously won't have their private compartment for this segment of their trip.
 
Superliner Diner said:
Look what happened when the Sunset Limited was rerouted to bypass Phoenix. A new station eventually opened in Maricopa, with no connecting motorcoach services between the station and the major city it is supposed to serve. At least Belen, MN will have commuter rail service between there and Albuquerque, which I hope will be scheduled to meet the Southwest Chief at a new station stop there.
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You're missing something though SD. Even though the Sunset is gone from Phoenix there is motorcoach service to Phoenix. It's daily service that connects to the SW Chief (I forget where you pick up the train at), which IMHO is a much better option that the Sunset. The Sunset is a UP/CSX train which is chronically late, tri-weekly, and very inferior to the Chief. The Chief provides daily, reliable service via BNSF, and is much more desireable. Now obviously this does you no good if you're going to San Antonio, or NOL, or ORL (under normal circumstances), but it provides a much better gateway to LAX and CHI than the Sunset ever could. I can guarantee you that wouldn't be there if the Sunset was.
 
I think the railrunner will operate on weekends, but be limited in it's schedule. NM wants a better connection to Santa Fe for tourism purposes. I don't think BNSF will shed the line, as it is a backup for problems elsewhere on the system. It would be in BNSF's best interests to aid the state anyway they can. The state is going to do some significant uprades to the line between ABQ and Santa Fe which will not just benefit NM, but BNSF also. If the project were to extend ever further north to Denver like someone mentioned, then BNSF benefits even more.
 
You're talking about something beyond Commuter there though, you are talking about major Intercity corridors, which take years of study and billions in financing to occur. Heck even a small project like this one has taken a good number of years. I'd say I'll be well out of college, and maybe even an Engineer before you see a ABQ-DEN Corridor, if it ever happens.
 

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