I would appreciate suggestions on how to best present a bus/rail thruway addition to Amtrak. I sent an email to the Amtrak Contact Us site and received a auto reply. The Amtrak web address provides no specific department contacts.
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Posted by TwinStarRocket (Member # 2142) on :
Maybe you were supposed to send a check to cover the cost? Seriously, I think there was some sort of agreement with Congress about a moratorium on route expansion so they could get the money to stay solvent last summer. I think state governments can push for local service expansion if they are willing to put up some money. NARP (Natl. Assoc. of Railroad Passengers - www.narprail.org) also lobbies for specific expansion. I am curious though. What did you have in mind?
Posted by Newtimes (Member # 2037) on :
My hometown, Lynchburg, Va. is approximatley 50 miles from Roanoke, Va. Roanoke is without any Amtrak or bus connecting service. Lynchburg's Kemper Street Station has recently undergone a fantastic transformation (http://www.lynchburgva.gov/GLTC/kemper_street.htm). With the renovation, Greyhound joined Amtrak in the kemper Street Station. An good evening bus connection leaves Roanoke arriving Lynchburg approximately 1 hour before the Northbound Crescent. There is no favorable early morning (5:50am) bus connection from Roanoke to Kemper Street Station. My thought is to expand the existing evening service with morning connections. Roanoke has a strong rail interest with the Norfolf & Western influence and has embraced the Virginia proposed TransDominon Express (http://www.tdxinfo.org). It seems logical the bus service would do the same.
This seems to be an easy way to add bus/rail service with little cost to Southwest Virginia.
Posted by MPALMER (Member # 125) on :
Have you tried contacting the carrier that provides bus service out of Charlottesville? Maybe they have some ideas.
Posted by Newtimes (Member # 2037) on :
Good idea. When I return from Florida I will contact them. My wife and I (her first train trip) and driving to Charleston, SC tomorrow (Sun) and then taking the Silver Meteor to Ft. Lauderdale on Monday with a return on Jan. 3.