This is encouraging. It suggests Oregon is finally making a long-term commitment to the Portland-Eugene segment, and is becoming more of a full partner with Washington state. Oregon to buy two Talgo trains. Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
Very good news. I find it interesting though it in a Washington Newspaper!
Chris
Posted by wayne72145 (Member # 4503) on :
I believe Washington wanted its trains back to run to Vancouver BC. It was up to Oregon to buy two trains or lose the twice daily runs from Eugene to Portland.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Another factor is that the five Washington and Amtrak sets are becoming "middle age", and they might have to go to the hospital with greater frequency than in the past. Elsewhere I have seen reports that "two a day" to Vancouver is here to stay and that there may be an additional Seattle-Portland frequency making "five a day".
No doubt, Oregon's Talgo equipment will be pooled to maximize operational efficiency, with of course car hire being paid when their trains are out of Oregon.
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
We tend to forget that due to the "public works" and passenger oriented nature of the European systems, there track quality is much higher that what would be rational to economically achieve in a mixed traffic railroad in this country. Therefore, European equipment does not last as long here as it does on home country rails. Plus I am of a somewhat suspicious mind, that it really does not perform as well on home rails as they would like the world to think.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Mr. Harris, while I could be mistaken, I think Spain's system, RENFE, handles more freight than do other Western European systems. There simply is not the system of navigable inland waterways as found elsewhere on the Western Continent.
Spain is where I have had my one and only Talgo ride in this life; let's just say 'been there doen that".
I ride the Cascade often to Seattle and Portland from Eugene. I am just a passenger, I know nothing of the engineering or any other claims. I can not tell the difference between the ride the Talgo gives me and the ride I get on the Regional.
Posted by amtrak92 (Member # 14343) on :
I think another reason they might be buying a set, might be to have a small protect fleet at terminals, if one train breaks down. Which as stated earlier makes sense as the current ones are middle aged.
Posted by Geoff Mayo (Member # 153) on :
quote:Originally posted by George Harris: Therefore, European equipment does not last as long here as it does on home country rails.
An interesting point but one does have to ask, did the contract to buy the trains have specific clauses relating to the train's performance on low quality track? Vibration, shaking, etc. Despite that, don't forget in the Pacific NW they only run at just over HALF their design speed.
quote:Originally posted by George Harris: Plus I am of a somewhat suspicious mind, that it really does not perform as well on home rails as they would like the world to think.
I haven't heard of any problems with them, unlike Eurostars for example which suffer from horizontal snow. But then your comment can apply to virtually any company selling any type of product in the world.
Posted by yukon11 (Member # 2997) on :
Whatever happened to the idea of a through Cascades train between Eugene, OR and Vancouver, BC?.
Looking at the Cascade schedule, they could expand Cascade Train 500 (leaving Eugene at 5:30 AM) on through to Vancouver (probably would arrive around 3 PM). Likewise, they could expand Cascade train #513 (leaving Vancouver at 6:40 AM) and have it go all the way to Eugene (probable arrival time around 5:30 PM).