Amtrak will issue its Winter Schedule next Sunday November 6; there are of course numerous changes with most being quite minor in scope. One "not so minor" that has come to my attention: #44, Sun Only EB Pennsylvanian, is discontinued; #42 will operate Daily.
This certainly is a "better shake' for those making a 30-PGH-42 connection, but it could mean one of two things with regards to a second frequency over the PGH-HAR route. One, the second frequency is dead so get used to the early departure seven days a week, or, two, that somebody thinks a Daily 41-44 is "imminent'.
And maybe, through cars CHI-30-PGH-42-NYP??????
Other changes of note?
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
I'd like to vote for both through cars 30-42 AND a second NYP-PIT frequency if you don't mind.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Once again, Mr. Presley, the dreams of a rail advocate.
1) There will be no additional wholly Federally funded routes or frequencies. Secty Minetta declared such during the Bush administration, and now that rail has become a non-issue thanks to their bungling over the HSR issues (didn't I warn of this in an earlier topic?) with the Obama administration, it is not likely they will reverse the Bush doctrine during a possible second term.
2) Pennsylvania is "broke"; and "West Penn" is always "broke'. Likely the political "voice of West Penn' remains Rick Santorum; and should somehow he hold elected office again, I think it is safe to say that passenger train interests within his constituency, whatever it may be (a backwoods Congressional District or the Presidency), will enter the Dark Ages; Rick-Scott-Walker-Santorum - awful lot of commonality there.
3) The PRR Middle and Pittsburgh Divisions are simply now NS's East-West "Main Line" again. Of course the economic doldrums have not helped traffic, but now that PANAMAX will for all intent and purpose become a "non-term", NS and CSX will be the winners (UP and BNSF the losers - they really won't lose; they just won't see much growth) as Asian import traffic is now routed to East Coast ports thereby "short hauling' the railroads. I doubt that NS will be receptive to hosting another passenger train when they got rid of it now seven years ago.
Best not be optimistic on that one.
Regarding interchange of through Coaches and Sleepers 30-PGH-42 and v.v., it is true that Federal funds (ARAA '09) were allocated to make the necessary track changes at PGH, and somewhere I saw a diagram of how the pick up/set off of cars could be handled by Road crews. It appears at present the A-II fleet is fully assigned; the next cars to be released will be Horizons presently assigned to the Hi's when the Talgos (ugh) become available. While the best plan would be to assign the released Horizons to one in each set of single level LD's to be used for "shorts", unless they are reconfigured to a 56 leg-rest seat plan, somebody will have an awful arduous ride wherever they end up. The new Sleepers will mean there will be additional cars available for likely the next four years when, just as was the case with the existing Viewliners, the new cars must be cycled for "heavys" resulting in a loss of four or so cars from the pool. Who knows where the Sleeper line will then come from?
I know I "threw it out" at my immediate posting, but these are just the second thoughts from one who is likely a bit more hard nosed and far less an advocate (but MORE an advocate of what railroads are really all about today) than are some here.
Posted by Ocala Mike (Member # 4657) on :
quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: .
the Dark Ages; Rick-Scott-Walker-Santorum - awful lot of commonality there.
You left out medieval Mr. Kasich. OH and West Penn in the same mindset. The "Vote No on 2" campaign seems to be bearing fruit.
Ocala Mike
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
An advocate I am yes, but a reasonable and realistic advocate.
I'm not looking for a return of the South Wind (just a fer instance) because I know that's not going to happen any time soon.
Any gains that are realistic will be things like an added frequency here and a new through sleeper there. If we don't talk about these things, the dark side will.
Posted by palmland (Member # 4344) on :
If you haven't read Fred Frailey's blog, I highly recommend it. His logical, if unsettling, analysis of the future of LD is pretty compelling. Let's be happy with maintaining the status quo (and maybe a new section of the Star on the FEC route!). His message seems to be that Boardman will throw some of the LD trains 'under the bus' to save corridor service routes and NEC.
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
Interesting blog Palmland - I've been reading Fred Frailey for years but had not caught that one.
I would not be surprised if we see a move to reign in expenses by reducing frequencies of the LD trains. How much would be saved if, say, the LD's operated 5 days a week instead of 7? Amtrak would thus 'save' money without abandoning the district of any influential Senator.
Posted by MDRR (Member # 2992) on :
Some interesting observations in that Blog... Some changes that are already being made include the reduction of work hours of different positions staffed on the LD trains as well as a Management buyout currently in place thru the end of Nov. for management employees 55 and over. Also interesting is the owner of the "new" VP of High Speed Rail position, Al Engel, has taken advantage of the buyout and left "already". He is being replaced by the current VP of policy and procedure ( or some such title) Steve Gardner ( I think is his name) who has background in Gvt. affairs... Also some price increases just took effect in Cafe/lounge car services on Oct. 30 as well.
Posted by palmland (Member # 4344) on :
I certainly hope they don't go to reduced frequencies, David, as that hasn't worked well in the past (and doesn't now for the Sunset/Cardinal).
Given the relative success of the Palmetto (in the top 5 list financially) perhaps we'll see some of the overnight trains turn into multiple daylight trains, ie. the Star (in the bottom 5 list) become daylight to Raleigh or Columbia and daylight from there to FL.
And yes, MDRR, the 'right sizing' at Amtrak has begun. Maybe some of those managers should be out in the field working with the on board crews and station people.
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
quote:Originally posted by notelvis: An advocate I am yes, but a reasonable and realistic advocate.
I'm not looking for a return of the South Wind (just a fer instance) because I know that's not going to happen any time soon.
Of the old Florida "fast three" the South Wind route would te the cheapest to restore. Unfortunately, the City of Miami route now has several segmetns of brush and trees instead of tracks, The Dixie Flager route is all in place, which is nice, but all heavily used which, from the passenger perspective, is not niice. To get it back up to speed would require a considerable amount of curve reduction to counteract the maximum superelevation reduction from 6 inches to 4 inches due to stability issues with piggyback and doublestacks, and on this route there are LOTS of curves. And then there would be the need for significant lenghts of double track in orde obtain any semplance of reliability.
The South Wind route would of course be different from the original north of Indianapolis, but south of there, it is all still in place. There would need to be considerable improvemetns in track conditions north of Louoisville, but we are talking primarily rail and ties, and signal reinstallation and upgrades. Although expensive, this work is still much cheaper than line changes, which aside from cost gets you into the Environmental Impact Statements and other associated nightmares that happen anytime you choose to move dirt. A few such tings might be nice on the old L&N part between Louisville and Montgomery, but the additional time here should be regained by adding signals south of Montgomery. Montgomery south would certainly need a good deal of new rail and ties, plus signals, which it has never had. Also, going south from the former route at Bainbridge GA to hit the Gulf Wind / Sunset East route at Tallahassee would reduce the amount of line requiring new signal work.
Nice to dream, but really cannot see any of this happening.
Should there be an awakening to the desirability of high speed railroads, then it would likely be Chicago - Indianapolis - Nashville - Chattanooga - Atlanta - macon - Jacksonville. Now we should be looking at multiple traisn per day with about 8 hours end to end. Remember, the point of these lines is not end to end like a non-stop plane, but trips between intermediate point having passenger counts overwhelming the end to end passenger count.