Post A Reply
my profile
|
directory
login
|
register
|
search
|
faq
|
forum home
»
RAILforum
»
Passenger Trains
»
Amtrak
»
Changes to the Sunset / Texas Eagle?
» Post A Reply
Post A Reply
Login Name:
Password:
Message Icon:
Message:
HTML is not enabled.
UBB Code™ is enabled.
[QUOTE]Originally posted by palmland: [QB] From the 'Trains' newswire; LOS ANGELES - Amtrak is considering operating a daily train between Los Angeles and New Orleans, a route that's not seen frequencies greater than tri-weekly since Amtrak's inception. Brian Rosenwald, Amtrak's chief of product management, outlined the proposal before the California Rail Political Action Committee/National Association of Railroad Passengers meeting last week. The train would operate as an extension of the Texas Eagle, which currently connects Chicago with San Antonio, Texas, and would take the place of the current Sunset Limited. A stub train would operate between San Antonio and New Orleans to handle passengers in that portion of the corridor. Currently, a coach and sleeper from the Sunset operate as through cars to Chicago on the Eagle three days per week, while a dormitory sleeper, full sleeper, dining car and coaches operate to New Orleans. The train had been extended to Miami in April 1993, and cut back to Orlando several years later due to poor timekeeping over the entire Union Pacific/CSX route. It has not operated east of New Orleans since August 2005, even though tracks were rebuilt several months after Hurricaine Katrina's devastation. In a telephone interview with TRAINS, Rosenwald noted that the concept was still subject to the outcome of negotiations with the Union Pacific. After an exhaustive analysis, Amtrak determined that running the train daily from Los Angeles to Chicago would generate more than enough revenue to offset the increase costs, in part because the tri-weekly train is an inefficient operation due to two-day crew layovers and idled equipment. He stressed that a daily New Orleans-San Antonio train operating with a Cross Country Cafe and business class service would connect with an across-platform connection at San Antonio, leaving the option to add a connecting sleeper and coaches at a later date. Resumption of service east of New Orleans is under review, mandated by Amtrak's 2009 reauthorization. The new Los Angeles-Chicago train would have its schedule tightened to avoid the long San Antonio layover, offer better times at Maricopa and Tucson, Ariz., and restore a connection with the Los Angeles-Seattle Coast Starlight at Los Angeles. Other changes might include turning on-board crews at Fort Worth, Texas, which would restore food service south of Austin on the Texas Eagle. Rosenwald said the changes are being targeted for the October timetable change, assuming details with the Union Pacific can be finalized soon. - Bob Johnston [/QB][/QUOTE]
Instant Graemlins
Instant UBB Code™
What is UBB Code™?
Options
Disable Graemlins in this post.
*** Click here to review this topic. ***
Contact Us
|
Home Page
Powered by
Infopop Corporation
UBB.classic™ 6.7.2
Copyright © 2007-2016
TrainWeb, Inc.
Top of Page
|
TrainWeb
|
About Us
|
Advertise With Us
|
Contact Us