In the April 2006 issue of TRAINS Amtrak’s current chairman, David Laney, said, “In the last few months, we’ve been talking about [launching] new corridor and long-distance routes that don’t exist right now.” If they actually do add routes that would be a giantic step in the right direction for the American train riding public.
If Amtrak does add routes, where would you recommend these routes be added? If routes were added would you ride? If so, how often?
At this point no one knows what routes might be added. However, I am sure that suggestions by the public would be given some consideration.
Let’s hear your thoughts on possible routes and stops.
My initial inclination is if any routes were added, they would be to serve specific politicians’ interest. Otherwise I imagine the routes that states are working on would see service.
If there is to be an Amtrak, I’d rather see what its real purpose is first.
Well, my POV is that, if indeed the nation is going to have Amtrak in it’s current structure, there are several areas in which re-routes and consolidations should take place first, then look at adding routes.
The Empire Builder - Two things: Shift the Montana/North Dakota portion of the route to the ex-NP line via Missoula, Helena, Bozeman, Livingston, Billings, Miles City, Glendive, Dickinson, Bismark, then Fargo. That’ll allow for more access to larger population bases, and keep passenger trains off the higher density BNSF High Line along the Canadian border. Secondly, shift the Washington portion down to the ex-NP line through Pasco, Yakima, Ellensburg to Auburn, and consolidate both Portland and Seattle sections on this one route. Portland bound clients can then take the Cascade Starlight down to Portland and beyond. This also takes Amtrak off the higher density freight lines via Stevens Pass and the Columbia Gorge.
Concurrent with #1 above, revive the old Salt Lake to Portland (??? can’t remember the name!) service, except start the western portion in Pasco, with Portland and Seattle clients taking the newly rerouted Empire builder westward beyond Pasco.
3… When and if the DM&E extension is built, start up a new service from either Billings MT (connecting with the rerouted Empire Builder) or Salt Lake, through the PRB country, to Rapid City, Pierre, Souix Falls, make a stop at the Mayo Clinic, then on to the Twin Cities.
Now, how about a Rocky Mountain Front north-south train, running from the Canadian border south past Glacier Park, via Great Falls, Billings, the Wind River Canyon, Casper, Cheyenne, Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, over Raton, to Albequerque, and on down to El Paso. This can be incorporated with the new Rail Runner service proposed in New Mexico, and placates those who oppose moving rail service away from Glacier Park.
Your Rocky M. front route is a very good idea, but it should head for Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston, because there it will get much more business than El Paso. A Chicago to Flordia route is long overdue, especially serving Atalnta on the way and giving Chicago - Cincinattiv - Atlanta - Jacksonville - Miami service.
Salt Lake City and Ogden certainly should have connections to both Portland (the old Pioneer for Amtrak, Citiy of Portland and Portland Rose in UP days) and to La Vages and LA (Desert Wind in Amtrak days, City of LA and Challenger in the UP days). This might bring enough business so the right schedules could result in twice daily Chicago Denver Service and then service both over Sherman Hill and the Moffat.
Finally, the Ethan Allen Vermont service should be restored to Montreal with NY-Montreal having both overnight and day service, one via Springfield and White River Junction and one via the current Albany - Schenectidy - Saratoga route.
It is nice to dream big, but it should be noted that the only “new service” mentioned in the article was an operation between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.
If it ever happens, perhaps restoration of the Sunset Limited NOLA to Orlando will be counted as “new”.
Did he say how Amtrak would pay all the costs that go along with starting up new services? No. Did he say where the equipment for the new trains would come from? No. Well, I have that answer. From the Empire Corridor, here in the NYSSR![:(] The NYSSR wants to end rail passenger services that do not directly benefit Metropolitan New York. The rest of the SSR be[censored][sigh] we don’t rate their attention, that is until…Fuhgetaboudit![V]
When we had the streetcars,we had to go from Arcadia,Ca into Los Angeles
then out to Whittier.Now there is a freeway going almpst where we wanted to go 50 years ago.There is no North and south Railroad .If there was ,a lot of
people wouldn’t end up in Chicago.I wi***hey could come up with "Specials
with 3 or 4 states included. Dave Br.Glendale
G’day, Y’all,
At the Southeastern region meeting of the National Association of Railway Passengers Saturday, March 4, sponsored by the Georgia Association of Railroad Passengers, an AMTRAK spokesman said that they might take the Cardinal daily instead of three times weekly. That would be a good start.
Jock Ellis
Cumming, GA US of A
Georgia Association of Railroad Passengers
Routes I would want
Re-Incarnation of the Pioneer, Desert Wind, North Coast Hiawahta, Chicago-Miami/Tampa Service, Chicago/Minniapolis-Dallas-Houston, LA-Vegas, Seattle-Denver-Houston. Expanded Corridor Services from Chicago-St. Louis, Milwaukee, Minniapolis, Detroit, Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Cinnicinattai, Dallas-Houston/San Antoino, .
Order news cars would be key 1st to do.
i think someone said it best a while back when amtrak will never make it as a timely/high speed alternative to flying or driving. gear it more to the recreational traveler, offer some more amenities (a freakin smokin car for one). more outlets in the cars for two. i don’t know what else really, it’s been a few years since my last ride.
personally, i wouldn’t mind seeing more regional service. the illinois zephyr is good but doesn’t really hit any big population centers. chicago-quad cities-omaha, chicago-rockford-madison (to capture traffic off that deathtrap they call I-90). maybe a twin cities MN down the miss. river to memphis.
I dont know about reviving the Desert Wind all the way to Salt Lake City, but reviving it to Las Vegas, along with an aggressive marketing campagn to remind people that the normal 5 hour drive can now take 8 hours or more due to traffic and that even air travel can take 3-4 hours w security shoe checks… that a high speed 4 hr direct run, stopping only at LA, San Berdo, and Vegas, with a couple lounge cars, is a definately better alternative to get to Sin City.
I see a lot of connecting the dots involved here in selecting routes. Rerouting the Empire Builder may make sense on paper but one should remember that the EB (and the CZ in Iowa) may avoid the population centers but conversely they serve the smaller towns that nobody else serves. The same applies to some of the regional routes.
Question for farmer03: What route would a Chicago-Rockford-Madison train use?