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Amtrak expands Thruway bus service to embargoed ‘Sunset Limited’ cities
I agree. Rather than reinstating the Limited all the way with the additional risk to timekeeping that all the extra distance brings, a new train to and from Florida connecting comfortably with the Limited in NOLA seems to me to be the way to go. The way to save/improve the Sunset Limited itself is to upgrade it to a daily service, but sadly our politicians are unlikely to allow capital for that to come anywhere near Amtrak.
It’s s start but we need Amtrak trains back on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.
Restoring the Sunset would be a terrible idea. It would eat up money better spent elsewhere. Most of the travel on the Gulf Coast is North-South vacation travel, not east-west. The Sunset had abysmal ridership when it was still running.
These buses a great idea. What took so long? The successful Amtrak-California model has been around a couple decades now.
Norton:
Please cease your brain-dead comments. You are only embarrassing yourself.
Run a Jacksonville New Orleans train to connect with the Sunset. But then again, that requires vision and enthusiasm. Amtrak has neither.
Doc: That is “Mr. Norton” you elitist snob.
Mr. Oltmann, you may think a bus is a suitable option, but I certainly don’t. I hate riding them and never feel safe or at ease while aboard. Amtrak’s deadbeat management, starting with that clown Boardman, need to get this train restored ASAP.
If you live in FL, as I presently do, and have family in Phoenix, you would hope that the "gap"between Jacksonville and New Orleans, could be served somehow!! Their is no will on either the part of Amtrak management or politicians to make it happen. The present route JAX, WAS, CHI, SAT, Maricopa takes (4) four days. It would be laughable if it wasn’t so sad. BUT then, for someone who enjoys riding trains------- use your Guest reward points and go on a four day “land cruse”.
When the SP decided to cut the Pheonix line there went a huge chunk of business for the Sunset Limited. Too bad there are jerks like Pete Sessions who would rather kill it off than for it to succeed and people DON’T like being cooped up in buses, Don Oltman! Not everybody agrees with your negative comments toward Amtrak. Why do bother to post your crap in this forum anyway?
I would consider a bus to be a suitable option for a 1-2 hour trip (i.e., up to 100 miles) in order to connect to a quality train (Amtrak or otherwise) but not any farther. That is why the California model (and the Chicago one for that matter) works. The bus is not a substitute for a long distance train.
WILLIAM D HAYS from MONTANA said:
Solution: restore a reliable ‘Sunset’, NOL-JAX, with First Class service. Buses are no substitute.
William - Your treat? Why stop there? Why not demand HSR between JAX and NOL?
I post because the advocacy groups like NARP have done Amtrak a great diservice over the years are are at least partly responsible for the sorry state Amtrak is in today.
They don’t hold Amtrak accountable in any meaningful way for the money they get and the service they provide.
The Sunset extension makes a nice line on the map. In it’s last days, the avg train load was
What would be better? How about two or three times a day from Mobile to NOL? How about some intra-Florida day trains? FL is now the 4th largest state and it has less service than on Amtraks’ first day.
I don’t like buses or flying or driving any more than the next person. I like riding LD trains. I’m glad they are around. In fact, I’m going to ride one next month. But, facing facts, LD trains move an irrelevant number of people at great cost. The WORST thing you can do for Amtrak is demand more of this.
We need better advocacy so that we can have a better Amtrak. A better Amtrak isn’t more lines on the map. It’s real service. The model that works is the NEC and it’s extensions and Amtrak California - among others.
Let’s get busy!
DENNIS L JEFFRIES - the bus sevice being put in place is exactly what you are talking about. Short haul feeder service.
You are also right about a bus not being a good substitute for an LD train. A good substitute for an LD train is an airplane. In fact, it’s why streamliner patronage dried up in the late 1940s and early 50s.
Today’s fun fact: Acela’s 40 locomotives and 120 coaches generate 20% more revenue than all of Amtrak’s LD trains added up.
Rell-
The problem isn’t who would use it. It’s how many would use it at what cost? The cost/benefit isn’t there for service like this. Advocating for it WEAKENS Amtrak.
LEIGH F SAVOYE - you don’t like the bus, so everyone should pay to subsidize a train for you?
I don’t like the bus for intercity travel either. But I don’t expect you to buy me a train.
So much better to have a train. However a bus connection that still allows me to be on a train (sleeper) for the overnight portion of the trip is better than nothing, and any connecting passengers are added revenue for Amtrak.
So much better to have a train. However a bus connection that still allows me to be on a train (sleeper) for the overnight portion of the trip is better than nothing, and any connecting passengers are added revenue for Amtrak.
If I wanted to take a bus it would be easier to do it direct not with Amtrak. Amtrak needs to run trains and do it right.
I think Don is barking up the wrong tree. In Wisconsin we have small airports that are served by passenger airlines. Guess who pays for this nonsense? Guess whom pays for the air traffic control in my small town, yup you and I do. If a regular train were put on the riders will come. I did, when it used to run. The bigger question is why the delay?