Time for a thread that puts Amtrak in the limelight.
Amtrak at present is not stopping at the Texarkana station. As well all attempts to book to / from TXA shows sold out but other thru requests are allowed. Also location history show train passing thru station at about 25 MPH. Just another example of silence by Amtrak.
Recent examples are the midwest spare parts cancellations, Vermonter partial cancellations, Crescent cancellations except when making reservation requests.
What else do our posters find Amtrak is hiding? FOIA should not have to be the only way 6 months after incidents.
Big plans for that station which I hope come true as it is closed but for the platform and deteriorating inside. It’s an Amtrak stretch your legs stop so the Texas Eagle train should pause there about 20 min normally. Not sure what the issue is your having with tracking the train at that stop though. I doubt your correct with the train just passing through given the money planned for the station.
Track a train shows 21/14 doing 61.2 MPH @ 5:41 AM north of the station, Then doing 24.8 MPH at the station @ 5:46 AM, Then 30.8 MPH at 5:51 AM south of the station. Not enough time for even a flag stop.
Well Amtrak will admit to Texarkana that the station is closed to the platform but still has not publicaly admited nationwide. Mr Magliari must really feel that upper management puts him in awkward positions. This admission came out Tuesday after damage on the 10th.
The reason given in the story is that the elevator tower has been damaged in such a way that it poses a danger to people walking through the adjacent parking lot to what I assume is an Amshack that is the actual ‘station’.
I had gotten the impression that the issue was ‘handicapped access’ under the ADA, which probably makes a good Amtrak ‘plausible denial’, but the situation is more “nuanced”.
Its a shell of a car with no seats. Amtrak and CN have a thing going with the Saluki Passenger Train, CN says they require the car for signaling and the Amtrak conductor leans out the door and yells “seats available back here”, then as the passengers approach the door the Amtrak conductor slams it shut and the train starts rolling with the Conductor yelling “Psych!” to the bewildered passengers.[:D]
I’m joking but still snickering at the CSPAN episode on why Amtrak has all those unused cars on the Saluki, I think Sen Dick Durban rode the train once or twice and tried to board one of the empty cars. Anyway he grilled Amtrak on it and stated “You know if it is an obsolete signalling system, shouldn’t Amtrak be raising that as a safety issue?”…lol. Anyways that is what prompted the joke idea.[:D] I think CN might be headed for some scrutiny via the Senate.
I don’t have a clue how accurate Amtraks Train Tracker application is but I do know from an IT perspective, Amtrak needs to invest more in IT and software among other areas.
They did some earlier cosmetic work at the Texarkana station via funds they got somewhere. Amtrak really should be more participative in these station projects (for once a day LD Train service) instead of as hands off as they are. It has an impact on station ridership if your station looks like a ghetto.[:(]
This was discovered last Apr 20 but with web site down—Here is something Amtrak has not made any announcement. For reservations past September 5 - 6 no seats available to / from north of WASH on the STAR. Shows all STAR trains sold out. WASH and south all seats open. Now the Capitol as well for same dates is showing all family bedrooms sold out. Does that mean single level cars on Capitol after Sep 5th? Not sure.
As well does this mean thru single level cars STAR - Capitol? Suspect that it may be in preliminary planning as another site said hoping for unknow unknowns not scuttling plans?!