He-he-he, the ambience…
I enjoyed this. Most veteran Amtrak riders know to stay overnight (particularly in Chicago) when a connection to another train has to be made. I gamble from time to time and make a same-day connection, but the standard way I operate is to spend the night. Otherwise, one does what this poor man did–worry and fret about his late train and potentially ruined plans the entire time he’s aboard. This video really shows the schedule-tension Amtrak induces on its customers–and why non-railfans are often one-and-done with taking the train somewhere for business or vacation.
It’s hard to imagine very many business folk using 2 LD Amtraks with a connection. Even if the connection is smooth, the total time of journey is likely too great.
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Well first, believe it or not the Texas Eagle is comparable timewise with a lot of Greyhound schedules between Dallas and Chicago, especially with the overnight with bedroom deal. Some Greyhound schedules are faster than the Texas Eagle but some are longer. Though I do not see any business people riding Amtrak predominantly because the schedule is not reliable nor is it fast. The Texas Eagle should depart Dallas later and get to Chicago sooner if it ever wants to be a decent overnight train.
You can attract business people to buses though and it’s probably cheaper than Amtrak all around. I don’t think your going to see many business people jump on a Greyhound bus. Just an opinion I have. I only have ridden Greyhound a few times and it is a turn off for me compared to Amtrak.
However, a service like the below has potential. Look also how they cherry picked the big business markets in Texas:
Well you have to admit. Two fires in the Cafe Car in the first segment of the trip I think says something fairly loudly about the accessibility of the Microwave or the training of Amtrak people in using a Microwave.
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Atl to Nsh, 250 miles, 4 hours, $145. Not bad. That would be a good corridor for Amtrak via Chattanooga or maybe via Birmingham, which would add 100 miles but adds another metro area. If the trains could hit just 90mph between stops, it could sttract a lot of business.
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Vonlane began operations in 2014 with a single route between Dallas and Austin. Since then they have expand their routes, which indicates they are making a go of it.
I rode the service a couple of years ago. If I remember correctly, it took a bit over 3 hours from Austin to Dallas and cost approximately $110. The current fare is $125. The seat was very comfortable and, at least when I rode it, there was an onboard attendant that served food and beverages.
As far as I know, Vonlane does not get any government support; it goes where the market will support the service.
There are a couple of YouTube videos on what it is like to ride Vonlane. Jeb Brooks has one that shows his experience riding from Atlanta to Nashville.
Dallas to Houston, Dallas to Austin and San Antonio, and Houston to San Antonio would also be good corridors for Amtrak, Brightline, etc. to target for competitive passenger train service.
In 1950 the Southern Pacific’s Sunbeam service ran from Dallas to Houston or vice versa in approximately 4 hours 25 minutes. The average speed was 59.8 mph. I believe the railroad still exists. Upgrading it, as well as the rail lines in Texas’ other high-density corridors, for higher speeds would be a better option than spending billions for a Japanese or European style high-speed rail system. I suspect it could cut at least an hour or more off the 1950 schedule and would be competitive with driving. Equally important, it would not require taking land for new rights-of-way.
Nashville to Atlanta on either CSX or NS is a high volume freight corridor - Amtrak would not be received well by either carrier.
I think they are required to make way for Amtrak.
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Ask Amtrak how that is working for them with CN and NS in their present day operations.
CN takeover of Wisconsin Central…seemed to kill off the former 20th Century Railroad club excursions…then later the club. I remember chatting up one of th guys with excursion planning. Stated CN was just impossible to work with for rail excursions. One obstacle after another and heavily bureaucratic. Wisconsin DOT has issues working with CN as well trying to preserve and rebuild freight service in Northern Wisconsin. I believe at one point Wisconsin DOT offered CN free freight cars for hauling logs to pulp mills and CN refused to have anything to do with that program. I still think CP has better management than CN.
Nothing will happen for now but maybe in the future a tough FRA will play hardball.
It’s the STB that would play the hardball, viz. the hearings annd grandstanding over the Mobile trains. The FRA’s remit is principally safety considerations.
I enjoyed the video. I know that connections are a problem with Amtrak.
However, I faced the same thing with flights. Two years ago I was still sitting on the ground in Omaha when my connecting flight out of Chicago to Munich was taking off from O’Hare. I spent two days in O’Hare until one airline said they could get me to Rome, and I should then be able to get a flight to Munich (which I did).
I’m sure many of you have the same kind of airline stories. I don’t know the percentage of missed connections on trains opposed to planes, but it’s not strictly an Amtrak problem.