I wonder what anyone else thinks about the article by Bob Johnston in the July '08 Trains?
At 60 freights a day, I wonder why UP has’t been more aggressive about adding capacity on the Kansas City - Jefferson City segment. I’ve read where UP is busy with the Sunset and T&P routes. The latter has a third the traffic and stretches 523 miles.
Getting $42.5M from Missouri would have been a real sweet deal for Uncle Pete - the cost for 16% of the distance for 7% of the traffic. The $10.6M for 6 miles of second track between Pleasnt Hill and Strasburg still represents 4% of 150 miles.
Then there are the late trains, plummeting ridership, and little assurance that service can or will return to normal with at least two dependable round trips.