gildone

While Amtrak desperately needs cars of all types, I wish they would design and order some cars that would have an intermediate sleeper accommodation-- like berths, new version of slumbercoach, and/or something like the Nightliners that were on, I think, a Canadian line back in the day (someone can correct me if I'm wrong) which was an upscale coach accommodation that had fully reclining seats. Amtrak's sleepers are getting too expensive, but when demand exceeds supply, they can get away with the high prices...

Anyone know why RTA removed the change machine from the Brookpark Rapid station without warning or explanation? I used it on 2/9, but on 2/17 it was gone. Seems to me that, regardless of the reason it was pulled, it's basic customer service to post a sign explaining why and if it was any other reason than the machine suddenly breaking, post a sign ahead of time informing people that the machine will be removed by {insert date}.

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Busts Myth That “Nobody Walks” in Rural America by Ben Goldman One reason why Congress may be so willing to eliminate dedicated funding for bicycle and pedestrian programs is the persistent notion that biking and walking are limited to cities, and therefore of no concern to rural legislators. Setting aside for a moment the arguments supporting a federal interest in urban transportation, the notion that nobody bikes or walks in rural areas is outright false, as amply demonstrated in a new report from the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Read more at: http://dc.streetsblog.org/2012/01/30/rails-to-trails-conservancy-busts-myth-that-nobody-walks-in-rural-america/

^for those who may have missed it, here's a link to Hottinger's column last week that that this is responding to: http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20120124/OPINION02/201240314

If you join the National Association of Railroad Passengers, you get the same discount.

I just read in our current All Aboard Ohio newsletter that "Some chamber and city officials have told AAO privately that the political environment does not favor rail projects at this time". Our question back at them should be: "what are you doing to try to change the political environment"? And if the answer is nothing then "Why not". AAO can't do this stuff all by itself! Why is it so hard to build enough consensus in this transportation-backwards state to change the conversation??? After all, isn't one of the functions of the Chamber of Commerce to educate politicians on what the business community sees as important to economic development in their cities? Didn't the Columbus Chamber just last year complete a survey showing and increasing number of young professionals would like to see options to driving in Columbus? Is the Columbus Chamber just sitting on their hands, or are they making any efforts to educate elected officials and try to change the conversation?

How?

There is a such thing as an upscale motorcoach, that's why I mentioned Anderson. In fact, it's something Anderson tried to do on its own between CLE and Pittsburgh several years ago, but it wasn't a contract, through-ticketing operation with an airline, which is what I'm suggesting. They attempted it on their own. Their marketing data showed there was demand for the service they were offering. I used to see people on that bus on I480 in the morning. But they apparently didn't research their pricing structure enough. It was $127 one-way, so it was too expensive and that's why didn't last. Just goes to show that people value low fares first and foremost, whether its planes, trains, or buses. I don't know about the formerly attempted bus segments you mention, but would need to know enough of the details to determine if they are apples to apples comparisons. You seem upset. None of this is worth raising of blood pressure. I'm ok agreeing to disagree. But you have not laid out a convincing enough case, in my opinion, that a contract, upscale motorcoach wouldn't work in this instance. Instead I'm seeing a knee-jerk reaction. Instead of getting angry, state your case-- clearly and with enough detail to truly educate people here. Ytown said that a bus has worked in the past and was able build ridership enough to eventually justify a plane, which puts a good sized dent in your argument already. Ytown: would you clarify what you mean by: "which is what is being proposed right now"? If this has worked once already in the same market, why wouldn't it work again?

On the Road Airlines Are Retrenching, and Alternatives Are Slim By JOE SHARKEY Published: December 26, 2011 The coming year will be a time of reckoning in business travel, as airlines reduce service at many airports and prospects fade for practical alternatives to flying, including the long-term promises of high-speed rail... Read more at: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/27/business/airlines-are-retrenching-and-alternatives-are-slim.html?_r=2&ref=todayspaper

An upscale bus service like Anderson Motorcoach would be just as comfortable and convenient for business travelers and cost much less. Interesting that MD88PILOT and YtownNewsandViews both ignored this point. The drive or fly or nothing argument MD88PILOT makes is all too typical of the myopia so prevalent in American thinking about transportation. BTW, YtownNewsandViews I agree with you about some of the EAS stuff.

Contract with Anderson Motorcoach or another company. It would be far cheaper and absolutely no less convenient. Besides why does the oil and gas industry need yet another subsidy? They gorge at the public trough too much already. I doubt that would be the case with today's fuel prices, but I concede that profitability is not the issue with common-carrier transportation. I'm interested in knowing how many flights per day and the expected average number of people per flight for this proposal. Anyone know? No matter how you slice it, this is not the way to serve this travel market in a way that is the highest and best use of PUBLIC dollars.

^Where are the Tea Party complaints about wasteful spending here?

KJP wrote: Anyone in Congress interested in changing this? Tim Ryan? Steve LaTourette? Anyone?

I don't like the cheesy graphic of the steam locomotive, but this is otherwise a nice article: On a Long Train Trip, Rare Pleasures Return By JOE SHARKEY Published: December 12, 2011 I TRAVELED from Tampa, Fla., to Manhattan over the weekend. What a pleasure! Nobody hollered at me to sit down or turn off my electronic devices. Nobody warned me to obey all instructions from crew members. Enlarge This Image Chris Gash “I didn’t get treated like a terrorist,” a man sipping a beer told me en route. “Nobody patted me down,” added a woman, who joined the conversation... Read more at: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/13/business/pleasures-return-on-a-long-train-trip.html?_r=1

cross posted from a yahoo group: 12/15/2011 Private bidders hint at interest in Amtrak routes A Trains.com article today says that three private rail operators have queried the FRA regarding operation of Amtrak intercity routes when the federal government officially opens them up for bidding. The FRA was requesting comments and questions as they proceed with rulemaking under which the bidding and contracting will occur. They were "...Herzog and Veolia, both of which operate U.S. commuter railroads under contract. The third is RATP Development America, a French company that operates the Paris Metro..." In the best Government "drag our heels" tradition, "...rulemaking was supposed to be finalized by Oct. 16, 2009, one year after the legislation was enacted, but the FRA did not issue a request for comments until Sept. 7, 2011, with responses due by Nov. 7..." The rules are now supposed to be final by Feb. 12, 2012, barring any more heel-dragging by the Feds. None of the private freight railroads expressed any interest but that does not preclude them nor any other parties from bidding, even if they have not yet contacted the FRA. Full story (subscription only): <http://trn.trains.com/en/Railroad%20News/News%20Wire/2011/12/Private%20bidders%\ 20hint%20at%20interest%20in%20running%20Amtrak%20routes.aspx> The complete text of yesterday’s rulemaking can be found in the Federal Register at: <http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-12-14/pdf/2011-31990.pdf>

Not entirely accurate about Obama's $8 Billion, but I thought I'd pass it along anyway: R.I.P High Speed Rail http://www.treehugger.com/public-transportation/rip-american-high-speed-rail.html

I can't rate it as excellent because of the ignorant statement they made about the 3C Corridor funds that Kasich turned back.

This article: Cleveland Turns Uptown into New Downtown: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/30/realestate/commercial/cleveland-ignites-job-growth-with-rebuilding-project.html?_r=1 States the following: "To get residents and visitors to and from the arts district, the Regional Transit Authority is planning to move two existing rail stops on the city’s 19-mile Red Line closer to Uptown" Is a station in addition to E 120 being moved? Or is this an error?

It would be nice... if I worked in Akron

So the very red state of Kansas is moving a rail project forward and the purple state of Ohio can't get the job done? How sad is that?

^ this hearing is packed with anti-rail hacks. What a joke...

I drive that 5 days/week on my commute from Berea to Twinsburg. Luckily my employer offers flex time, so I can start and leave early enough to miss the worst of the traffic. I hate my commute, but like the compactness of Berea and its proximity to the metroparks multi-purpose trails and the red line. It gives me a quality of life I could not have if I lived in the Twinsburg area...

The Death of Sprawl: What's important here is that the research and the real estate sales figures are becoming ever clearer: people increasingly prefer to live in mixed-use, transit-oriented walkable and bikeable neighborhoods over drive-everywhere bedroom communities. Those preferences will not change and we will not go back, which is affirmed by the abandoned exurban housing and development that are fast becoming the nation's newest slums: for the first time in the nation's history, suburban poverty now outweighs urban poverty. One need only take a look at the foreclosure heavy areas... http://www.commoncurrent.com/notes/2011/11/death-of-sprawl-past-and-futur.html

^$50. done...

3. US oil consumption As the world's largest consumer of oil products, just what is happening to oil consumption in the United States is always of interest. A new study says US drivers will spend about $490 billion filling their gas tanks this year which will be up by more than $100 billion over 2010. Three years ago when average gasoline prices got over $4 a gallon, demand for gasoline fell by only 3 percent. These high gasoline prices have become a part of life and not just a brief up and down as in 2008. Despite oil prices that have been running 60-80 cents a gallon higher than last year, gasoline consumption is only down some 1.3 percent last month from September 2010. It seems that most drivers can't or won't reduce their fuel consumption and are taking the extra $100 billion from other purchases. Many say they are cutting back on food expenditures as they have few other options. America seems to be running into an "elasticity wall" at which lifestyles and lack of alternative transportation choices are keeping Americans in their cars right down to the end of their resources. (emphasis added) http://www.energybulletin.net/stories/2011-10-24/peak-oil-review-october-24