December 31, 2024Dec 31 36 minutes ago, gildone said: Amtrak screws over Miami. 27 year of negotiations and millions of dollars spent by the state of Florida, and at the last moment, Amtrak pulls out of a deal to have its trains serve a station at Miami airport. They apparently did a similar thing in Salt Lake City some years back. I have had it with Amtrak. They should be embracing the concept of multi-modalism. We need to completely re-think passenger rail policy in this country, devote the money necessary to build a modern passenger rail system, and ultimately get rid of Amtrak as the nation's go-to operator for passenger trains. Amtrak derails decades of deals to serve Miami International Airport https://www.miamitodaynews.com/2024/12/30/amtrak-derails-decades-of-deals-to-serve-miami-international-airport/ One of the comments on that article suggested that it was Florida's fault: Quote This is entirely FDOT’s fault. Amtrak has been clear since the issue of trains being too long became apparent: the NW 25th St crossing needs to be permanently closed. Crossing gates at 25th are not enough because it’s a terminus station and trains would spend considerably longer there than at thru-stations, so traffic needs to be permanently diverted to 28th. FDOT has insisted on doing everything but that and here we are. Amtrak is moving on to a different plan because they haven’t been given another choice. KJP can say more about this, but rail fans who were excited for major improvements in passenger rail when Biden was elected and have mostly been disappointed. https://www.commondreams.org/news/biden-amtrak-board https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/new-amtrak-board-members-ready-for-the-challenge-analysis/
January 1Jan 1 Author Miami Airport station was FDOT's fault. They were told multiple times during planning that the platforms were too short, the waiting room and ticketing/baggage facilities too small and the lack of train servicing/commissary was too inadequate. After it was built, Amtrak said the station would have to be retrofitted for it to come there and FDOT didn't seem to care. So Amtrak said adios. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 1Jan 1 On 12/31/2024 at 4:27 PM, Foraker said: One of the comments on that article suggested that it was Florida's fault: KJP can say more about this, but rail fans who were excited for major improvements in passenger rail when Biden was elected and have mostly been disappointed. https://www.commondreams.org/news/biden-amtrak-board https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/new-amtrak-board-members-ready-for-the-challenge-analysis/ The second quote reveals part of the reason why Amtrak is stepping away. I was present when the Florida Coalition of Rail Passengers was given a tour of the MIC and was shocked that for all the money spent, the rail station's tracks were too short and the waiting room far too small for intercity passengers' needs. An engineer was very proud of what they built, but was visibly deflated when I brought these concerns up.This is a classic case of not doing their homework and that, coupled with Amtrak's lukewarm interest in the project led us to this sad outcome. Please note that I am NOT siding with Amtrak. They are proving themselves to be an obstacle to progress and should be replaced by others who might do a better job. Their focus is on the Northeast Corridor first, foremost and always, that state services are great as long as someone else pays for everything and long distance service not so much. A casual look at their board meeting minutes reveals that they spend about 80% of their time on the NEC and management values cutting costs to the point where they now have a severe equipment shortage caused by their own actions. In the recent past, they also tried to kill the Chicago-Los Angeles "Southwest Chief", a defacto attempt to set policy contrary to the wishes of Congress. They are insular and resistant to change. Another problem is that current legislation has funds flowing to state programs, but nothing explicitly for needs on a national basis. If a state does not participate, nothing happens. Most routes cross state boundaries and states are not well suited to working in unison by their nature. Also, routes or parts of routes which are important from a national perspective may not be a priority of the state through which a national route passes. Finally, current law apportions Amtrak's very high overhead costs to state supported services, which is a real disincentive. There is definitely a need to address this. Edited January 3Jan 3 by neony
January 1Jan 1 Also, in regard to the nominees to the Amtrak board, those originally nominated were ALL from the Northeast (with one exception), which openly flouted a law which mandated geographical diversity. This was an obvious pro-NEC grab and was met by an outcry, which led to sacking several of these original nominees in favor of a new slate from around the country. This was a victory for those who want a national system. Edited January 1Jan 1 by neony
January 1Jan 1 On 1/1/2025 at 9:14 AM, KJP said: Miami Airport station was FDOT's fault. They were told multiple times during planning that the platforms were too short, the waiting room and ticketing/baggage facilities too small and the lack of train servicing/commissary was too inadequate. After it was built, Amtrak said the station would have to be retrofitted for it to come there and FDOT didn't seem to care. So Amtrak said adios. @Foraker@neony My understanding is that the platforms were lengthened (though I could be mistaken). Amtrak's final decision seems to rest solely on not wanting to have to shunt trains between the Miami Airport station and Hialeah and pay the little bit of extra crew time. More info here: https://www.miamitodaynews.com/2024/12/30/amtrak-derails-decades-of-deals-to-serve-miami-international-airport/ Edited January 3Jan 3 by gildone
January 2Jan 2 11 hours ago, neony said: Also, in regard to the nominees to the Amtrak board, those originally nominated were ALL from the Northeast (with one exception), which openly flouted a law which mandated geographical diversity. This was an obvious pro-NEC grab and was met by an outcry, which led to sacking several of these original nominees in favor of a new slate from around the country. This was a victory for those who want a national system. As with the leadership at the USPS, Biden's failure to do better here is astonishing.
January 2Jan 2 Author 19 hours ago, gildone said: @Foraker@neony FDOT Spent $5.6 million lengthening the platforms. Amtrak's final decision rests solely on not wanting to have to shunt trains between the Miami Airport station and Hialeah and pay the little bit of extra crew time. More info here: https://www.miamitodaynews.com/2024/12/30/amtrak-derails-decades-of-deals-to-serve-miami-international-airport/ I can understand the crew time concern as well. There is no train turning track at Miami Airport and the platforms are still nearly twice as long at Hialeah. Still no large waiting room, ticketing, baggage and train servicing facilities. FDOT could have restored the wye at MIA to turn Amtrak trains and provided a servicing facility on vacant land just east of MIA. Amtrak is often dysfunctional, but not always wrong. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 2Jan 2 On 1/2/2025 at 11:08 AM, KJP said: I can understand the crew time concern as well. There is no train turning track at Miami Airport and the platforms are still nearly twice as long at Hialeah. Still no large waiting room, ticketing, baggage and train servicing facilities. FDOT could have restored the wye at MIA to turn Amtrak trains and provided a servicing facility on vacant land just east of MIA. Amtrak is often dysfunctional, but not always wrong. Amtrak is not innocent here (and neither is FDOT). If FDOT wasn't doing what Amtrak needed, Amtrak should have halted this years ago. Edited January 3Jan 3 by gildone
January 2Jan 2 Author And FDOT had 27 years to listen to it. It takes two to tango. I know you hate Amtrak with a passion, and yes Amtrak can be a sh!tshow at times, but so can many things that are beyond our control. It's not worth getting our shorts in a bind. Enjoy the laugh and move on. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 3Jan 3 On 1/2/2025 at 11:56 AM, KJP said: And FDOT had 27 years to listen to it. It takes two to tango. I know you hate Amtrak with a passion, and yes Amtrak can be a sh!tshow at times, but so can many things that are beyond our control. It's not worth getting our shorts in a bind. Enjoy the laugh and move on. My shorts aren't in a bind 🙂 I realize I wasn't very articulate. so I edited things to try to clarify a bit. All I'm saying is that Amtrak is not innocent here either. @neony said: "coupled with Amtrak's lukewarm interest in the project led us to this sad outcome." In another article I saw, Amtrak was balking at having to pay an access fee for the station. So I see a dual failure here. What my real frustration here is that our federal passenger rail program is such a sh!tshow that we end up with stuff like this. Edited January 3Jan 3 by gildone
January 3Jan 3 On 1/1/2025 at 9:17 PM, Foraker said: As with the leadership at the USPS, Biden's failure to do better here is astonishing. Not an excuse but an explanation: It was likely Senator Chuck Schumer that pushed for the original nominations and a Biden staffer handled it. As for the USPS, Biden didn't appoint DeJoy, the previous administration did. If I'm not mistaken, the Postmaster General is one of those 10-year appointments that isn't supposed to be easy to undo in order to try to minimize political interference. That said, the USPS management culture has been a clown show for decades. I know two people who had careers there. Anyway, back to Schumer and the original Biden Administration Amtrak appointments: thankfully, that has been fixed and now Amtrak has a more geographically diverse board.
January 3Jan 3 On 1/1/2025 at 3:50 PM, gildone said: @Foraker@neony My understanding is that the platforms were lengthened (though I could be mistaken). Amtrak's final decision seems to rest solely on not wanting to have to shunt trains between the Miami Airport station and Hialeah and pay the little bit of extra crew time. More info here: https://www.miamitodaynews.com/2024/12/30/amtrak-derails-decades-of-deals-to-serve-miami-international-airport/ The tracks were not lengthened. The money spent by FDOT was used to revamp a road where it crosses the throat of the rail terminal.
January 20Jan 20 Author FRA sends Amtrak long-distance service study to Congress The Federal Railroad Administration has sent to Congress a long-awaited report of Amtrak's daily long-distance service. In the report, the FRA prioritizes 15 new long-distance routes and calls for restoration of Amtrak's daily service on its Cardinal and Sunset Limited routes. The FRA worked on the study from 2022 to 2024, during which time it received over 50,000 stakeholder and public comments that indicated overwhelming support for long-distance services or passenger rail in general, the report states. The final report also recommends consideration of a new long-distance committee made up of stakeholders from across the country — including host railroads, states and communities served by Amtrak long-distance routes, Amtrak and the FRA — that could serve as a forum for feedback and discussion related to current Amtrak long-distance service. The report does not include recommendations for restoration or enhancement of state-supported service, the Northeast Corridor, high-speed rail, or other types of passenger rail service. MORE: https://www.progressiverailroading.com/amtrak/news/FRA-sends-Amtrak-long-distance-service-study-to-Congress--73711 A link to the report: https://fralongdistancerailstudy.org/final-report/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 20Jan 20 Author 1 hour ago, Dougal said: ^ So the 3Cs+D turns into 2Cs and 2Ds+T. "It was my understanding that there would be no math." "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 21Jan 21 23 hours ago, Dougal said: ^ So the 3Cs+D turns into 2Cs and 2Ds+T. The Long Distance Rail Study is almost entirely separate from the Corridor ID program. The latter is mostly focused on state-supported routes, including 3C&D, CLE-TOL-Detroit, and Midwest Connect (Chicago- Fort Wayne- Columbus - Pittsburgh). The routes you mentioned are in long distance rail study. Neither long distance study or CID includes infrastructure funding (yet). Current infrastructure funding comes from the separate Fed-state rail partnership program (eg hudson tunnels, Brightline west grants, Borealis service, etc). When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
February 18Feb 18 Author Amtrak Partners with Private Sector on Major Rail Infrastructure Investments https://railway-news.com/amtrak-partners-with-private-sector-on-major-rail-infrastructure-investments/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 18Feb 18 2 hours ago, KJP said: Amtrak Partners with Private Sector on Major Rail Infrastructure Investments https://railway-news.com/amtrak-partners-with-private-sector-on-major-rail-infrastructure-investments/ I'm seeing a lot of NEC centric stuff, but not much else here.
February 19Feb 19 Author On 2/18/2025 at 9:00 AM, neony said: I'm seeing a lot of NEC centric stuff, but not much else here. Because, to a NEC-centric organization, there's no opportunity to engage the private sector in the empty Great Plains that exist west of the Appalachians to the Rockies. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 19Feb 19 7 hours ago, KJP said: Because, to a NEC-centric organization, there's no opportunity to engage the private sector in the empty Great Plains that exist west of the Appalachians to the Rockies. They do like our tax dollars supporting trains that don't serve us, though.
February 22Feb 22 I saw an Amtrak train heading east in Mentor at about 12:30pm yesterday, on the tracks north of East Boulevard. My understanding was that our service here was in the wee small hours, I wonder if it was really late or it was a special run.
February 22Feb 22 1 hour ago, E Rocc said: I saw an Amtrak train heading east in Mentor at about 12:30pm yesterday, on the tracks north of East Boulevard. My understanding was that our service here was in the wee small hours, I wonder if it was really late or it was a special run. There were locomotive maintenance issues that delayed the initial departure of the eastbound Lakeshore Limited 48 (Chicago-CLE-upstate NY-NYC/Boston) so it was running 7+ hours late. Eastbound Cardinal (Chi-Cincy-DC-NYC) was running late for the same reasons. If at all possible, pix of daytime Amtrak trains in Ohio are much appreciated! When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
February 22Feb 22 Author 2 hours ago, E Rocc said: I saw an Amtrak train heading east in Mentor at about 12:30pm yesterday, on the tracks north of East Boulevard. My understanding was that our service here was in the wee small hours, I wonder if it was really late or it was a special run. The eastbound Amtrak goes through Mentor at about 6:30 am, so it's not uncommon to see this train in daylight. But it usually runs on time because of all the schedule padding into Toledo and Cleveland. The train that's having a hard time running on time is the "new" Floridian which combined two long-distance trains into one so that it now has more enroute station stops than any other Amtrak route in the country. It often runs hours late. If you're going to Chicago and want to take the train, take the Lake Shore Limited. If you want to go to Washington DC, the Carolinas or Florida, fly or drive. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 25Feb 25 On 2/22/2025 at 9:51 AM, Boomerang_Brian said: There were locomotive maintenance issues that delayed the initial departure of the eastbound Lakeshore Limited 48 (Chicago-CLE-upstate NY-NYC/Boston) so it was running 7+ hours late. Eastbound Cardinal (Chi-Cincy-DC-NYC) was running late for the same reasons. If at all possible, pix of daytime Amtrak trains in Ohio are much appreciated! If you find out in advance that the eastbound Limited is running late and will pass through Mentor in the daytime, the absolute ideal place to get some pictures would be the old depot on East Avenue by Station Street. It's a closed (?) bar now, it has a big parking lot which gets really close to the tracks.
February 25Feb 25 2 hours ago, E Rocc said: If you find out in advance that the eastbound Limited is running late and will pass through Mentor in the daytime, the absolute ideal place to get some pictures would be the old depot on East Avenue by Station Street. It's a closed (?) bar now, it has a big parking lot which gets really close to the tracks. I thought they had a way to sign up for email alerts, but I don't see it now. There is a live status tracker if you wake up early and click on this: https://www.amtrak.com/track-your-train-with-google-maps#:~:text=The train location tracking map,the click of a mouse. You'd probably have 5, 6 maybe 7 hours if it is seriously delayed before it gets to Mentor:
February 26Feb 26 Author Or you can make friends with people who work for Amtrak and send you text messages every time a Cleveland train runs hours late. Or they share goofy news from elsewhere in the system, like drunk people getting evicted from the train by some podunk sheriff in the middle of nowhere. Or a train hitting a cow and delaying the train for hours. Or a train unable to leave Chicago because they can’t find three locomotives that work properly. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
March 8Mar 8 Musk may target Amtrak next: https://archive.is/kux1s At least Amtrak has a white paper ready: https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/corporate/amtrak-privatization-faqs-03052025.pdf
March 9Mar 9 You know that had to be coming. I am surprised it took the new administration this long to target Amtrak given the effort to eradicate most priorities from the Biden Administration. I wonder if the new Corridor ID program studies will stop where they are and federal funding dries up for passenger rail leaving passenger rail with the possible exception of the NE Corridor to the states.
March 19Mar 19 Author Hmmm 🤔 Sounds like trump is forcing him out. Rumor is that his second in command will be the interim CEO... Statement from Stephen Gardner on Amtrak CEO Leadership Transition: I am stepping down as CEO to ensure that Amtrak continues to enjoy the full faith and confidence of this administration. https://media.amtrak.com/2025/03/amtrak-ceo-leadership-transition/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
March 20Mar 20 18 hours ago, KJP said: Hmmm 🤔 Sounds like trump is forcing him out. Rumor is that his second in command will be the interim CEO... Statement from Stephen Gardner on Amtrak CEO Leadership Transition: I am stepping down as CEO to ensure that Amtrak continues to enjoy the full faith and confidence of this administration. https://media.amtrak.com/2025/03/amtrak-ceo-leadership-transition/ I can't say I'm sorry to see Gardner go, but his replacement could be worse. On the other hand, the new Trump nominee to the Amtrak board is widely seen as being very pro-rail. Right now, I'm in a wait-and-see posture. Anything could happen at this point, tho I have the feeling that long distance trains might become a sacrificial lamb. Steady as she goes...
March 20Mar 20 Certainly Texas Central will be cancelled as that's an easy win for Elon and his DOGEbags and it's a direct threat to his business in Texas. Amtrak's weathered some pretty hostile governments (ones that were much more anti-spending than this one). I have doubts that they'll move to shut down the long-distance routes.
March 20Mar 20 30 minutes ago, 10albersa said: Certainly Texas Central will be cancelled as that's an easy win for Elon and his DOGEbags and it's a direct threat to his business in Texas. Amtrak's weathered some pretty hostile governments (ones that were much more anti-spending than this one). I have doubts that they'll move to shut down the long-distance routes. Long distance trains have been singled out as loss leaders for years, even by Amtrak, so anything could happen. This is in spite of the fact that these trains carry many people and make state supported service more viable because they provide connections. As for me, I'm keeping a wary eye out as events unfold.
March 20Mar 20 I mispoke above, the old depot is on Station Street itself (no kidding) off 615 between Hart Street and East Avenue. An Amtrak came through heading east about 6:40 this morning.
March 20Mar 20 On 3/7/2025 at 7:24 PM, Willo said: Musk may target Amtrak next: https://archive.is/kux1s At least Amtrak has a white paper ready: https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/corporate/amtrak-privatization-faqs-03052025.pdf Mention to him that unlike commercial aircraft or buses, Amtrak trains have private cabins.
March 21Mar 21 6 hours ago, E Rocc said: Mention to him that unlike commercial aircraft or buses, Amtrak trains have private cabins. the Amtrak scuttlebut keep churning https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/amtrak-ceo-steps-down-musk-privatization-b2718279.html
March 26Mar 26 Author Couldn't be worse timing with The Muskovites lurking.... Amtrak sidelines Horizon car fleet, leading to widespread cancellations https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/amtrak-sidelines-horizon-car-fleet-leading-to-widespread-cancellations/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
March 26Mar 26 this sucks, I ride the Cascades twice a week. I can see most of the train sets parked on trackage behind T-Mobile Stadium from my office in Seattle.
March 27Mar 27 Author Some good news.... Here for a positive Amtrak post (hard to do today in the "wake" of the Horizon debacle), is a full year Amtrak ridership report comparing FY24 to FY23 for all routes. Remember an Amtrak Fiscal Year is October 1 one year to September 30 of the next. System ridership gained from 28,879,270 to 32,811,715--a 14.8% rise. The long-haul services gained 8.3%, the state-supported Regional trains 15.8% and the NEC 15.9%. Only the tri-weekly SUNSET and the summer-only once weekly BERKSHIRE FLYER lost ridership--ironically with the BERKSHIRE FLYER because it's so hard to book. The train is an extension of a very popular New York-Albany Empire Corridor train one stop east to Pittsfield, MA. But New York-Albany local riders to points like Poughkeepsie, Rhinecliff, Hudson and Albany routinely use this train year-round and fill most of its seats, making it very hard for riders in any serious numbers to book thru to Pittsfield, MA. In the SUNSET case lack of cars--particularly New Orleans to San Antonio held down usage--an eternal Amtrak issue. Yet despite meager 76,937 passengers on the SUNSET the overall National Network/long haul ridership climbed to 4,272,287. And this was with consists still shorter than was traditional pre-COVID. In the context of Amtrak this is a very positive result. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
March 28Mar 28 Author Cleveland Amtrak routes surge; but expansion lags By Ken Prendergast / March 28, 2025 According to the latest data from national passenger railroad Amtrak, America’s most heavily used passenger train passes through Cleveland each night. And it, plus the other Amtrak route through Cleveland, were the two fastest-growing long-distance routes in terms of ridership last year. But getting more ridership or better departure times at Cleveland will be difficult absent new federal policies, said a nonprofit rail advocacy coalition. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2025/03/28/cleveland-amtrak-routes-surge-but-expansion-lags/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
March 31Mar 31 cam pix — they’ve really been going at it on gateway — the hudson yards tunnel is taking shape — Hudson Yards Concrete Casing – Section 3 The Hudson Yards Concrete Casing – Section 3 Project will provide the vital link that connects the new Hudson River Tunnel to New York Penn Station. … This project involves extending the existing concrete casing on a diagonal alignment from 11th Avenue to 30th Street, where it will link up with the new tunnel. HYCC-3 will be approximately 500 feet long, 60 feet wide, and 60 feet high. Its structure will consist of heavily reinforced concrete ranging from 3.5 to 10 feet thick to support future loading from the overbuild platform. A waterproofing membrane will cover its perimeter. Sections 1 and 2 of the concrete casing were built underground in the block bordered by 10th and 11th Avenues and 30th and 33rd Streets. Construction of the first 800-foot section (between 10th and 11th Avenues) began in August 2013. The second section extended the project west another 105 feet under the 11th Avenue viaduct in Manhattan. Both sections were completed in 2018. HYCC-3 is the final segment that will enable the new Hudson River Tunnel to connect into New York Penn Station. more: https://www.gatewayprogram.org/hudson-yards-concrete-casing-section-3.html
April 2Apr 2 Just spent a great few days in San Diego following the Guardians. About to board the Pacific Surfliner to Anaheim for the next series and hopefully some better results. My hovercraft is full of eels
April 2Apr 2 I was at that station a couple of weeks ago and while it's gorgeous, it had a severe homeless problem around it. Shame as that area has loads of potential. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 3Apr 3 4 hours ago, ColDayMan said: I was at that station a couple of weeks ago and while it's gorgeous, it had a severe homeless problem around it. Shame as that area has loads of potential. San Diego seems to have quite a problem in general, but to be honest, it didn’t seem to me to be any worse around the station. The weather was a little chilly by their standards, so maybe that kept people away. My hovercraft is full of eels
April 3Apr 3 8 hours ago, ColDayMan said: I was at that station a couple of weeks ago and while it's gorgeous, it had a severe homeless problem around it. Shame as that area has loads of potential. Union Station is just as bad. It's ridiculous how we have disinvested mental health and homeless outreach so much that we continue to just let our transit centers just serve as de facto homeless shelters. This country has a GDP of a first world country, with 3rd world policies and infrastructure.
April 15Apr 15 Author What they say: Elon Musk on USA's passenger rail system: “kind of embarrassing” and “a sad situation.” Trump: “We don't have anything like that in our country. It doesn't make sense that we don't.” What they do: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/trump-administration-pulls-support-for-dallas-to-houston-bullet-train/ar-AA1CV6ta?ocid=weather-verthp-feeds "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
April 15Apr 15 On 3/28/2025 at 4:59 PM, KJP said: Cleveland Amtrak routes surge; but expansion lags By Ken Prendergast / March 28, 2025 According to the latest data from national passenger railroad Amtrak, America’s most heavily used passenger train passes through Cleveland each night. And it, plus the other Amtrak route through Cleveland, were the two fastest-growing long-distance routes in terms of ridership last year. But getting more ridership or better departure times at Cleveland will be difficult absent new federal policies, said a nonprofit rail advocacy coalition. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2025/03/28/cleveland-amtrak-routes-surge-but-expansion-lags/ I've seen them pass through Mentor around 6:30am a couple of times lately, which if I am not mistaken is several hours late. Right through here, as it is. I pass this spot every weekday, sometimes multiple times, and didn't know about it until the other day: https://cityofmentor.com/the-mysterious-wreck-of-the-20th-century-limited/
April 15Apr 15 Author 7 hours ago, E Rocc said: I've seen them pass through Mentor around 6:30am a couple of times lately, which if I am not mistaken is several hours late. Right through here, as it is. I pass this spot every weekday, sometimes multiple times, and didn't know about it until the other day: https://cityofmentor.com/the-mysterious-wreck-of-the-20th-century-limited/ The eastbound is due to leave downtown at 5:50 a.m., so 6:30 a.m. isn't very late at all. Now if it's the westbound, which is due to leave downtown at 4 a.m., then yes, that's almost three hours late. So train 49 had an interesting addition to its hind end Sunday night/Monday morning. Several executive cars including extra sleepers and observation car 10004 was hitching a ride westbound. This was at Hastings-on-Hudson Sunday evening.... https://www.facebook.com/share/r/15FdgyAUPB/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
April 17Apr 17 Author I smell a poison pill...... FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, April 17, 2025 Contact: [email protected] Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Takes Control of Penn Station Overhaul, Saves Taxpayers $120 Million Amtrak, backed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, will lead the transformative revitalization of New York Penn Station, the nation’s busiest rail hub. WASHINGTON, D.C. – Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced today that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is taking bold action to protect American taxpayers by withdrawing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) from leading the Penn Station Reconstruction project in New York City. Instead, Amtrak, backed by USDOT, will spearhead this critical infrastructure initiative. As part of this shift in approach, FRA is also rescoping and slashing the federal grant to Amtrak for project development. This will save taxpayers approximately $120 million while still ensuring a safe, modern, and efficient transit hub for the nation’s financial capital. The Trump Administration determined that USDOT and Amtrak can together deliver a world-class Penn Station. Since Amtrak owns the station, which is an essential asset serving over 10 million Amtrak riders annually, there is no reason to delegate leadership of this important project. “President Trump has made it clear: the days of reckless spending and blank checks are over,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “New York City deserves a Penn Station that reflects America’s greatness and is safe and clean. The MTA’s history of inefficiency, waste, and mismanagement also meant that a new approach is needed. By putting taxpayers first, we’re ensuring every dollar is spent wisely to create a transit hub all Americans can take pride in.” The Trump Administration is also championing a public-private partnership model for Penn Station, harnessing private sector innovation and capital to minimize financial risk to taxpayers. This approach will drive efficiencies, reduce costs, and deliver results faster than traditional government-led projects. “Under President Trump’s vision, we’re restoring accountability to infrastructure projects,” said FRA Chief Counsel Kyle Fields. “By empowering Amtrak and leveraging private investment, we’re guaranteeing a Penn Station that’s safer, more reliable, and built to serve the American people for generations.” For more details, view FRA’s letter to the MTA regarding the withdrawal of the FY 2024 Federal-State Partnership (FSP) Program grant and FRA’s letter revising the Amtrak grant allocation. Background: The MTA’s $72 million FSP Program grant was awarded in November 2024 and intended for project development related to station reconstruction alone. With the reduced allocation in its separate FSP Program grant, Amtrak can pursue a master developer to examine both reconstruction and potential expansion of the station. The Trump Administration’s new strategy prioritizes fiscal responsibility, private sector expertise, and Amtrak’s leadership to transform New York Penn Station into a world-class facility while safeguarding taxpayer dollars. ### "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
April 17Apr 17 24 minutes ago, KJP said: WASHINGTON, D.C. – Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced today that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is taking bold action to protect American taxpayers by withdrawing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) from leading the Penn Station Reconstruction project in New York City. Instead, Amtrak, backed by USDOT, will spearhead this critical infrastructure initiative. “President Trump has made it clear: the days of reckless spending and blank checks are over,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “New York City deserves a Penn Station that reflects America’s greatness and is safe and clean. The MTA’s history of inefficiency, waste, and mismanagement also meant that a new approach is needed. By putting taxpayers first, we’re ensuring every dollar is spent wisely to create a transit hub all Americans can take pride in.” Can they issue a press release that sounds like it came from a normal person? Also, yes, empower Amtrak but slashing their funding. That’s usually how its done.
April 17Apr 17 2 hours ago, KJP said: As part of this shift in approach, FRA is also rescoping and slashing the federal grant to Amtrak for project development. This will save taxpayers approximately $120 million while still ensuring a safe, modern, and efficient transit hub for the nation’s financial capital. Slashing program funding and claiming savings, proclaim improved services provided by the program, rinse and repeat. Just imagine how much better the federal highway system would be if we slashed government funding to $0... (when?)
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