More detail....

 

Congress slashes FY 2009 budget for Amtrak, passes two bills equaling $7 billion to subsidize auto travel

http://www.narprail.org/cms/index.php/hotline

^The haplessness and abject cluelessness of our elected officials (in BOTH parties) never ceases to amaze. 

 

We need a primal scream emoticon...

Its morning in America all over again!  At least our elected officials know that the car is king!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGZvQoPxhNs

DanB....turn in your red stars!  :whip:

“As to high-speed rail funds, the Senate committee provided $1.2 billion compared with the House’s $4 billion, and would prohibit the Federal Railroad Administration ‘from awarding grants until the agency has completed a national rail plan as required under the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act.’  As a result of the historic $8 billion for high-speed rail in the American Recovery and Reinvestment act, 40 states submitted 272 applications for over $105 billion of high-speed rail projects."

 

Geez...you think there is a demand for rail transportation?  We need a new generation of politicians in Congress to have some forward thinking for once.

 

Congress...the opposite of Progress.

“As to high-speed rail funds, the Senate committee provided $1.2 billion compared with the House’s $4 billion, and would prohibit the Federal Railroad Administration ‘from awarding grants until the agency has completed a national rail plan as required under the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act.’  As a result of the historic $8 billion for high-speed rail in the American Recovery and Reinvestment act, 40 states submitted 272 applications for over $105 billion of high-speed rail projects."

 

Geez...you think there is a demand for rail transportation?  We need a new generation of politicians in Congress to have some forward thinking for once.

 

Congress...the opposite of Progress.

 

 

For too long there has been an assumption that everyone prefers cars...that we love them, etc...  And, the auto industry has had the luxury of brilliant marketing that helps to constantly cram this idea down everyone's throat. All the while, in over 50 years what real choice in transportation did we have. We end up assuming we all have to drive and that we need a car.  Not much choice in the supposed 'land of choice'

Cash for Clunkers = Instant Gratification.  Need we say more why the $$$ went so fast and Congress was only to happy to provide more $$$$?  Given the choice between thinking in the long-term and the benefits that would accrue from a robust system of passenger rail / rail-based local transit and the instant stimulation of dollars to seell more cars.... Congress takes the easy way out...again.

^The haplessness and abject cluelessness of our elected officials (in BOTH parties) never ceases to amaze.

 

We need a primal scream emoticon...

 

AAAARRRRGHH!!!

DanB....turn in your red stars! :whip:

 

Hey DanB: You have a right to your own opinions, but do you have to be such an in-your-face jerk?

 

Note to moderators: I usually refrain from name calling, but in this case, I make an exception. My apologies.

DanB....turn in your red stars!  :whip:

 

Hey DanB: You have a right to your own opinions, but do you have to be such an in-your-face jerk?

 

Note to moderators: I usually refrain from name calling, but in this case, I make an exception. My apologies.

Dan isn't a jerk, you just have to be here long enough to know people's peronalities.  Some people thing MayDay and I are bitches.  I certainly am not.  :wink:

Its morning in America all over again!  At least our elected officials know that the car is king!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGZvQoPxhNs

 

 

I always noticed the double standard as the auto industry and groups like AAA were always so quick to use open space, natural beauty and splendor to help sell their product...promote 'the get away drive'---BUT...at the same time when anyone proposes to preserve such inspirations for that wonderful drive... the auto industry.....AAA and such are the first to oppose such efforts--and hence, not really giving a crap about the inspiration for that 'beautiful scenic drive across the USA', afterall.

As MTS once said, "Can't you guys recognize sarcasm?"

 

As MTS once said, "Can't you guys recognize sarcasm?"

 

To whom is this directed? I was just commenting on something I thought about the video you posted.

Not you EC!

 

Sorry, KJP!

OK...can we get back on topic?

DanB....turn in your red stars! :whip:

 

Hey DanB: You have a right to your own opinions, but do you have to be such an in-your-face jerk?

 

Note to moderators: I usually refrain from name calling, but in this case, I make an exception. My apologies.

Dan isn't a jerk, you just have to be here long enough to know people's peronalities. Some people thing MayDay and I are bitches. I certainly am not. :wink:

 

Noted. I'll keep that in mind.

Amtrak Partners with Google Transit to Offer Rail Travel as an Option for Trip Planning WEBWIRE – Tuesday, August 11, 2009

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Travelers may now use Google Transit — Google’s public transportation trip planning function — to plan their journeys on Amtrak as five of the railroad’s routes were recently added to the Google Transit system. The Amtrak/Google Transit partnership supports Amtrak’s corporate goals to promote connectivity among transportation systems, provide passengers with a seamless transportation experience, and work with state partners to grow public transportation.

 

"Google Transit offers Amtrak’s passengers a valuable travel planning tool while introducing rail travel to a whole new audience" said Matt Hardison, Amtrak’s chief of Sales Distribution and Customer Service. "We are always looking for new and innovative ways to serve our customers, and by guiding our customers to a transit-friendly way to connect to and travel by Amtrak, this partnership does just that"

 

 

http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=101163

I'm surprised the Northeast Corridor, Keystone Corridor as well as the California Capitol Corridor weren't included. Those three routes offer enough frequencies to provide a legit transit service option.

I'm surprised the Northeast Corridor, Keystone Corridor as well as the California Capitol Corridor weren't included. Those three routes offer enough frequencies to provide a legit transit service option.

 

Some of those long-established routes connecting dense major metro areas offer many possible combinations and permutations. Maybe it's just taking them more time to put them all together. Another possibility is that those routes serve areas where a lot of frequemt travelers already have figured it out.

This is overkill.......

 

http://www.philly.com:80/philly/wires/ap/news/state/pennsylvania/20090814_ap_amtraksuspendingpittsburghserviceforg20.html

 

Posted on Fri, Aug. 14, 2009

 

Amtrak suspending Pittsburgh service for G-20

 

The Associated Press

 

PITTSBURGH - Amtrak is suspending service into and out of its station in downtown Pittsburgh during the Group of 20 economic summit.

 

Spokeswoman Tracy Connell says passengers will not be able to book trips that begin or end in Pittsburgh from Sept. 24-26. The G-20 gathering of major world economic leaders is scheduled for Sept. 24-25 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center a few blocks away from the train station.

 

.......

^Yeah, shut the whole city down in every way but automobile traffic.

^ Dumbest this I've EVER heard! You'd think you'd WANT to show off your mass transit capabilities!

I guess they just don't want the crazies to destroy their facilities.  Easier to just lock the doors than try and control the mob.

Oh yeah, that'll do it....  :roll:

Do the usually do this?  I can't imagine them shutting down Amtrak to DC for a whole weekend. 

They shut down Amtrak service to Boston during the Democratic convention one year.  Not all that unusual, given the post-9/11 world.

I should've invested in adult diaper stocks after 9/11.

^Yeah, shut the whole city down in every way but automobile traffic.

 

No, they are even shutting down major roadways. Businesses in the downtown area are planning for "essential personnel, only", downtown schools and universities have cancelled classes, the rivers are closed to boat traffic. It was lunacy to schedule the G-20 for Pittsburgh. The downtown area, bordered on three sides by rivers, is logistical nightmare in terms of security.

 

Ironically, the summit was originally scheduled to be in New York City but organizers were afraid of massive protests so they evacuate Pittsburgh, instead.

 

Even more ironically, the locals, here, believe that this is a good way to show off the city. How? By making it look like the set for Omega Man?

 

Cincinnati's hosting of a similar conference was one of the 'highlights' of the anti-globalization movement and a big part of the run up to the riots of 01. The security for these things are insane. The Seattle brouhaha of that same era also set the tone for how cities would be expected to deal with this things.

They shut down Amtrak service to Boston during the Democratic convention one year.  Not all that unusual, given the post-9/11 world.

 

It's still overkill.  In some ways, the terrorists won after all.

 

The Seattle brouhaha of that same era also set the tone for how cities would be expected to deal with this things.

 

The "Seattle brouhaha" was overblown.  I've heard interviews/read interview transcripts from different people who were there.  They all say the "rioters" were a tiny minority, but controversy sells news, so it was hyped up beyond reality.

 

Even more ironically, the locals, here, believe that this is a good way to show off the city. How? By making it look like the set for Omega Man?

 

I agree.  Not a good way to show off the city.  How can you show off what no one can get to? 

 

 

Here's a new Amtrak TV commercial airing in cities with usable train service. Ironically the commercial mentions Cleveland which has no usable Amtrak service!

 

OK, now for some oldies.....

 

Here's a new Amtrak TV commercial airing in cities with usable train service. Ironically the commercial mentions Cleveland which has no usable Amtrak service!

 

Define "useable" Amtrak service.  As far as I know, they still have a functioning stop.

Heck, I got on the stop at Alliance, OH for my trip to D.C. last Halloween--that came down from Cleveland.  The big problem is that it arrives at 3:25 a.m.  The stop is fine, and about as low-maintenance as you could possibly imagine: a big asphalt and concrete platform with a tiny parking lot shared with a service outfit of some kind.  Some people just waited in their cars until they heard the train whistle.  If the only stop on a given day is in the graveyard hours--and I do think that that was the only train stopping there that day--that makes a difference in how "usable" a station is for most people.  I have the advantage of still being able to push my body into an undergrad-like sleep schedule for brief periods.

I wouldn't consider the Cleveland stop very "usable" because there are two trains arriving/leaving it in each direction (Capitol Limited - Chicago to DC, and Lake Shore Limited - Chicago to NYC), and their arrival/departure times are all between 2:30 am and 5:05 am.  Ridiculous.  I can't even take the rapid to or from the station because the Waterfront Line doesn't run at those hours (actually the last time I came back from Chicago the train was a little late arriving in Cleveland and I waited in the station for an hour for the first Waterfront Line train to come).

 

Define "useable" Amtrak service. As far as I know, they still have a functioning stop.

 

Something that stops in a city between the hours of 6 a.m. and midnight, has competitive fares and is on time at least 80-90 percent.

 

Define "useable" Amtrak service. As far as I know, they still have a functioning stop.

 

Something that stops in a city between the hours of 6 a.m. and midnight, has competitive fares and is on time at least 80-90 percent.

 

For some reason, the Westbound Capitol Limited seems to be on time more than the Eastbound. As noted, before, the Cleveland (and Pittsburgh and Buffalo and ....) times seem to be a factor of the departure times from New York, Chicago and Washington, as well as the speed of the train. With trip times of 16 hours, the only way that these cities would see daytime service is if the originating departure or destination disembarking were in the wee hours of the morning, unless there was separate service originating in Cleveland (or Pittsburgh), which isn't a bad idea.

Man, what's it going to take for a major North-South high speed route from Detroit to Cincinnati and beyond? I want this for purely selfish reasons so that i can travel home in comfort on high speed rail.

Amtrak's Auto Train Leaves Driving in the Dust:

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/aug/23/tr-amtraks-auto-train-leaves-driving-in-dust/

 

Of course, in the comment section another clueless person berates subsidies to rail but says nothing about roads or aviation subsidies...

The Auto Train is very nice.  Right now it's nearly as expensive as flying, however, and requires the overnight travel, but it's really worth it with young kids.

Think of it as getting a train ride, hotel room and rental car all for one price.

Think of it as getting a train ride, hotel room and rental car all for one price.

 

You're right, although the cost is still about the same as flying with the kids (by that I meant airfare plus car rental).  But if I fly to Florida, I don't need a hotel room in transit. 

True. By flying, you get an extra day at each end of the trip. So if you take advantage of that, you're still adding two day's worth of lodging expenses, in addition to the rental car.

"The "Seattle brouhaha" was overblown.  I've heard interviews/read interview transcripts from different people who were there.  They all say the "rioters" were a tiny minority, but controversy sells news, so it was hyped up beyond reality. "

 

It was not overblown.  I was there.  It was ugly and scarry. If you want to know more, let me know.

 

Thanks. Back on track, please.

Great to hear this! This is a freight railroad taking a very pro-passenger rail view (not to mention NS's support for electrifying its routes for passenger trains):

 

http://www.railwayage.com/breaking-news/ns-shared-freight-passenger-route-costs-virginia-less.html

 

NS: Shared freight/passenger route costs Virginia less

September 11, 2009

 

Norfolk Southern Corp., reflecting the growing interest by Class I railroads to cooperate with passenger rail interests to the benefit of both parties, says it would cost just $75 million to upgrade right-of-way between Virginia cities Petersburg and Norfolk.

 

 

Interesting that the railroad is projecting a far lower cost than the state originally estimated.

Think of it as getting a train ride, hotel room and rental car all for one price.

 

This is correct.  For a family of 3, it's roughly the same to take the Auto Train as it is to fly and rent a car for a week (but only if you book far enough in advance).  For a family of four it is less.

Interesting that the railroad is projecting a far lower cost than the state originally estimated.

 

It sounds like they seriously want it to happen.

 

Electrification could be a plus for both passenger and freight operations; it's possible to get a lot more bang for the buck with electrification in terms of performance, especially in maintaining speed on grades with heavy trains. I don't think anyone has yet built a diesel-electric powertrain that can provide peak tractive effort to match what has been achievable for seventy years with electrics.