http://www2.newsadvance.com/lna/news/local/article/amtraks_lynchburg-washington_line_beats_projections/22419/

 

Amtrak’s Lynchburg-Washington line beats projections

By Ray Reed

Published: December 16, 2009

Updated: December 17, 2009

Lynchburg News-Advance

 

RICHMOND — The new Amtrak train between Lynchburg and Washington had twice as many passengers as expected during its first month of operation in October, state rail officials said Wednesday.

 

Revenues from passenger fares were strong too, despite low introductory rates, said Kevin Page, rail transportation chief for the Department of Rail and Public Transportation.

 

“We had a very strong month” on the Lynchburg train, Page told members of the Commonwealth Transportation Board.

 

Full story at link above:

http://www.getransportation.com/na/en/docs/3238819_1261143924_Jobs%20Bill%20Amtrak%20Funding%20Press%20Release%20(12.16.2009).pdf

 

GE Transportation Systems Press Release

 

GE Transportation Moves Closer to Securing New Amtrak

Passenger Locomotive Order

U.S. House of Representatives passes Jobs Bill that includes $800 million for

Amtrak fleet modernization

 

Erie, Penn. (Dec. 16, 2009) – With today’s passage of the Jobs for Main Street Act by the U.S. House of Representatives, GE Transportation has moved a major step closer to a potential order for the next generation, higher-speed passenger locomotives from Amtrak. The Act provides $800 million for Amtrak fleet modernization, including the purchase of new “fuel efficient locomotives.”

 

Amtrak has previously expressed interest in upgrading their aging passenger locomotive fleet .

 

Once the critical funding for Amtrak to modernize its fleet is enacted into law, GE remains confident it can provide a superior proposal to Amtrak for the new locomotives.

 

“We greatly appreciate the support U.S. Representative Kathy Dahlkemper has provided to ensure this Act included specific funding for new passenger locomotives,” said Lorenzo Simonelli, President and CEO of GE Transportation.

 

“This House legislation paves the way to help sustain well-paying manufacturing jobs and to provide the public with greener, more efficient transportation.”

 

Added Simonelli: "As the bill moves to the Senate, we will work with Senators Arlen Specter and Bob Casey, who have been active supporters, to ensure this funding is included."

 

For the past several months GE Transportation and its employees, GE’s largest local union and suppliers to the business have petitioned for federal support to help fund this higher-speed locomotive that could help sustain 1,900 GE and supplier jobs.

 

Any order for passenger locomotives would represent the engineering resources and labor required to produce approximately three times as many freight locomotives. GE Transportation in Erie and Grove City, Penn could build new locomotives for Amtrak following a competitive bidding process.

 

In addition to helping sustain jobs, the new locomotives from GE would also reduce fuel consumption and emissions. The next generation passenger locomotives would be capable of reaching speeds of up to 124 mph.

 

About GE Transportation

 

Established more than 100 years ago, GE Transportation, a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), is a global technology leader and supplier to the railroad, marine, drilling, and mining and wind power industries. GE Transportation provides freight and passenger locomotives, signaling and

communications systems, information technology solutions, marine engines, motorized drive systems for mining trucks and drills, high-quality replacement parts and value added services. GETransportation is headquartered in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA, and employs approximately 10,000

employees worldwide. For more information visit www.getransportation.com.

###

 

December 29, 2009

Fast Trains Lead Amtrak List of Needs

By SUSAN STELLIN

The New York Times

 

Amtrak has been working hard to lure more business travelers to its trains, with advertisements highlighting its advantages over air travel — roomier seats, power outlets on its Acela trains and fewer annoyances.

 

And its efforts have borne some fruit: the number of riders on its Northeast corridor trains has been rising.

 

But faster trains are critical to its future. So while Amtrak got some desperately needed financing from the federal government this year, its forecasts suggest that speedier rail travel in the United States remains a daunting challenge.

 

Full story at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/29/business/29amtrak.html?_r=1&ref=us

Boardman to head Amtrak for another year

 

Joseph Boardman will continue to lead Amtrak in the near term. The national intercity passenger railroad’s board recently extended his contract as interim president and chief executive officer for one year.

 

Boardman had signed on as Amtrak’s interim leader in late November 2008 to succeed Alex Kummant, who resigned. Prior to joining the railroad, Boardman was federal railroad administrator, a post he held since May 2005.

 

Full story at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=22285

 

A one year contract doesn't exactly sound like a vote of confidence.  Boardman hasn't shown much leadership.

Sounds like put-up or shut-up time for him! Some managers avoid trying to be innovative under a one-year deal and go into survival mode. If Boardman does that, he probably won't be at Amtrak in 2011.

Yikes!

 

‘Train from hell’ arrives almost a day late

Passengers complain of 19-hour delay, shortage of food and water

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34769488/ns/travel-news/

< :speech: >It's been more than twenty years, but twice I've arrived in Chicago from Oakland aboard the Zephyr more than 14 hours behind schedule because of winter weather. Maybe Amtrak's policies have changed, but on those trips after we went beyond the scheduled arrival time, all meals were free. The menu selection was somewhat reduced, and some picky people complained about not being able to have what they wanted, but there was food.

 

Both times, passengers who missed connections out of Chicago received vouchers for a room and meals in a good hotel and cab fare between the station and the hotel, and had much of the next day for sightseeing in Chicago (albeit in near-zero temperatures).

 

The passengers who are complaining might look at how the trip might have gone if they had driven, taken a bus, or flown during the same time. Traveling at this time of year has its risks, and they should be relieved that they stayed warm and had seats or roomettes. They were better off than if they had been sleeping on floors in air terminals and emergency shelters or stranded in their cars.

 

I think a lot of people have no grasp of how dramatic the effects of winter weather can be on the western plains and in the mountains. If they can't handle delays and inconveniences, they should travel at some other time of year.</ :speech: >

A friend of mine was trying to travel from Los Angeles to Oklahoma City during the same time that Amtrak train was delayed. He ended up stuck at Denver's airport for a full day waiting for a connecting flight to DFW, and then stuck in Dallas for another couple days until I-35 was passable. It took him four full days to make a trip that would normally take half a day.

Did the airline furnish meals while he was stranded at the airport? :wink:

Doubtful, as the cancellations were weather-related.

 

I had the dubious pleasure of being stranded at CVG for 26 hours last year because my flight was cancelled due to mechanical problems. In that case, they put us up in a decent hotel and gave us meal vouchers worth about $6 each.

Speaking of meals.....  In todays PD (includes quotes from someone we all know):

 

Amtrak puts dining cars back on some trains through Cleveland

By Susan Glaser, The Plain Dealer

January 09, 2010, 6:00AM

 

Amtrak Newly restored dining cars are ready for customers aboard Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited trains. Finally, some national transportation news that will leave a good taste in your mouth: Amtrak has restored full dining service to its Lake Shore Limited trains, which travel through Cleveland en route to New York City and Chicago.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/travel/index.ssf/2010/01/amtrak_puts_dining_cars_back_o.html

 

Given the schedule, I dont think Clevelanders will be concerned about anything but breakfast. 

^ Very nice.  This surely adds a strong touch of class to rail riding that, hopefully, can attract more riders – of course, it all begins and ends with better quality service – meaning greater train speed, punctuality and convenient arrive/leave times... I think this upgrade is all part of the general pattern.  Under Obama, and to some degree Clinton before him (see "liberals"), Amtrak is "in"... Whereas under Reagan-Bush-Bush ("right-wing conservatives), Amtrak was yesterday's news...  The very fact this new luxury dining service is featured so prominently in the PD/Cleveland.com just goes to show that Amtrak is gaining more in the public mindset, even as of a year ago… If we get the 3-Cs, which I think we will, and esp the Ohio Hub through Cleveland, I'll lay it directly at the feet of Obama... as the saying goes (which is very true), it (good things/bad things) starts at the top.

Joe Boardman: “It’s time to retire our fleet”   

RailwayAge.com

 

In February, Amtrak will release a long-awaited detailed master long-range plan for replacing almost all of its aging, 1,400-plus-unitcar and locomotive fleet. The plan, which will be released as part of a legislativeand grant request to Congress, also includes renewal of some criticalinfrastructure, particularly in the Northeast Corridor, and preparations forgoing to higher speed rail in some corridors.

 

“Amtrak enters 2010 with a strong sense of optimism,enthusiasm, and purpose,” said President and CEO Joseph Boardman, who wasrecently given an “indefinite” contract extension by the Amtrak board ofdirectors. Under a new Strategic Guidance program, “we have an aggressive planto modernize, renew, and grow America’s passenger railroad.”

 

“It’s time to retire our aging fleet of cars andlocomotives,” Boardman said, adding, “We’re looking at every source of funding,not just the federal government.”

 

Full story at:http://www.railwayage.com/breaking-news/joe-boardman-it-s-time-to-retire-our-fleet.html

Amtrak sets quarterly ridership record

 

In the first quarter of fiscal-year 2010, Amtrak set a ridership record of 7.2 million passengers, up 1.4 percent from the previous record of 7.1 million passengers set in FY2008. The first fiscal quarter covers the period from October to December 2009. Amtrak’s ridership totaled 7 million passengers in FY2009’s first quarter.

 

A record number of Thanksgiving travelers and strong December ridership fueled the fiscal quarter gain, according to Amtrak. In December, the railroad registered 2.39 million passengers vs. 2.28 million in December 2008 and 2.31 million in December 2007.

 

More at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=22354

 

www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-talk-amtrak-ohare_15jan15,0,4855609.story

 

chicagotribune.com

Advertising at O'Hare aims to lure travelers to Amtrak

Humorous ads poke fun at air travel

Jon Hilkevitch

 

January 15, 2010

 

Trying to appeal to airline customers fed up with flight delays, escalating checked-bag fees and cattle-car seating, Amtrak is tooting its own horn at O'Hare International Airport.

 

The national passenger railroad has launched an advertising campaign exclusively at O'Hare that is aimed at luring air travelers to trains. Fifty Amtrak trains operate to and from Chicago daily.

 

The marketing effort is hard for passengers to overlook as they toss their carry-on items into plastic bins at airport security checkpoints. The X-ray trays are lined with the image of an Amtrak train and contain humorous slogans promoting the advantages of train travel over flying.

 

"Wear mismatched socks -- we'll never know," one ad says. Amtrak passengers are not required to remove their shoes for security purposes.

 

 

Full story and photo at above link:

Conducive Chronicle

Amtrak’s Big Comeback: Is High-Speed Rail Our Best Option?

January 15, 2010

By Tuula Rebhahn

 

A century ago, Ford Motors began mass-producing automobiles, sparking the personal transportation revolution that continues to define our car-centric culture today. That’s the way the story usually goes, anyway, but one question that normally isn’t asked is how valuable those new vehicles would have been without the massive infrastructure they engendered. Pre-automobile, the few roads that existed between cities were stagecoach-rutted and neglected, and a large portion of the country was only reachable by sea or river. The National Highway System, completed in the 1960s, was the first of its scale in the world, connecting the states with over 160,000 miles of pavement. The federal government shelled out upwards of 25 billion dollars for the project, and continues to subsidize its existence by paying for constant maintenance and upgrades. Highways, as much as abundant fuel or cookie-cutter automobiles, were responsible for developing our hard-to-kick dependency on personal transportation.

 

If infrastructure can have such a powerful influence on how people move from point A to B, eliminating the inherently inefficient personal vehicle from our lives should be a simple matter of building new kinds of transportation corridors – and some intense cultural reconditioning, of course. This, at least, seems to be the attitude of policy makers and advocacy groups bent on resurrecting Amtrak, the U.S.’ federally owned passenger rail service. The cultural reconditioning they’re leaving for more capable hands, but plans to put to use the $8 billion recently allocated to Amtrak in the federal stimulus package are gathering the speed of a runaway train. Can all that money really lure travelers off the roads and airways? More important, is reviving Amtrak enough to recharge our economy, reduce oil dependence and cut emissions?

 

 

Full blog post at:

http://cchronicle.com/2010/01/amtraksbigcomebac/

 

 

Obama Names Freight Attorney to Amtrak Board

John D. Boyd | Jan 20, 2010 7:44PM GMT

The Journal of Commerce Online - News Story

 

 

Former BNSF senior attorney Jeffrey R. Moreland to join board

President Obama is nominating Jeffrey R. Moreland, a former senior attorney with BNSF Railway and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, to join Amtrak’s board of directors.

 

Amtrak is poised to participate in billions of dollars of government stimulus grants to expand inter-city passenger rail service, much of which will come by running more passenger trains on tracks owned by freight railroads.

 

More at:

 

http://www.joc.com/node/416150

Nice beginner's article from Wired:

 

http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/01/ff_fasttrack/

 

Amtrak's fleet management plan was released this week. I hosted the 2.65mb document at:

 

http://members.cox.net/kenatsun/Amtrak_FleetStrategyPlan.pdf

 

 

Quoted from the Executive Summary of Amtrak’s Fleet Plan:

 

Based upon demand analysis and the defined policies, Amtrak needs to buy the following equipment over the next 14 years:

 

· 780 single level cars

 

· 420 bi-level cars

 

· 70 electric locomotives

 

· 264 diesel locomotives

 

· 25 high speed trainsets

 

Such a program will require approximately $11bn of investment in 2009 dollars. This is just the start of the process. In order to meet the policies, further acquisition programs will run indefinitely.

Amtrak's fleet management plan was released this week. I hosted the 2.65mb document at:

 

http://members.cox.net/kenatsun/Amtrak_FleetStrategyPlan.pdf

 

Interesting read, especially the part about DMUs. The report seems to suggest that US Railcar could have really good opportunity if they could start up production, quickly and soon.

 

I got the opposition impression -- that Amtrak isn't too wild about DMUs. And I'm not wild about US Railcar's double-decker DMUs. Why do they need to be so damn tall!! See the Colorado Railcar/US Railcar DMU trailer in the consist below (compare it with a conventional bi-level commuter car behind it)......

 

 

Of course, they look more in proportion when they are operating as true DMUs and no other train equipment is around for comparison!

 

 

I really like European DMUs (their look, their ride and their amenities -- I love the Bombardier Voyager series!)...

 

 

 

But we Americans can't seem to figure out how to adapt them for our own conditions and purposes. Instead we end up with some butt-ugly behemoths that look more like maintenance-of-way vehicles (see Sperry RailCar).

 

I got the opposition impression -- that Amtrak isn't too wild about DMUs. And I'm not wild about US Railcar's double-decker DMUs. Why do they need to be so damn tall!! See the Colorado Railcar/US Railcar DMU trailer in the consist below (compare it with a conventional bi-level commuter car behind it)......

 

I agree with the ugly part and it seems that part of Amtrak's issue with DMUs is crashworthiness, something that was not a problem for Colorado Railcar. The report, I think, seemed to suggest that there might be a role for DMUs to play on shorter routes requiring no more than four cars and that these might be a way to start up new service over existing track, quickly. The report does suggest that due to differences between traditional Amtrak operations and operations (including maintenance), of DMUs, they are not necessarily a good fit within Amtrak's current framework. However, the report did leave open the idea that states might take the initiative with the development of DMU routes and this, in turn, might make it more feasible for Amtrak to be involved.

 

In part it is a chicken and egg kind of problem. Amtrak doesn't want them unless there is sufficient demand and nobody is going to build them without demand but a successful "demonstration" project might be sufficient to get the ball rolling. The question is, who is going to risk building the stock without a significant commitment from buyers (the report estimates a minimum of 100 units), but who will commit to the deployment without guarantees that the equipment will be there?

 

It seems to me (and, I think, others have mentioned)  that 3-C is a potential for DMUs because more frequent trains will probably mean lower ridership per train (though higher ridership overall). DMUs could scale, better, and be more cost effective than traditional locomotive sets especially when you are trying to build your ridership.

 

And if ridership increases to the point where more traditional units would be needed, the DMUs could be shifted to developing new routes such as Cleveland-Akron-Canton, etc.

 

In part it is a chicken and egg kind of problem. Amtrak doesn't want them unless there is sufficient demand and nobody is going to build them without demand but a successful "demonstration" project might be sufficient to get the ball rolling. The question is, who is going to risk building the stock without a significant commitment from buyers (the report estimates a minimum of 100 units), but who will commit to the deployment without guarantees that the equipment will be there?

 

 

THAT'S the issue.

 

 

And if ridership increases to the point where more traditional units would be needed, the DMUs could be shifted to developing new routes such as Cleveland-Akron-Canton, etc.

 

 

Exactly. I have some other thoughts on this, but I'll save those for when the 3C thread comes back.

I apologize for my ignorance, but what is the advantage of the DMUs?  Is it just that they provide the appropriate amount of power for their demand whereas a locomotive might be overkill for a 4 or 5 car train?  Are they easier to maintain? 

They cost less to buy and maintain. Instead of buying and maintaining a locomotive and several rail cars -- four units of rolling stock -- you cut out the locomotive entirely. So now you're responsible for buying/maintaining three units of rolling stock. Consider that new diesel locomotives cost $3M-$5M each and new unpowered railcars cost $2M-$4M each, and the savings start to add up. And if you have double-deck railcars, you can save even more.

^Interesting.  Is there no concern about having to maintain a much larger number of individual engines?  Would maintenance facilities (say on the 3C) need to be expanded at all to accommodate multiple DMU's at one time?  What I guess I'm getting at is that in a traditional format you would have maybe 8 locomotives to maintain on the 3C route, whereas with DMU's you'll have maybe 40 units all of which will require engine maintenance and regular servicing.  Is this a significant concern with DMU's on routes such as the 3C?

^Interesting.  Is there no concern about having to maintain a much larger number of individual engines?  Would maintenance facilities (say on the 3C) need to be expanded at all to accommodate multiple DMU's at one time?  What I guess I'm getting at is that in a traditional format you would have maybe 8 locomotives to maintain on the 3C route, whereas with DMU's you'll have maybe 40 units all of which will require engine maintenance and regular servicing.  Is this a significant concern with DMU's on routes such as the 3C?

 

Not every vehicle in a DMU set has an engine. Some are powered and some are, as pictured above, unpowered "trailers." A trailer may have a control cab on one end to let it be used on the unpowered end of a DMU train to permit bi-directional operation. The workable ratio of trailers to powered units is subject both to operating environment and to the units' design.

I don't think there's a major concern about the number of locomotives. And to answer the rest of your question means knowing the desired number of seats per train. I don't recall that number specifically, but I thought it was about 300 or so. Two bi-level DMU cars with a commuter seating arrangement (200 seats per car--way too cramped for 3C!) can provide nearly 400 seats. A more comfortable seating arrangement is to have three bi-level DMU cars (or two DMUs with an unpowered trailer in between -- the second photo I posted above represents this arrangement) with more spacious intercity seating. That should provide about 300 seats or so for a three-car set.

 

Thus if there are three cars per DMU/trailer set and five sets are desired, we could be looking at 15 pieces of equipment (10 DMUs, 5 unpowered trailers). Compare that with five or six locomotives and 20 conventional railcars to offer the same seating capacity as the DMUs/trailers. So 15 units of rolling stock vs. 25 units. That means smaller maintainance buildings, shorter layover tracks at those facilities and at stations. Two sets of active equipment will layover in Columbus, and one each at Cleveland and Cincinnati. Plus a fifth set and possibly an extra locomotive would be kept in reserve for emergencies and routine maintenance cycling but I don't know where that set or locomotive would be kept.

So, if you're the locomotive engineer of an Amtrak train and you're faced

with a storm dumping two feet of snow on the East Coast, what do you do?

 

ACCELERATE!!! :-D

 

 

Thanks to photographer R. Colwell who took this picture during the President's Day Blizzard on Feb. 18, 2003 on the then-new Amtrak Downeaster route between Portland and Boston. This train, cruising at 60 mph, was only 20 minutes late despite the otherwise crippling storm.

 

I post this in deference to the snowstorm that's clobbering Ohio, Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic right now.

I was surprised to read in the paper this morning that Amtrak was canceling southbound trains out of DC. But I guess and expected 30 inches of snow might take more than just acceleration.

I got service reports second-hand from Amtrak last night that they were still operating a "consolidated" service south of D.C.

I post this in deference to the snowstorm that's clobbering Ohio, Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic right now.

 

Thanks for thinking of us. As an aside, the Eastbound Capitol Limited passed through here, about 8 hours late, but it still made it. I wish that I had had a camera as the way that it stirred up clouds of snow was eerily impressive.

 

In contrast, ALL bus routes, save one, were canceled for today. And the airport was, essentially, closed. The streets and highways were impassable and, driving to the local gas station to get diesel for my generator (while dodging falling tree limbs), I sorely wished that I was sipping wine on that train, even if it was headed to DC which was forecast to get as much as 31 inches.

 

So, if you're the locomotive engineer of an Amtrak train and you're faced

with a storm dumping two feet of snow on the East Coast, what do you do?

 

ACCELERATE!!! :-D

 

 

Thanks to photographer R. Colwell who took this picture during the President's Day Blizzard on Feb. 18, 2003 on the then-new Amtrak Downeaster route between Portland and Boston. This train, cruising at 60 mph, was only 20 minutes late despite the otherwise crippling storm.

 

I post this in deference to the snowstorm that's clobbering Ohio, Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic right now.

 

Always been one of my favorite photos.  You can bet that all those people who say "I can drive faster in a car".... weren't doing it in this type of weather. 

So, if you're the locomotive engineer of an Amtrak train and you're faced

with a storm dumping two feet of snow on the East Coast, what do you do?

 

ACCELERATE!!!  :-D

 

 

Thanks to photographer R. Colwell who took this picture during the President's Day Blizzard on Feb. 18, 2003 on the then-new Amtrak Downeaster route between Portland and Boston. This train, cruising at 60 mph, was only 20 minutes late despite the otherwise crippling storm.

 

I post this in deference to the snowstorm that's clobbering Ohio, Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic right now.

 

Always been one of my favorite photos.  You can bet that all those people who say "I can drive faster in a car".... weren't doing it in this type of weather. 

Excellent

 

Train delay turns finger-licking good

 

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/10038/1034183-258.stm

 

Scott Hay, 52, a truck driver and husband of a restaurant cashier, was preparing to haul the $1,400 order (catering discount included) in his pickup to the stranded train.

 

Earlier in the afternoon, he dropped off cases of soda and water and took the onboard chef to a local supermarket to shop for ingredients to make breakfast for passengers preparing to settle in for the night.

 

I'd call this Amtrak and Passenger Rail News.

 

^ One of three things is happening in this paragraph:

 

"One passenger headed to Pittsburgh, Kelly Macko, 34, of Washington, D.C., was relatively lucky. Using a cell phone, she contacted her boyfriend, Jason Macko, an MBA student at the University of Pittsburgh, who drove there about 6 p.m. Saturday to bring her and two other passengers to Pittsburgh."

 

1) The paper misprinted that she called her husband

2) The paper misprinted one of their last names

3) He's dating his sister

 

 

After two planes were flown into the World Trade towers in NYC, Congress bailed out airlines with a $15 billion subsidy. We then went to war with a country that had nothing to do with 9/11, but sits on the world's second largest oil reserve (we've got to fuel those Hummers somehow). That costs us over $5 billion per MONTH. Amtrak asks for a billion or two per year, and the Administration and its defenders scream about fiscal responsibility.

 

Trains emit far less global warming emissions than planes or cars, can't be flown into nuclear power plants, don't jeopardize all of us with 16 year old drunk drivers, and don't require oil wars or endless paving and parking projects to sustain them. Not to mention that you can actually talk with other people and take a moment to read or think on a train.

 

Just like the Reagan Administration, W and co. have buried us in red ink to give their buddies and campaign contributors huge tax cuts and handouts. Then they ask the rest of us to "tighten our belts" and send our sons and daughters off to fight their wars to keep the money flowing to Halliburton and Bechtel.

 

You do the math.

 

 

 

Well, in that case, screw the trains, lets go with horse and buggies, they do not emit any global warming pollution either.

Well, in that case, screw the trains, lets go with horse and buggies, they do not emit any global warming pollution either.

 

I realize that you were being sarcastic, but in case you weren't, pollution from horse drawn carriages reached such a critical stage that in 1898 there was an international conference held to discuss what to do about it. It is totally impractical to consider horses and buggies where competition for feed would drive food prices sky high. In addition, you have the problem of methane and manure.

 

 

OK folks. Back on topic.

OK folks. Back on topic.

 

Yeah! Whoa with the horseshit, already!

I found this article enjoyable, as it reflects some of the same feelings I've experienced on overnight trains. The views, even in the middle of the night, are addictive. I stayed up all night from Flagstaff, Ariz. to Los Angeles in 1982, spellbound by the moonlit desert sliding by. It was some of the most incredible scenery I've ever seen.

 

 

Overnight train’s virtues put anxieties to sleep

By Rebecca Ostriker, Globe Staff  |  February 21, 2010

 

Once we were in our room, our perspective quickly shifted. A surprisingly spacious overhead storage bin turned out to hold all our bags and even a small guitar. Hangers on a wall kept our jackets neatly to the side. Freshly stacked towels, pillows, and water bottles greeted us.

 

With everything stowed away, we found ourselves in our own world, a model of efficient design. Ian took the seat across from me and stretched out, all 6 feet 3 inches of him. Between us, a table was folded flat against the wall under a broad picture window. A pull-down sink turned out to double as a step to reach the upper bunk, which was now raised to the ceiling. And under that discreet cover over there? A toilet - perhaps handy in the middle of the night, but far from ideal in more social settings. For now, it was a footrest.

 

A sleeping car attendant walked through the car, offering a good-natured orientation for each set of travelers (and helping one passenger who had accidentally set his thermostat to 93).

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.boston.com/travel/getaways/us/articles/2010/02/21/overnight_trains_virtues_put_anxieties_to_sleep/

^Very nicely-written article. The writer recounted experiences that sounded very much like mine, even though I haven't taken an overnight trip by train in many years. A roomette is absolutely the greatest travel experience there is; you have your privacy and a place to fully stretch out in comfort when it's time to sleep, and the opportunity to mingle with new people in the lounge and diner. I've always slept like a baby in a roomette. The motion and the sounds are a lullaby.

 

In 1986 after finishing my residency in Internal Medicine, I decided to drive from Pittsburgh to California via Chicago (where my brother lived).  I was about 60 miles West of Chicago when I saw that it was nearly 1000 miles to Denver and decided that I was crazy. I stopped at a phone booth (they still existed) called Amtrak and learned that I had about 90 minutes to catch the California Zephyr so I raced back to Chicago, parked at the Hilton and scrambled to the train. They only had sleeping accomodations available for the first night of the trip so I booked that.

 

The first night I laid awake watching the farmlands and silos as we passed them, being amazed at the views of the towns that you never got from the highway.

 

My porter's name was Len Dawson and that was back in the days when most porters actually cared about and took care of the passengers. He was going as far as Salt Lake City but I had to move into coach at Denver and I remember commenting to him that I wished that I had been in First Class long enough to get a shower.

 

About 2 o'clock in the afternoon he finds me in coach and passes me a note to tell me that there was a shower free in first class if I wanted it. He even handed me a towel and washrag when I came back to use it.

 

I never saw him, again which was too bad since I wanted to thank him for all of his efforts.

 

I took the Southwest Chief back. They had a Native American guide who got on in Flagstaff and gave a talking tour of the desert between Flagstaff and Alburquerque. In Missouri we actually passed by a tornado which was, maybe, 10 miles or so from the train. The conductor never, once, mentioned it although the passengers were a bit concerned.

 

Three summers ago I took the Silver Meteor from DC to Charleston (repeatedly), and I could swear that this was the same rolling stock that I had taken to California in the 80s.

 

Great story, Sean. But how far did you think your drive would be?

 

 

Three summers ago I took the Silver Meteor from DC to Charleston (repeatedly), and I could swear that this was the same rolling stock that I had taken to California in the 80s.

 

 

The California Zephyr should have been a double-deck Superliner train. The Silver Meteor never used Superliner equipment. The interior decor (seats, curtains, carpeting, etc) are similar though.

Great story, Sean. But how far did you think your drive would be?

 

I knew how far the drive would be. But it didn't hit me how boring it was going to be to drive, alone, and try to make it straight through with minimal sleep.

 

The California Zephyr should have been a double-deck Superliner train. The Silver Meteor never used Superliner equipment. The interior decor (seats, curtains, carpeting, etc) are similar though.

 

It wasn't a double-decker in 1986, at least not the train that I rode. In fact, it still had a dome car though trying to get a seat in the dome during the day was almost impossible. People who were traveling together would end up saving seats while the others went to lunch. If you were alone, you were out of luck.

 

The only showers were the combined shower/toilet in each of the rooms (like on the Viewliners). That was why it was such a nice gesture for Len to offer to let me take a shower as it was an empty room for that leg of the trip and my using it meant that he had to clean it twice between occupants.

 

I tipped him well, of course.

In praise of Amtrak

Amtrak trains turn out to be a welcome, and more traveler-friendly, alternative to airlines.

By Roger Rapoport

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

 

On a recent bad-weather day when more than 5,700 commercial jetliner flights across the U.S. were canceled because of snowstorms, I was riding in the upper deck of a roomy Amtrak Superliner car, gazing out at ice fishermen on Lake Michigan. My conductor, Chris, had just delivered coffee to my seat as I read about tens of thousands of air passengers prevented from reaching Chicago's O'Hare and Midway, just a few miles from my final destination, Chicago's venerable Union Station.

 

Our train also was delayed that morning, by a total of seven minutes. And that's the way it is with Amtrak, where you can be "green," save money and time, skip the $25 airline fee to check a bag or talk to a reservation agent, carry on liquids or toe nail clippers, keep your shoes on and enjoy first-class leg room.

 

Amtrak reaches hundreds of destinations that have no air service, and also has hundreds of dedicated bus connections. Another big plus is comfy sleeping car service, with meals served in the dining car included in the fare.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2011156069_webamtrak22.html

Our train also was delayed that morning, by a total of seven minutes. And that's the way it is with Amtrak, where you can be "green," save money and time, skip the $25 airline fee to check a bag or talk to a reservation agent, carry on liquids or toe nail clippers, keep your shoes on and enjoy first-class leg room.

 

Amtrak reaches hundreds of destinations that have no air service, and also has hundreds of dedicated bus connections. Another big plus is comfy sleeping car service, with meals served in the dining car included in the fare.

 

One thing that I miss, however, are movies in the club car. Instead, you rent personal DVD players. My wife and I would often bring a bottle of wine and some cheese and crackers to watch whatever was on (on the Capital Limited, it was frequently an Adam Sandler movie). Back in January of 2007 we were marooned for a couple of hours near the Sand Patch. There were a bunch of railfans going to a convention in DC many of whom had their own radios so we got regular updates as to how much longer we were going to have to wait. They ran out of the family movies so they started showing some unedited Adam Sandler such as Happy Gilmore and The Waterboy but nobody complained about the language.

 

Communal movies were especially fun during the long trips out West since it was one of the few times that you actually got to know your fellow passengers outside the dining car. Nowadays, people just sit there with their headphones gazing out the windows.

 

Once of the nice things about the Westbound train is that it leaves in the late afternoon and Union Liquors sells half bottles of Belvedere vodka in Union Station which is just about the right amount for two Martini's. During 2007-2008 I traveled that route at least once and sometimes twice a month so I got to know the porters, some by name.  One fellow I had so regularly that when he knew that I was going to be in his car he would leave a bucket of ice for the drinks.

 

UM Students Push for Amtrak

 

A UM student delivered a petition with over 1400 signatures on it to Senator Tester’s Washington D.C. office last week. It’s part of a push for lawmakers to consider funding to reopen the North Coast Hiawatha Railway.

 

The passenger rail service closed down in 1979. MONTpirg has an online petition urging lawmakers to restore the line. It would connect Billings, Bozeman, Helena and Missoula.

 

Estimates show the rail would cost about 700 million to one billion dollars.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.keci.com/pages/6472510.php

For your digestion from http://hotair.com/archives/2010/03/04/video-supertrain-2010/:

 

Supertrain 2010:

 

Why are the administration’s plans to throw tens of billions into high-speed rail so unrealistic?  Nick Gillespie explodes the fantasy:

 

    1. The lowball costs. CNN estimates that delivering on the plan could cost well over $500 billion and take decades to build, all while failing to cover much of the country at all. Internationally, only two high-speed rail lines have recouped their capital costs and all depend on huge subsidies to stay in operation.

 

    2. The supposed benefits. “We’re gonna be taking cars off of congested highways and reducing carbon emissions,” says Vice President Joe Biden, an ardent rail booster. But most traffic jams are urban, not inter-city, so high-speed rail between metro areas will have no effect on your daily commute. And when construction costs are factored in, high-speed rail “may yield only marginal net greenhouse gas reductions,” say UC-Berkeley researchers.

 

    3. The delusional Amtrak example. Obama and Biden look to Amtrak as precedent, but since its founding in 1971, the nation’s passenger rail system has sucked up almost $35 billion in subsidies and, says The Washington Post’s Robert J. Samuelson, “a typical trip is subsidized by about $50.” About 140 million Americans shlep to work every day, while Amtrak carries just 78,000 passengers. There’s no reason to think that high-speed rail will pump up those numbers, though there’s every reason to believe its costs will grow and grow.

2. The supposed benefits. Were gonna be taking cars off of congested highways and reducing carbon emissions, says Vice President Joe Biden, an ardent rail booster. But most traffic jams are urban, not inter-city, so high-speed rail between metro areas will have no effect on your daily commute.

I found much of the video pointlessly uninformed, but on this point I agree. I'd rather see us spending stimulus money on commuter rail than intercity rail. By building commuter rail we'd have the stations in the cities, the ROW to get to them, so they could be seen as a down payment on inter-city rail. On top of that, the average person can see the advantages to commuter rail, while inter-city requires far more convincing.