Erie City Council approves resolution supporting passenger rail funding

 

Erie City Council wants federal officials to use a government financing program to help bring GE Transportation more business.

 

City Council this morning unanimously approved a resolution urging federal officials to provide loan guarantees to Amtrak via the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing Program.

 

That program, which the U.S. Department of Transportation oversees, provides direct loans and loan guarantees for railroad projects. Amtrak has expressed interest in using the RRIF program to upgrade an aging passenger locomotive fleet.

 

Full Story at: http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100804/NEWS02/308049920

I posted the same article over at the Ohio Hub thread, but you're right -- it belongs here. It's not about the Cleveland - Erie - Buffalo corridor. It's about Amtrak in general.

 

The article should have been tagged "Idiot truck driver ignores crossing signals; 20 injured."

 

Amtrak train hits truck in Calif.; 20 injured

 

SHAFTER, Calif. (AP) -- Police say an Amtrak train hit a big-rig truck at a California crossing, sending 20 people to hospitals for treatment for minor injuries.

 

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_AMTRAK_TRUCK_CRASH?SITE=PAPIT&SECTION=BUSINESS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 7, 2010 ATK-10-109

Amtrak Contact: Marc Magliari

312 880.5390

Town of Normal Contact: Mark Peterson

309 454.9501

Sen. Durbin Contact: John Normoyle

312 833.0931

 

 

TOWN OF NORMAL, ILL., AND AMTRAK BREAK GROUND

FOR MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION CENTER

 

New station for Amtrak passengers and local transit users;

Ridership on the corridor is up 50,000 from last year, 11 percent growth

 

    NORMAL, Ill. – Federal and state officials joined representatives of the Town of Normal and Amtrak today to ceremonially break ground for a Multimodal Transportation Center that will serve as a station for Amtrak rail and motorcoach passengers, local transit buses and will include a multi-level parking structure.

 

        In February 2010, Normal received a $22 million Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant made available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). With this grant in place, the estimated $47 million multimodal center project was completely funded. Monies were also obtained from Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grants, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity grants, and bonds issued by Normal. A rendering of the station is attached.

 

        "The Town is very proud of the fact that this project is the very first to begin actual construction, of all of the projects nationally that received U.S. Department of Transportation funding through the TIGER Program," said Mayor Chris Koos. The building will be on a traffic circle that is the new focal point of Uptown Normal.

 

        U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff and Cong. Debbie Halvorson, along with Mayor Koos and Amtrak Board Chairman Tom Carper, participated in the ceremony.

 

        "Stations are one of my great interests – and as a former mayor – I know they are engines of economic development," said Carper, chairman of the Amtrak board of directors. "We look forward to working with Illinois to realize the economic potential of this rail corridor and further support a growing market for Amtrak."

 

        "With the construction of this multi-modal center, funded with more than $10 million in federal earmarks and a grant through the ARRA, Normal is poised to become a showcase community for the potential of high-speed rail in America," said Sen. Durbin. "Those federal dollars will create hundreds of jobs in the region and generate millions of dollars in economic activity benefiting the local community.

 

        "The center will serve as a transportation hub in the heart of Illinois, connecting major cities in the area with schools and businesses across the Midwest," said Durbin, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee who secured more than $10.6 million for the project during the course of six years.

 

About the Project

 

        This 68,000 square foot facility with a train platform compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act will replace the Amtrak station in Normal, directly opposite of this project along the Union Pacific Railroad. Built in 1990 on the Town Hall parking lot, the small station is overwhelmed by increasing Amtrak ridership. With more than 192,000 passengers last year – and growing – the station in Normal also serves neighboring Bloomington and is the busiest in Downstate Illinois.

        The new transportation center will also feature retail and municipal office space, a community room and a 280-car parking garage. The Town anticipates the building will achieve a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification.

 

        For more about the Town of Normal, this project and the rich railroad history of the region, visit the Amtrak GreatAmericanStations.com website.

 

Amtrak Service and Ridership

 

        More than a half-million Amtrak passengers have ridden the five daily Lincoln Service/Texas Eagle trains this fiscal year (530,648, Oct. 2009-July 2010) on the Chicago-St. Louis corridor, an increase of 11 percent. The Illinois Department of Transportation was awarded $1.2 billion in ARRA funds for high-speed trains on this corridor and was one of only three states to receive an award of more than $1 billion. When complete in 2012, this facility will be opened in advance of 110 mph (177 kph) Amtrak service on the route, with trains making trips to Chicago in about two hours and to St. Louis in less than two-and-half-hours.

        In addition to ten daily Amtrak trains, Normal is also served by Amtrak Thruway Motorcoaches operated by Burlington Trailways as far east as Indianapolis, via Champaign-Urbana and as far west as the Illinois-Iowa Quad Cities, via Peoria.

A copy of the press release with a rendering of the new intermodal station is available at:

 

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/BlobServer?blobcol=urldata&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobkey=id&blobwhere=1249213152289&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobheadername1=Content-disposition&blobheadervalue1=attachment;filename=Amtrak_ATK-10-109_BNL_station_groundbreaking.pdf

Leisurely train trip a fun adventure for a mom and kids

http://www.cleveland.com/travel/index.ssf/2010/08/leisurely_train_trip_a_fun_adv.html

 

The trip my kids and I took in June was our first on Amtrak. It was part vacation, part transition, as we needed a way to get to our new house in San Antonio. My husband took a new job there and had already moved. Left behind to finish up the school year and wrap up our lives in Cleveland, we found a perfect excuse to meander across the country visiting friends and family we wouldn't see as much once we left the Midwest...

 

There are easier ways to get to Texas from Cleveland, but I challenge anyone to have more fun doing it than we did...

What does driving have to do with it?  The St. Louis train station is barely blocks from the Arch and at best a short taxi ride.

Dan, you really don't know how to function without a car strapped to your ass, do you? :)

Obviously neither of you have children, that you would spontaineously get off your train to sightsee. What do you do while you wait for the next one?

 

No need to be insulting Ken.

 

You found that insulting? Wow. Poor Dan.

 

"Obviously" you like to prejudge without foreknowledge. Noozer has kids. While I do not have kids, my siblings have kids and grandchildren that I've traveled with in several instances going back a couple of decades. They include trips by train and transit. We actually like to wander around and experience the wonder of cities. It's how kids grow and learn and be well-rounded. And it's just as much fun to see and hear them excitedly talk about their experiences for hours, days, months and even years afterwards. They are some of my fondest memories as well. Sorry you've chosen to avoid these experiences for unfounded reasons.

Loved taking the train coast to coast and getting off at stops...looking at the scenery...walking around on the train. Unforgettable experience. I feel sad for those who have not experienced this.

Why don't you lighten up and not worry so much what others say?  Do you think your precious trains will go away because I said something negative about them?

 

 

Because you are all potential minions for ultimate conversion to more appropriate ways of thinking.  :whip:

 

I love whipping DanB into a frenzy!

Let's get back on track here.... :roll:

 

Some very interesting Amtrak factoids about Ohio (from Amtrak's FY 2009 state by state fact sheets:

 

Ridership in Ohio increased from 121,019 passengers in FY 2008 to 128,174 in FY 2009.

 

Ridership increased at all Ohio Amtrak stops except for Alliance and Cincinnati.

 

Toledo led all Ohio cities with a total of 54,488 riders...an increase of almost 4,000 riders from the previous FY.

 

Cleveland hosted 39,371 passengers.... an increase of 2,394 over the previous year.

 

Bryan, Sandusky and Elyria all showed gains as well.

 

But take a look at how Amtrak's spending impacted Ohio's economy and Ohio based companies that are part of the rail industry supply chain...

 

In FY 2009, Amtrak spending in Ohio totaled $37,741,060-dollars on goods and services.... that is better the double the previous fiscal year.

 

One company, a painting company in Campbell Ohio, accounted for over $19-million of the above spending total.

 

The full state report can be found at:

 

http://www.amtrak.com/pdf/factsheets/OHIO09.pdf

^Ridership would really soar in Ohio if we had good daylight service.

 

Had they driven, they could have actually gone up in the Arch instead of just looking at it.  Oh well.

 

So what?  There was more to their trip than the Arch.  At least, I got that impression pretty clearly from the article.  I don't care what mode you choose, you rarely ever get a chance to do everything you might like to do, but that doesn't mean you and your kids don't have a great time and have great memories to take with you.  We've taken my young son on several train trips.  He's never felt like he lost out on anything the times we take the train (or when we've driven and not been able to do everything he'd like).  My wife and I have never felt like we've lost out either. Usually, when we take the train, the train ends up being his favorite part of the trip. 

 

The train is usually our favorite way to travel-- that is when we're able to do it since rail service in most of the US is so infrequent and sparse.  Our son gets a lot more antsy in the car (I know part of that is because he's strapped in the booster seat for long periods, unlike the train).  The quality time we get on the train is different.  We can be a lot more active with him reading stories, playing games, etc.  And, my wife and I like arriving at our destination not feeling beat up from the drive.  (Just to make sure I'm clear, all this doesn't mean we never drive.  Sometimes we do.  Sometimes we don't).

 

 

Fast Track

Is America ready for high-speed rail?

Penn students create ambitious plan for rail service

By Paul Nussbaum

Inquirer Staff Writer

 

A class of graduate students at the University of Pennsylvania has created a plan to rebuild the Northeast Corridor as a true high-speed rail line that would transport passengers from Philadelphia to New York City in 37 minutes.

 

Amtrak, on the other hand, has a less ambitious view of the future for the nation's busiest rail corridor. Its new master plan calls for spending $52 billion by 2030 to cut travel time by about 20 minutes between New York and Washington and between New York and Boston. It envisions reducing travel time between New York and Philadelphia by four minutes.

 

"Amtrak's new plan leaves you with a really good early-20th-century rail system," said Robert Yaro, one of two Penn professors who taught the students in the School of Design's department of city and regional planning. Yaro is also president of the Regional Plan Association, a New York-area research and policy group.

 

 

Find this article at:

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/20100811_Penn_students__Amtrak_offer_contrasting_plans_for_Northeast_Corridor_rail_service.html?viewAll=y&c=y 

 

Interesting proposal, especially the tunnel under Long Island Sound. But I wonder if it really could be built for only $98 billion?

Interesting proposal, especially the tunnel under Long Island Sound. But I wonder if it really could be built for only $98 billion?

 

Good question.  The very nature of developing transportation projects usually means such earl estimates are just that... estimates.

 

Meanwhile....good story below....(despite the antiquated use of the word "chug"...

 

Amtrak Chugs Toward Record-Breaking Year

Posted Thursday, August 12, 2010 ; 06:00 AM | View Comments | Post Comment

Updated Thursday, August 12, 2010; 09:05 AM

By Mike Ruben

 

Is the big train that hasn’t turned a profit chugging toward a brighter future?

 

Amtrak officials report the national rail passenger service is on pace to break its annual ridership record this fiscal year. The company, chartered by the federal government and overseen by the U.S. Department of Transportation, has remained on track for nearly 40 years only through millions of federal subsidy dollars each year.

 

“Americans are beginning to travel again and are choosing Amtrak as an affordable and efficient way to move around the country,” President and CEO Joe Boardman commented in a news release after reviewing passenger statistics for the first two quarters of the current fiscal year, which he described as the best in company history.

 

Boardman pointed to a slowly.....

 

Full story at: http://www.wvnstv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=84273&printview=1

Is the big train that hasn’t turned a profit chugging toward a brighter future?

 

Why do reporters love saying this so much?  Our highways have never turned a profit and neither has our aviation system.

August 13, 2010, 6:38 PM JST

Lessons From Japan for U.S. Train Operator

The Wall Street Journal

 

When you’re operating a train, seconds matter. That’s the lesson from Japan, according to the chief of Amtrak, the largest U.S. rail operator.

 

As the WSJ reported 17 years ago, Japanese trains measure their timeliness not by minutes but by seconds. A motorman in that classic article fretted that his subway was running late because it was eight seconds behind schedule.

 

Government-owned Amtrak, by contrast, considers a train on time so long as it arrives within 10 minutes of the scheduled time on routes of up to 250 miles. Even by that standard, the company’s flagship Acela Express running the Boston-New York-Washington route had an on-time record of only 78.5% over the last 12 months, according to Amtrak’s website.

 

Full story at: http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2010/08/13/lessons-from-japan-for-us-train-operator/

Is the big train that hasnt turned a profit chugging toward a brighter future?

 

Why do reporters love saying this so much? Our highways have never turned a profit and neither has our aviation system.

 

Trains haven't chugged since the last steam engine was put out to pasture and that was by 1960. What is with these people?

Is the big train that hasn’t turned a profit chugging toward a brighter future?

 

Why do reporters love saying this so much?  Our highways have never turned a profit and neither has our aviation system.

 

 

Trains haven't chugged since the last steam engine was put out to pasture and that was by 1960. What is with these people?

 

I pointed that out in those exact words in a letter to their editor.  I think some reporters and editors think it's cute. 

Geez....everywhere you look these "slow" trains are carrying more and more riders...

 

Ridership on Amtrak's Keystone line rose to record 1.28 million trips last year

Published: Friday, August 20, 2010, 8:16 PM    Updated: Friday, August 20, 2010, 8:57 PM

MONICA VON DOBENECK, The Patriot-News

 

Amtrak’s ridership on its Keystone line has increased every year since 2006, when the rail line invested in infrastructure to make it faster, smoother, and more convenient.

   

This fiscal year, ridership was up 4 percent to a record 1.28 million trips, according to PennDOT figures; since 2006, ridership is up about 40 percent.

 

Full story at: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/08/ridership_on_amtraks_keystone.html

The Keystone route east of Harrisburg is a fast route, though. Its average end-to-end speeds, with up to 10 enroute station stops in 105 miles, range from 57-65 mph with top speeds of 110 mph. Kinda dumb to have such a high speed for so many station stops, but the expresses get to cruise at 110 for a while. If 3C had such a speed (after the route was electrified, dedicated passenger-only tracks were added and lots of grade crossings were separated as with the Keystone Corridor!), its end-to-end running times could range from 4 hours and 20 minutes on the slow end and 3 hours and 50 minutes on the fast end -- although 3C could have the same number of stops over 2.5 times the distance.

Is there data to tell me how often the Missouri Riverrunner sells out?  I would like to ride my bicycle across Missouri, then arrive at the Sedalia station and take the train back to St. Louis or Kirkwood.  I could make reservations before the bicycle trip, but if my plans change, I would not like to be held to a particular date for the return trip.

 

Here is the River Runner: http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer/AM_Route_C/1241245664594/1237405732511

 

My plan is to ride the Katy Trail bicycle route across Missouri. http://www.mostateparks.com/katytrail/

 

 

Unfortunately I'm not aware of a way to get historical data on sell-outs. But there is a way you can get an idea of what to expect... Go to Amtrak.com and start the booking process for some trains in the next few days. Even if they aren't yet sold-out, you can tell if a train is near to selling out by comparing the prices with those of departures several weeks or a month from now. The prices for near-term departures are typicaly much higher for trains about to sell out. Also.... consider traveling on a Monday afternoon or anytime on a Tuesday. And aside from weekends, travel demand drops off considerably after Labor Day until Thanksgiving.

 

Good luck!

Is there data to tell me how often the Missouri Riverrunner sells out? I would like to ride my bicycle across Missouri, then arrive at the Sedalia station and take the train back to St. Louis or Kirkwood. I could make reservations before the bicycle trip, but if my plans change, I would not like to be held to a particular date for the return trip.

 

Here is the River Runner: http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer/AM_Route_C/1241245664594/1237405732511

 

My plan is to ride the Katy Trail bicycle route across Missouri. http://www.mostateparks.com/katytrail/

 

 

 

Boreas, if I lived in that part of the country I would join you.  I once did the Mountail Loop Highway here in WA state self-contained. 

 

 

Imagine that, Boreas and Tedolph on a multi-day bicycle tour, sharing a tent together at night.

 

Wait a minute, isn't there something about the lion and the lamb, the end times, etc.

... But there is a way you can get an idea of what to expect... Go to Amtrak.com and start the booking process for some trains in the next few days. Even if they aren't yet sold-out, you can tell if a train is near to selling out by comparing the prices with those of departures several weeks or a month from now. The prices for near-term departures are typicaly much higher for trains about to sell out. Also.... consider traveling on a Monday afternoon or anytime on a Tuesday. And aside from weekends, travel demand drops off considerably after Labor Day until Thanksgiving.

 

Good luck!

Thanks!  I really don't want to do that trip during the heat of the summer.  I will probably fit it in next year.

^Would Missouri DOT have any info?

They would have ridership data for different travel periods (typically month by month data is available). If you had the train's equipment roster, you could estimate the number of seats pretty closely to reality, then compare that to the ridership. For example a short-distance coach like those used on the Missouri River Runner have 84 seats per car. The trick is to ID what kind of cafe car they are using -- some have just a food service counter with some 2-1 business class seating in one half of the car and non-revenue table-seating in the rest of the car. Others have non-revenue table-seating in both halves of the car and therefore don't count toward to the total number of revenue seats available on the train.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 29, 2010 ATK-10-117

Amtrak Contact: Marc Magliari

312 880.5390

Illinois DOT Contact: Josh Kauffman

  217.558.0517

 

 

HIGH-SPEED RAIL PROJECT SOUTH OF SPRINGFIELD LASTS UNTIL EARLY NOVEMBER

Track upgrades lead to substitute transportation for some Lincoln Service trains;

Texas Eagle to detour

 

CHICAGO – Improvements supporting future high-speed rail on the Chicago-St. Louis corridor south of Springfield will cause the daily Amtrak Lincoln Service trains to originate and terminate in Springfield for alternating periods from September 1 through November 9.  The work on the Chicago-St. Louis route will also cause the Chicago-San Antonio Amtrak Texas Eagle to detour without other scheduled stops in Illinois.  Alternate transportation will be provided. 

The planned days of track closure between Springfield and St. Louis are for 38 of the 70 days in the period, affecting the Lincoln Service and Texas Eagle trains September 1-8 and 16-24, October 1-9 and 16-23 and November 1-9.  The northbound departures of the chartered motorcoaches and vans from St. Louis, Alton and Carlinville are scheduled one hour ahead of the Lincoln Service train schedules in order for the northbound trains to leave on-time from Springfield. 

        The Chicago to St. Louis high-speed rail corridor is the first high-speed rail project in the country to begin construction.  Under an agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation (Illinois DOT), Union Pacific will install 220,000 concrete ties and 12 track switches in the first major improvement of the high-speed route between Springfield and Alton.  This work and a second phase of the project north of Springfield are funded with a $98 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

        Amtrak ridership on this corridor has grown significantly with the creation of the Lincoln Service and the addition of two round-trips in 2006, when ridership surged 42 percent from the previous year.  Without adding frequencies, Lincoln Service ridership grew another 14 percent in 2008 and six percent in 2009.  From October 2009 through July, 530,648 passengers have ridden Amtrak trains on the corridor, an increase 50,515 from 2009. 

        In January, FRA awarded Illinois $1.2 billion for high-speed passenger rail through ARRA. Illinois DOT estimates this federal investment will create 6,000 jobs in the Chicago Hub Network, which connects Chicago to cities throughout the Midwest.  Including Illinois’ award, the Midwest received $2.6 billion from high-speed rail ARRA grants, more than any other region.

Illinois’ high-speed rail signature route, Chicago to St. Louis, received $1.1 billion for corridor improvements.  These improvements will allow Amtrak Lincoln Service trains to operate at speeds up to 110 mph and include new locomotives and passenger cars, rebuilding of track, additional highway-rail grade crossing active warning devices, and implementation of state-of-the-art safety technology.

        Illinois DOT has been a partner of Amtrak for nearly 39 years and has made significant progress on the Chicago-St. Louis Lincoln Service corridor. Extensive rehabilitation of the track and signal systems was previously performed north of Springfield.

Passenger Service Notices will be posted at stations and will be displayed as part of the booking process on Amtrak.com, with updates on the Amtrak Illinois website.

About Amtrak

 

As the nation’s intercity passenger rail operator, Amtrak connects America in safer, greener healthier ways.  Last fiscal year (FY 2009), the railroad carried 27.2 million passengers, making it the second-best year in the company’s history.  With 21,000 route miles in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces, Amtrak operates more than 300 trains each day—at speeds up to 150 mph (241 kph)—to more than 500 destinations.  Amtrak also is the partner of choice for state-supported corridor services in 15 states and for several commuter rail agencies. Visit Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL for schedules, fares and more information.

 

 

Hopefully.... we will see the revival of "football specials" in Ohio.  Can you imagine the crowds on trains between Ann Arbor & Columbus for OSU-Michigan games?

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 31, 2010 ATK-10-118

Contact: Marc Magliari

312 880.5390

 

 

 

ALL ABOARD OU-TEXAS FOOTBALL RIVALRY TRAINS

$45 round-trip fare from Austin or Oklahoma City to Dallas for big game

 

CHICAGO – Regular passengers know the Amtrak Texas Eagle is the easy way to and from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and now Longhorn football fans can skip the drive and get a discount for travel to the University of Oklahoma at the University of Texas game in Dallas on October 2. 

On Friday, October 1, Train 22 departs Austin at 9:31 a.m. and arrives in Dallas at 3:20 p.m.  On Sunday, October 3, Train 21 departs Dallas at 11:50 a.m. and arrives in Austin at 6:30 p.m.  On those two trains only, passengers can pay a flat fare of $45 round-trip by using promotion code X231 when calling 800-USA-RAIL.

Sooner supporters are enjoying their own benefit, which is the annual extension of the Oklahoma City-Fort Worth Amtrak Heartland Flyer trains to Dallas that weekend, also with a special $45 round-trip fare on that Friday and Sunday by using promotion code X366 when calling 800-USA-RAIL.

        Seats are limited and rules for these promotions under the Deals tab on Amtrak.com.

        Football tickets and transfers to and from the Amtrak stop at Dallas Union Station are not included.  The Amtrak station is served by Dallas Area Rapid Transit buses and light rail, along with Trinity Rail Express. For more information, visit the Dart.org website.

“Amtrak is the best way for sports fans to reach their favorite games, with a rare round-trip discount available to mark the meeting of these two teams,” said Tracy Robinson, Amtrak Marketing Director. “This is the best travel mode to arrive relaxed with a group of fellow fans, cheer on your favorite team and not worry about traffic or stadium parking.”

        Fans should act quickly, since these are among many popular Amtrak routes and seats can and do sell-out.  Since last October, ridership on the Texas Eagle is up more that 11 percent, including an increase of nearly 14 percent in July, and ridership on the Heartland Flyer is up 12 percent, including a 43 percent jump in July.

        Service by the Amtrak Heartland Flyer is operated under a contract with the Oklahoma and Texas state departments of transportation.

The following news release was issued today by Amtrak Media Relations. It will be available this afternoon in the News & Media Section of Amtrak.com.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

August 31, 2010

 

NEXT GENERATION BI-LEVEL PASSENGER RAIL CAR DESIGN APPROVED BY AMTRAK, FRA, AND STATES

Supports Amtrak fleet renewal and replacement plan and the growth of state-supported corridor service

 

WASHINGTON – The approval of performance and technical design specifications for next generation bi-level passenger rail cars is a major achievement that supports Amtrak’s plans to advance and support the growth of new or existing state-supported corridor service, renew and replace its national fleet and foster the development of a domestic rail manufacturing industry.

 

“This clears the tracks and provides strong direction so Amtrak and states can move forward with modern bi-level equipment designed with updated passenger comfort, conveniences and safety features to meet the ever-increasing demand for more rail service,” said Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman.

 

Today, Amtrak, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and interested states approved the new design as part of a Next Generation Corridor Equipment Pool Committee established under Section 305 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA) of 2008. Host freight railroads, passenger railroad equipment manufacturers and other passenger rail operators participated in the technical discussions as well.

 

The bi-level passenger car specifications are the first to be issued by the Section 305 committee and include three car types for use in corridor intercity passenger rail service: coach car, cab / baggage car, and café / lounge car. It is the third generation of the popular California Car design first introduced in the 1990s and subsequently advanced with Amtrak’s Surfliner equipment. The approved design specifications are available here.

 

Approval of this design supports the growth of state-supported passenger rail routes because the FRA has indicated that Federal funding support for the acquisition for equipment used in corridor services must meet the design specifications resulting from the work of the Section 305 committee.

 

Boardman explained that the finalization of this design also supports Amtrak’s implementation of a comprehensive Fleet Strategy Plan to replace and expand its national fleet of locomotives and passenger rail cars. This plan includes the priority replacement of approximately 250 of its bi-level Superliner 1 equipment that have been in service for nearly 30 years. With the bi-level design specifications now in place for corridor service, Amtrak can move forward with using this design as the foundation for the development of new bi-level long-distance equipment to replace these aging Superliners.

 

The PRIIA Section 305 requirements were developed to primarily promote the creation of a pool of standardized, interoperable equipment for Amtrak and the states to use in various state-sponsored corridors with flexibility and efficiency. This pool equipment is meant to largely share design elements and systems in order to improve maintainability and lower design and acquisition costs. It can also incentivize the creation of domestic manufacturing capacity for intercity passenger rail equipment.

http://www.highspeed-rail.org/Documents/Single%20Level%20Section%2002%20Design%20Criteria.pdf

 

Here's jpegs I created of Amtrak's new single-level coach, cab-coach and food service car (there also is a business-class car but it was very similar to the coach and therefore I didn't make a JPG of it). These are likely to be used on the existing trains through Ohio and possibly on the 3C and other trains...

 

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 6, 2010 ATK-10-120

Contact: Media Relations

202 906.3860

 

AMTRAK STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT OBAMA’S INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT PLAN

Modernization of Amtrak’s intercity passenger rail fleet

 

WASHINGTON – “President Obama’s infrastructure investment plan to advance the development of a high-speed rail network and modernize Amtrak’s intercity passenger rail fleet is a smart move with major benefits for increasing personal mobility, jump-starting job creation and improving the environment.

“President Obama understands passenger rail is a key component of America’s transportation system and connects the nation in ways no other mode can. We applaud his vision for the future and his commitment to make the needed investments now to advance and bring to reality the next generation of passenger rail.”

 

Blogger explains how she came to prefer train travel:

 

http://olgabonfiglio.blogspot.com/2010/09/how-i-became-rail-fan.html

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 9, 2010 ATK-10-121

Contact: Marc Magliari

312 880.5390

 

 

 

AMTRAK GREAT DOME CAR TO MAKE SPECIAL TRIPS

ON THE CARDINAL TO VIEW FALL FOLIAGE

Two round-trips for Chicago – Washington route in October and November

 

CHICAGO – Passengers traveling on four Amtrak Cardinal trains will have an even better opportunity to view the route’s dazzling fall foliage when the unique Amtrak Great Dome railcar makes special appearances on the route during two round-trips between Chicago and Washington in October and November

 

The car will operate on Train 50 traveling from Chicago to Washington on October 30 and November 6.  It will make the return trip on Train 51 from Washington to Chicago on November 5 and November 12.  The refurbished vintage car dates back to 1955 and has a dome section that runs its full length, a rare feature even when dome cars were more numerous on the nation’s railroads.  Great Dome car “Ocean View” is the only Amtrak railcar of its type.

 

        “The opportunity to ride Cardinal and view the amazing fall foliage through the New River Gorge from the panoramic windows of the Great Dome car is one our passengers will never forget,” said Brian Rosenwald, chief of product development for Amtrak.  “We’re thrilled to offer this very special service.”

Named for the state bird of all six states through which it travels south of Washington (Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois), the Cardinal is one of the most scenic Amtrak routes.  Traveling through the through the gorge, plus the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah Valley, the route offers some of the best views of foliage in Eastern U.S.

 

The Amtrak Cardinal offers service three days a week in each direction with comfortable reserved coach seats and Viewliner sleeping cars with bi-level windows in each compartment.  All passengers traveling on the days when the Great Dome is in service are welcome to visit it, and additional coach capacity has been added on these dates.  Seats in the Great Dome car are not reserved and are available on a first-come, first served basis.

 

While the Cardinal does travel between Washington and New York, the Great Dome car will not operate over that segment of the route due to tunnel clearances.

 

In addition to operating for the first time in scheduled service this fall on the Amtrak Cardinal, the Great Dome will operate from September 23 through October 24 on the Amtrak Adirondack trains north of Albany to Montreal.

 

About the Great Dome car 

 

Amtrak car number 10031 is a Great Dome car previously used on the Chicago-Seattle Empire Builder when the train was operated by the Great Northern Railway and the Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad (later the Burlington Northern Railroad). It was built in 1955 by the Budd Company for the Great Northern and carried the name “Ocean View,” car number 1391.  It was conveyed to Amtrak in 1971, with this car first being given the number 9361.  It was renovated in 1985, renumbered 9300, and used in daily service on the Amtrak Auto Train to and from the Washington, D.C., and Orlando, Fla., areas through 1994. It was further refurbished in 1999, renumbered to 10031, and has been used in various Amtrak services including the Pacific Surfliners (formerly San Diegans) and other charters and excursions.

 

About Amtrak

As the nation’s intercity passenger rail operator, Amtrak connects America in safer, greener and healthier ways. Last fiscal year (FY 2009), the railroad carried 27.2 million passengers, making it the second-best year in the company’s history. With 21,000 route miles in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces, Amtrak operates more than 300 trains each day—at speeds up to 150 mph (241 kph)—to more than 500 destinations. Amtrak also is the partner of choice for state-supported corridor services in 15 states and for several commuter rail agencies. Visit Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL for schedules, fares and more information.

 

Amtrak Cascades might drop second Vancouver train due to Canadian border fees

 

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and congressional members are holding discussions with British Columbia officials about Canada’s decision to impose border fees that would result in the cancellation of the second daily Amtrak Cascades passenger train to Vancouver.

 

Last week, the Canadian government determined it would require WSDOT to pay about $550,000 annually for border-clearance services. The monies would cover additional staffing by the Canada Border Services Agency for the second train, which arrives at 10:50 p.m.

 

Full story at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=24444

Amtrak seeks true HSR in Northeast   

Tuesday, September 28, 2010 

 

Amtrak Tuesday unveiled an ambitious plan for “Next-Generation High-Speed Rail service” in the Northeast, superseding and complementing its existing Northeast Corridor, designed to dramatically reduce travel times between Boston and Washington, D.C. upon full build-out in 2040.

 

Speaking from 30th Street Station in Phildelphiaduring a teleconference, Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman (pictured at left) called the plan “a new vision for Amtrak” and for U.S. passenger rail development, “one that we haven’t seen for 100 years.”

 

Under the plan, trains traveling at top speeds of 220 mph, or greater, would link Washington and New York in one hour 36 minutes, New York and Boston in one hour 24 minutes, and New York and Philadelphia in a brief 38 minutes.

 

Full story at: http://www.railwayage.com/breaking-news/amtrak-seeks-true-hsr-in-northeast.html

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 28, 2010

ATK-10-130

Contact: Media Relations

202 906.3860

 

AMTRAK ENVISIONS WORLD CLASS HIGH-SPEED RAIL

Washington to Boston in about three hours at up to 220 mph (354 kph)

 

PHILADELPHIA – A Next-Generation High-Speed Rail service could be successfully developed in the Northeast with trains operating up to 220 mph (354 kph) on a new two-track corridor resulting in a trip time of about three hours between Washington and Boston cutting in half or better the current schedules, according to a concept plan released today by Amtrak.

 

At an average speed of 137 mph (220 kph), a trip between Washington and New York would take just 96 minutes, about one hour faster than today. For the trip between New York and Boston, the average speed would be 148 mph (238 kph) and take just 84 minutes, or a time savings of more than two hours.

 

“Amtrak is putting forward a bold vision of a realistic and attainable future that can revolutionize transportation, travel patterns and economic development in the Northeast for generations,” said President and CEO Joseph Boardman.

 

The Amtrak concept plan, A Vision for High-Speed Rail in the Northeast Corridor (NEC), shows a financially viable route could be developed. Upon its full build-out in 2040, high-speed train ridership would approach 18 million passengers with room to accommodate up to 80 million annually as demand increases in the years and decades that follow. Departures of high-speed trains would expand from an average of one to four per hour in each direction, with additional service in the peak periods, and total daily high-speed rail departures would increase from 42 today to as many as 148 in 2040.

 

The service would generate an annual operating surplus of approximately $900 million and its construction would create more than 40,000 full-time jobs annually over a 25-year construction period to build the new track, tunnels, bridges, stations, and other infrastructure.

 

More than 120,000 permanent jobs in improved economic productivity along the corridor and in rail operations are predicted by 2040.

 

In addition to significant travel time savings between major cities, tremendous mobility improvements would come with environmental, energy and congestion mitigation benefits. The new transportation capacity obtained with this investment will allow a larger share of the intercity travel market to be via high-speed rail, strengthening sustainable, energy-efficient development in the corridor’s metropolitan areas.

 

“Amtrak’s plan to modernize the Northeast Corridor and make it a truly high speed rail line is the type of innovative thinking we need to get cars off the road, decrease pollution and put people to work improving America’s infrastructure,” stated Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.). “I applaud the plan and pledge to work with Amtrak to improve the Northeast Corridor and make a America a leader in high speed rail.”

“Amtrak’s High Speed Rail plan will create jobs, cut pollution and help us move towards a modern and reliable transportation system network in the Northeast,” said Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.). “As countries around the world continue to build out their transportation systems, we cannot afford to fall further behind. This is an important down payment on the massive commitment necessary to bridge our infrastructure gap.”

With an investment of $4.7 billion annually over 25 years, a major national transportation asset would be built to support the growth and competitive position of the Northeast region. Its population, economic densities and growing intercity travel demand make it one of the premier “mega-regions” of the world, and an ideal market for world-class high-speed passenger rail service.

“The results show the concept of a world-class high-speed rail service would help relieve congestion across all modes of transportation, spur jobs creation and economic productivity, reduce carbon emissions and improve the quality of the environment,” said Al Engel, incoming Amtrak Vice President for High-Speed Rail.

The specific high-speed alignment, stations, maintenance yards and other facilities that were analyzed in the report represent only one of a wide range of possible network and service configurations that could be developed. The analyzed concepts reflect the study’s underlying goals (i.e., aggressive travel time savings, station locations in downtown areas) and detailed preliminary planning and engineering assessments. These concepts would undergo numerous revisions, refinements and changes under more detailed study, and other concepts with different alignments would likely be further reviewed at that time.

As America’s intercity passenger rail service provider and its only high-speed rail operator, Amtrak has a vital, leading and necessary role to play in expanding and operating high-speed rail service. Just as leading countries throughout Europe and Asia are expanding existing high-speed rail networks and developing new systems, Next-Generation High-Speed Rail must be part of a balanced transportation future in major travel corridors across the U.S.

An NEC Infrastructure Master Plan issued earlier this year predicted that the capacity gains achieved within the current NEC “footprint” would be maxed out by 2030. The Next-Generation High-Speed Rail system will provide the necessary new capacity to meet growing demand well beyond 2030. By operating the highest-speed trains on the new infrastructure, capacity on the existing NEC would become available for additional commuter and conventional intercity passenger trains as well as for freight operations.

A copy of the report is available on Amtrak.com.

Amazing. Even with a huge base of ridership, connecting local and regional transit links, pro-rail culture and political backing, this is going to be a mammoth endeavor. The $120 billion investment and 30-year timeline will require big-picture thinking that I'm hoping America still has.

On to smaller, more near-term Amtrak improvements that affect Ohio, the following was sent to me by e-mail. Since I don't have a link for the source material, I will include only those sections affecting Ohio (The Cardinal and the Capitol/Pennsylvanian)........

 

Amtrak Long Distance Performance Improvement Plans This Week

 

Performance Improvement Plans will be submitted to Congress

on Sept. 30 for California Zephyr, Cardinal, Capitol Limited,

Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle service, as required in the

Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008.

 

...Recommendations in the Cardinal improvement

plan are to implement daily service between New York and

Chicago as well as improving food service, baggage handling

and marketing strategy.

 

...The key proposal for Capitol Limited service is the introduction

of single-seat through-service at Pittsburgh, allowing passengers

from Chicago to connect directly with cities along the

Pennsylvanian route, including Philadelphia and New York.

 

Each Performance Improvement Plan will be available on

Amtrak.com on Sept. 30 under “Inside Amtrak” - “Reports and

Documents”

 

________________________

 

All Aboard Ohio's latest newsletter, which went out in the mail this week, addresses the above changes. Here is my All Aboard Ohio article......

 

Ohio Passenger Rail News - Summer 2010

Amtrak to expand Ohio services

Will provide more links to other states, create a foundation for more expansion

By Ken Prendergast

Executive Director

All Aboard Ohio

 

  As early as September, Amtrak’s Board of Directors could approve two changes that would improve train services to and from Ohio. These would be the first train service expansions to Ohio since 1998.

 

  One is making the thrice-weekly Cardinal daily. This train travels from Chicago to New York City via Indianapolis, Cincinnati, the cross-river towns of Maysville, South Portsmouth, Ashland and Huntington, plus Charleston, Washington DC, Baltimore and Philadelphia. This train has operated three times per week since the early 1980s, making it difficult for prospective users to use the train. Also making it difficult is the train’s wee-hours passage through Ohio, but All Aboard Ohio is not aware of any scheduled time changes at this writing.

 

  The other is the operation of through cars from the Pennsylvanian (Pittsburgh – Johnstown – Altoona – Harrisburg – Philadelphia – New York City) to/from Chicago on the Capitol Limited (Chicago – South Bend – Toledo – Sandusky – Elyria – Cleveland – Alliance – Pittsburgh – Cumberland – Washington DC). At least one or two coaches and possibly a sleeper could operate between Chicago, northern Indiana and Ohio, central and eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey for the first time since 2005 when Amtrak discontinued the Chicago-New York Three Rivers train service through Fostoria, Akron and Youngstown.

 

  The through Pennsylvanian/Capitol cars would result in a second daily round trip between Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria and Cleveland to/from New York City for the first time since 1996. That was when Amtrak shortened the Broadway Limited route to a Pittsburgh-New York City train called the Three Rivers and operated 2-3 coaches on the back of the Capitol Limited to/from Chicago. The service was so popular, including heavily used connections to Michigan buses at Toledo, that Amtrak extended the Three Rivers west as a separate train to Chicago. But Amtrak routed the train via the smaller cities of Fostoria, Akron and Youngstown, severing the Toledo/Michigan connection and service to Cleveland.

 

  With both expanded services – the Cardinal and the Pennsylvanian/Capitol – All Aboard Ohio urges Amtrak to schedule these trains at convenient times when Ohioans want to use them.

 

  The Cardinal is operated during daylight hours to show off the pretty scenery between Cincinnati and Washington DC, but the population is at the bookends – Chicago-Cincinnati and Washington DC-New York. Yet those sections have some of the least convenient arrivals and/or departures. Another reason why the train had its strange schedule was because of longtime West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd who passed away in June. He was a decades-long defender of Amtrak and even fought to revive the Cardinal after federal budget cuts in 1981 briefly caused the train’s demise. Sen. Byrd urged that the train cross West Virginia in daylight hours in both directions.

 

  Now that the Pennsylvanian will offer through cars on the Capitol, this could serve as a “catch-all” train for eastbound connections at Chicago from late-arriving western trains. The eastbound Lake Shore Limited (Chicago – South Bend – Bryan – Toledo – Sandusky – Elyria – Cleveland – Buffalo – Albany – New York/Boston) currently serves this function. Thus, All Aboard Ohio urges Amtrak to reschedule the Pennsylvanian/Capitol to depart Chicago in the Lake Shore’s 9:30 p.m. slot and move the Lake Shore so it departs Chicago in the late afternoon to serve Toledo at about 10 p.m. and Cleveland at about midnight. This would result in a noon arrival in New York City.

 

  Conversely, All Aboard Ohio urges Amtrak to end the practice of the Capitol and Lake Shore limiteds chasing each other westbound across Ohio and Indiana. Both are scheduled to travel within an hour of each other for 341 miles. With so few trains over such a long distance, a wider choice of travel times is desired. Thus, All Aboard Ohio proposes that the Pennsylvanian/Capitol retain its current westbound schedule, though possibly with a slightly earlier arrival in Chicago. The Lake Shore Limited, however, should depart New York City in the evening, arriving Cleveland at about 7 a.m., Toledo about 9 a.m. and Chicago before 1 p.m. When Amtrak offered this schedule in the 1980s, the Lake Shore regularly filled 16-19 cars. Today it has 12-14 cars.

 

  These schedules would also be convenient for eventual connections to 3C Corridor trains to/from Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati. So might a proposed St. Louis section of the Cardinal, proposed by Amtrak to split off from the Cardinal at Indianapolis, only if Amtrak can acquire enough equipment to run it. That will likely be at least two years away (see “Amtrak orders cars for Ohio routes” on Page Eight).

 

  To learn more about these and other Amtrak initiatives, please attend All Aboard Ohio’s Fall Meeting in Toledo on Oct. 23. For details, see the meeting notice on Page Eight.

 

END

Ohio could see expanded Amtrak service by end of 2010

Proposals to be delivered tomorrow to Congress

 

 

CONTACT:

Ken Prendergast, All Aboard Ohio Executive Director

[email protected]  (216) 288-4883

 

SEPTEMBER 29, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

 

COLUMBUS – On Thursday, Amtrak will deliver a report to Congress on how to improve five of its lowest-performing train routes. Two of those routes cross Ohio and would represent the first Amtrak service expansion in Ohio since 1998.

 

In a departure from the past, neither Congress nor Amtrak are seeking to cut those routes. Instead, they are doing what is necessary to create a stronger passenger rail system for Ohio and America when its two largest generations are helping to drive train travel to its highest levels in four decades.

 

“When Congress and Amtrak cut routes in the past, all it did was weaken the national system, isolate dozens of towns and create the next-most vulnerable routes for budget cutters to target,” said All Aboard Ohio President Bill Hutchison. “Congress and Amtrak are moving in the right direction by creating more travel options for a state and a nation that desperately need them.”

 

As required in the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008, Amtrak will submit Performance Improvement Plans to Congress on Sept. 30 for these two Ohio routes:

 Cardinal (Chicago-Indianapolis-Cincinnati-Washington DC-New York);

 Capitol Limited (Chicago-Toledo-Cleveland-Pittsburgh-Washington DC).

 

Plus three other national system routes:

 California Zephyr (Chicago-Denver-Salt Lake City-Bay Area;

 Sunset Limited (New Orleans-Houston-San Antonio-El Paso-Tucson-Los Angeles); and

 Texas Eagle (Chicago-St. Louis-Dallas-San Antonio-El Paso-Tucson-Los Angeles).

 

Next, agreements will be sought with the track-owning host railroads. Amtrak’s Board of Directors will then likely consider the Performance Improvement Plans. All Aboard Ohio hopes the proposed changes for Ohio can be implemented before the start of the holiday travel period in late November.

 

Recommendations in the Cardinal improvement plan are to implement daily service between New York and Chicago via Cincinnati and the cross-Ohio River towns of Maysville, South Portsmouth, Ashland and Huntington as well as improving food service, baggage handling and marketing. The Cardinal has operated thrice-weekly since 1981 (previously it was daily), making it difficult for travelers to plan their trips around the train’s infrequent schedule.

 

The key proposal for Capitol Limited service is the introduction of single-seat through-service at Pittsburgh, allowing passengers from Chicago, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria, Cleveland and Alliance stations to connect directly with cities along the Pennsylvanian route, including Altoona, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Trenton and New York. This will be the first passenger rail service linking Chicago, Northern Indiana and Ohio, Central/Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey since 2005 when a mail/package express train that also carried people via Fostoria, Akron and Youngstown was eliminated.

 

“With both expanded services – the Pennsylvanian/Capitol Limited and the Cardinal – All Aboard Ohio urges Amtrak to schedule these trains at convenient times when Ohioans want to use them,” Hutchison said. “Conveniently scheduled trains would also whet the appetite for and enable connections to 3C Corridor trains to/from Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati – the Midwest’s busiest travel corridor.”

 

Begun in 1971, Amtrak is on track this year to break its all-time ridership record set two years ago when average gas prices hit $4 gallon. Now, record ridership is influenced in part by the largest demographic group in American history, people 21-30 years old, driving 7 percent less than the same age group did in the 1990s (see: http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1523/generation-y-giving-cars-a-pass/). Also, the next-largest demographic group in American history, the Baby Boom, starts turning 65 years old next year. As people age, they become less physically able to drive longer distances or drive at highway speeds and need options to cars.

 

END

 

 

Amtrak's Performance Improvement Plans are now available online. Despite our press release attempting to create a sense of positive momentum, these are still the same nocturnal schedules that we in Ohio cannot easily use. Even the daily Cardinal, while welcome, is still just as useless to most Cincinnati travelers as a thrice-weekly train. Few will notice whether a train runs daily or once a year if serves your town at 3 a.m.

 

Cardinal:

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/BlobServer?blobcol=urldata&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobkey=id&blobwhere=1249215318387&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobheadername1=Content-disposition&blobheadervalue1=attachment;filename=Amtrak_PRIIA-210-Cardinal-PIP.pdf

 

Capitol Limited:

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/BlobServer?blobcol=urldata&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobkey=id&blobwhere=1249215318463&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobheadername1=Content-disposition&blobheadervalue1=attachment;filename=Amtrak_PRIIA-210-CapitolLimited-PIP.pdf

 

Other routes and reports:

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=am%2FLayout&p=1237608345018&cid=1241245669222

If the Cleveland service was even at 11:00 PM that would make a huge difference for me, at least. 3:00 AM... Oh dear!

"The Amtrak Guest Rewards program will be unavailable from September 29 at 8 pm Eastern Time until October 1 at 8 am Eastern Time. During this time the Amtrak Guest Rewards service center will not be available and it will not be possible for members to redeem points or access their accounts. We apologize for the inconvenience."

 

Cute.  Thanks Amtrak for ruining my day.  My fault, I suppose, for assuming that Amtrak was capable of operating normally while updating its system.

I wonder if when they were taking all those public input suggestions...if here locally, they actually heeded to the advice of doing very simple things to upgrade the appearance of the station we have to live with for now.

If the Cleveland service was even at 11:00 PM that would make a huge difference for me, at least. 3:00 AM... Oh dear!

 

Yeah...great hours if you are a bat or a vampire.  :sleep:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 4, 2010 ATK-10-131

Amtrak Contact: Marc Magliari

312 880.5390

Jones Lang LaSalle Contact: Brooke Houghton

312 228-2387

 

COOL PLANS FOR GROWING NUMBERS OF

AMTRAK PASSENGERS AT CHICAGO UNION STATION

Air conditioning in Great Hall, expanded seating, improved passenger flow

 

        CHICAGO – Amtrak has begun work to improve Union Station in Chicago and relieve some Amtrak passenger overcrowding by nearly doubling the seating in its general passenger lounges, increasing the number of public restrooms and by providing air conditioning in the Great Hall for the first time since the early 1960s.  The $40 million project is expected to be completed by the end of 2012.

        In concert with these passenger-related improvements, Amtrak is moving forward to create a redevelopment plan for the historic station’s Headhouse Building and has selected Jones Lang LaSalle to conduct a feasibility study on the best plan for its use.

        “Improvements to Amtrak Chicago Union Station are a top priority,” said Thomas Carper, Chairman, Amtrak Board of Directors. “Illinois is a national leader for passenger rail, and its commitment to work with other Midwestern states to build a robust service network from Union Station will allow us to bring more travelers to and from Downtown Chicago.”

“We want to make improvements to benefit our passengers and position the building with a marketable plan as the economy recovers, with more vitality than ever in our West Loop neighborhood,” said Bruce Looloian, Amtrak Assistant Vice President, Real Estate Development.  He noted Amtrak ridership in Chicago has grown in the last dozen years by more than 40 percent, topping 3 million passengers in 2009.

        “This major construction project will put Illinoisans back to work and help Union Station give visitors to the city of Chicago a welcome befitting the Land of Lincoln,” said Gov. Pat Quinn, who today held a news conference at the station to commend Amtrak. “New high-speed passenger rail service will bring thousands of visitors to downtown Chicago, boosting our tourism industry and supporting Illinois’ continued economic recovery.”

“The federal funding that has helped make the improvements to Amtrak Chicago Union Station possible will pay immediate dividends by creating or sustaining 100 construction jobs. Those are good paying jobs that cannot be outsourced,” said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).  “Less crowding, easier connections and a comfortable waiting area will help Amtrak keep its customers happy and keep them coming back through town.

“Having those updates made by the time the first high speed trains come rolling through town will serve Illinoisans well,” Durbin added.

By summer 2011, air conditioning will return to the Great Hall and Amtrak passengers will be able to use it as a waiting area as it was originally intended.  More than 40 years ago, the railroads that previously shared ownership of the station abandoned the system that cooled the Great Hall.

        By the end of 2012, seating in the north and south boarding lounges for coach and business class passengers will expand to 950 seats – nearly double the current 450 – by relocating the area used by sleeping car passengers.  Additional restrooms will also be installed on the Concourse (track) Level, which was last improved in 1991.

        For passengers traveling on long-distance, overnight trains, the relocated Metropolitan Loungesm will have nearly 200 seats, an increase of 50, by moving it into an area between the Concourse and the Great Hall.

        With air conditioning, the Great Hall will become a year-round event venue, generating increased rental income.  The remaining Headhouse space will also become more attractive for lease by Amtrak and its Chicago Union Station Co.  Amtrak will reduce costs by moving its regional offices from leased space south of the station into parts of two lower floors of the Headhouse by the end of 2011.

During the past two years, at a cost of $7 million, Amtrak removed the primitive air conditioning and other obsolete equipment from the lower levels of the Headhouse while repairing the façade and making other fire and life-safety improvements to facilitate use of the upper floors of the 85-year-old building.

        Jones Lang LaSalle will develop plans for the available space in the eight-story Headhouse, which will convert the Amtrak-owned Chicago landmark into a performing real estate asset.  America’s Railroadsm  uses revenue from its real estate to offset the costs of the passenger rail network, helping Amtrak cover nearly 80 percent of its operating costs from non-Federal sources.

        Jones Lang LaSalle was chosen to take a totally fresh look at the highest and best use for the Building, following a competitive process.  A development plan for the Headhouse is expected this fall.

        “Jones Lang LaSalle is bringing a fresh perspective to the table which, coupled with our experience and intimate knowledge of the building, will enable us to find the best market-driven solution for the project,” said Joe Caprile, Senior Vice President, Jones Lang LaSalle. “Union Station is an underutilized landmark and an asset to Chicago in an emerging area. We believe in this project and think it is important to make it a reality.”

More information about Amtrak Chicago Union Station, including its history and role in the Midwest’s transportation network, is on the attached fact sheet.

 

About Amtrak

As the nation’s intercity passenger rail operator, Amtrak connects America in safer, greener healthier ways.  Last fiscal year (FY 2009), the railroad carried 27.2 million passengers, making it the second-best year in the company’s history.  With 21,000 route miles in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces, Amtrak operates more than 300 trains each day—at speeds up to 150 mph (241 kph)—to more than 500 destinations.  Amtrak also is the partner of choice for state-supported corridor services in 15 states and for several commuter rail agencies. Visit Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL for schedules, fares and more information.

 

About Jones Lang LaSalle

Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE:JLL) is a financial and professional services firm specializing in real estate. The firm offers integrated services delivered by expert teams worldwide to clients seeking increased value by owning, occupying or investing in real estate.  With 2009 global revenue of $2.5 billion, Jones Lang LaSalle serves clients in 60 countries from 750 locations worldwide, including 180 corporate offices.  The firm is an industry leader in property and corporate facility management services, with a portfolio of approximately 1.6 billion square feet worldwide. LaSalle Investment Management, the company’s investment management business, is one of the world’s largest and most diverse in real estate with approximately $38 billion of assets under management.  For further information, please visit www.joneslanglasalle.com.

 

Station Facts 2010 • Amtrak Media Relations • [email protected]

Amtrak Chicago Union Station is owned by an Amtrak subsidiary, the Chicago Union Station Company (CUSCo). Amtrak is formally known as the National Railroad Passenger Corporation and was created by Congress in 1970. Amtrak has operated most of the nation’s intercity passenger trains since 1971.

Union Station was envisioned by famed Chicago architect Daniel Burnham ("Make no small plans: they have no magic to stir men's blood") and opened in May 1925 after ten years of construction at a cost of $75 million dollars. That would equal more than $935 million in 2010 dollars. Burnham died before construction began and the work was completed by the firm Graham, Anderson, Probst and White, Burnham’s successor.

The exterior of the station is clad in Bedford limestone and was quarried in Indiana. Union Station is the only example in the United States of a “double-stub” station, where the 24 tracks approach from two directions and most do not continue under or through the station.

CUSCo was formed in 1913 by five railroads that have since been absorbed by other lines and no longer exist as independent firms. The names of the founding railroads are remembered on windows between the Canal Street entrances to Union Station and the Great Hall. CUSCo has been wholly owned by Amtrak since May 1984, when the remaining ownership shares were purchased from what are now known as the BNSF and the Canadian Pacific railways.

Originally, Union Station consisted of the current “Headhouse Building” west of Canal Street and a “Concourse Building” between Canal Street and the Chicago River. In the 1930s, CUSCo sold the air rights above the tracks to the north and south of the Concourse Building for the construction of facilities for the Chicago Daily News newspaper and what was then the nation’s largest U.S. Post Office. Both buildings have since changed owners and uses.

In 1969, the predecessor railroads that owned CUSCo sold the air rights above the tracks and platforms of the Concourse Building for the construction of two office buildings. The Concourse Building was then demolished.

The main physical attraction of Great Hall at Union Station is the 300-foot-long barrel-vaulted skylight that soars 115 feet over the room. The skylight ceiling was blacked-out during World War II in order to make the station less of a target for enemy aircraft, since the station served nearly 100,000 daily passengers and more than 300 daily arrivals and departures. Two figural statues tower over the Great Hall on its east wall, one representing day (holding a rooster) and the other representing night (holding an owl), a recognition of the 24-hour nature of passenger railroading.

• more •

• 2 •

In 1991, work was completed on a $32 million (more than $51 million in 2010 dollars) passenger facilities improvement project that included renewal of the station’s waiting areas, new ticket windows, baggage handling system and the removal of the black-out paint from the Great Hall’s skylight. Lucien Lagrange & Associates handled the design of the project, which dramatically improved the facilities created when the Concourse Building was razed. Also included are plans for the completion of 26-story office towers envisioned by the original station Headhouse Building design in 1918, but never built. The current office space and station façade rises eight stories and occupies a full city block on Canal, Adams and Clinton Streets, with Jackson Boulevard to the south.

The 1991 renovation also changed the flow of passenger traffic through the station to separate Amtrak passengers from those local passengers using Metra commuter trains. Most station patrons do not pass through the Great Hall and it has become a popular venue for special events ranging from weddings and inaugural balls to casino nights and even commercial filming. For more information, visit www.chicagounionstation.com or call 312-655-2524.

The southernmost entrance into the Great Hall from Canal Street was used in a memorable scene from the motion picture “The Untouchables” and still draws tourists from around the world to take their own pictures of the staircase. Among many films using the Great Hall were “Flags of our Fathers”, “My Best Friends Wedding” and “Chain Reaction,” along with television series including “Early Edition” and “E.R.”.

An average of 55 Amtrak trains come and go from Union Station every day, with more than 8,500 passengers using the station daily. Systemwide, it is the fourth busiest Amtrak station. Last fiscal year (FY 2009), the railroad carried 27.2 million passengers, making it the second-best year in the company’s history. With 21,000 route miles in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces, Amtrak operates more than 300 trains each day—at speeds up to 150 mph—to more than 500 destinations. Visit Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL for schedules, fares and more information.

Union Station is also the largest of the four downtown terminals used by Metra, which is formally known as the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Rail Corporation. Metra operates commuter rail service between the downtown Chicago and 240 stations in northeast Illinois, on 11 routes covering approximately 500 miles of service territory. Six of Metra's 11 routes operate into and out of Union Station with nearly 130,000 Metra passengers passing through the station on an average weekday and more than 42,000 each weekend. Metra’s schedule includes 248 weekday arrivals or departures from Union Station. Weekend service is also provided on four of the six lines. For more information about Metra, visit www.metrarail.com or call 312-322-6777.

Amtrak Chicago Union Station is the busiest passenger terminal in Chicago and is most intact of what were once six major downtown Chicago stations. Since 1972, all Amtrak services in Chicago originate and terminate at Chicago Union Station, fulfilling Burnham’s 1909 vision of all intercity trains using the same station without confusing station transfers, complicated railcar movements, difficult baggage forwarding and complex ticketing previously endured by generations of travelers.

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Waiting room capacity would be less an issue if there were multiple daily departures on the major routes, spreading out the passenger loads. As things are now, yes, it's a mess. Gate waiting areas are sometimes jammed, with many more people waiting than there are seats.

 

Unless I missed it in the article, there's no mention of a fire on July 26, 1980 in which a Conrail employee in a fifth-floor office died from smoke inhalation. After that fire, the already-grimy Great Hall got a good cleaning, even prior to the skylight restoration and other extensive work that was done in 1991.

 

Here's what the Great Hall looked like in 1973:

 

 

 

OMG, a Vega!!! My mother first bought a puke green Vega, and apparently it didn't rust out fast enough for her. So she replaced it with an awful orange (yes, 1970s orange!) Vega that started rusting on the showroom floor.

 

Any of you youngin's wonder how America lost its dominance in automaking?!?!

 

To bring this back to the topic, thanks for the great pictures. I remember the Union Station seating was there in my train trips to Chicago in 1984, 1985 and again in 1986. I'll have to look for my photo prints around here somewhere and scan them.