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.

 

It would be too expensive a fix for America's grand old stations, but what we need to consider over the long run is more "open-plan" stations like you see in Europe's big cities.  Their big-city stations are open and airy with wider platforms and few, if any, choke points.  Amtrak's coach waiting area in Chicago is claustrophobic.  The ceiling is too low, the seats uncomfortable, and every gate is a choke point.   

A friend of mine was at the announcement yesterday at Union Station and noted with amusement that the governor was asked this general question by a member of the media: "It seems we're refurbishing Union Station to accommodate the crowds of today, and if so, how will you accomodate the growth of tomorrow?" My friend said the guv's answer was as inadequate as the expansion plans for the future.

A friend of mine was at the announcement yesterday at Union Station and noted with amusement that the governor was asked this general question by a member of the media: "It seems we're refurbishing Union Station to accommodate the crowds of today, and if so, how will you accomodate the growth of tomorrow?" My friend said the guv's answer was as inadequate as the expansion plans for the future.

 

Signs of intelligent life among the Chicago media?

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.

 

It would be too expensive a fix for America's grand old stations, but what we need to consider over the long run is more "open-plan" stations like you see in Europe's big cities.  Their big-city stations are open and airy with wider platforms and few, if any, choke points.  Amtrak's coach waiting area in Chicago is claustrophobic.  The ceiling is too low, the seats uncomfortable, and every gate is a choke point.   

 

If you go over to SSP and look in the General Photography section under the Trains topic, you'll find a lot of photos by well-traveled forumers, taken in other countries of spacious train sheds with shiny floors and vast sklyights arching over the platforms. Compare those with many of our major-metro stations, with dimly- but harsly-lit subterranean boarding areas, platforms constricted by pillars, and low ceilings still begrimed with soot from coal-burning locomotives that haven't operated there since shortly after WWII.

 

If Union Station is to be retained as a national hub, platform capacity has to be increased a lot. The last time I rode the Lake Shore Limited into Chicago we arrived an hour late and missed our time slot. Consequently, we passengers sat on the train in the throat of Union Station for another hour, waiting for a platform to open up so the train could back up a few hundred feet and unload passengers.

 

An additional level of track platforms might be a solution. Going underneath the present ones isn't feasible unless they plan to pass out snorkels to boarding and detraining passengers, and going above probably would involve removing buildings that have been constructed in the air rights. On the upside, they could then incorporate through platforms so that travelers could ride, say, between St. Louis and Minneapolis without changing trains, when the market develops. Commuter trains could operate from the lower-level platforms, and intercity trains above.

 

A friend of mine was at the announcement yesterday at Union Station and noted with amusement that the governor was asked this general question by a member of the media: "It seems we're refurbishing Union Station to accommodate the crowds of today, and if so, how will you accomodate the growth of tomorrow?" My friend said the guv's answer was as inadequate as the expansion plans for the future.

 

Signs of intelligent life among the Chicago media?

 

Maybe the prospect of an actual mayoral election, instead of just another Daley re-coronation, has gotten some oxygen into their lungs.

Sent by e-mail.......

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 11, 2010

ATK-10-134

 

Contact: Media Relations

202 906.3860

 

AMTRAK SETS NEW RIDERSHIP RECORD,

THANKS PASSENGERS FOR TAKING THE TRAIN

Strong performance shows demand for passenger rail continues to grow

 

            WASHINGTON – Amtrak set a new annual ridership record of 28,716,857 passengers for the fiscal year ending September 30 and collected a record $1.74 billion in ticket revenue.  The strong performance is evidence that the demand for passenger rail service is rising and that more Americans are choosing Amtrak — a greener and more convenient travel mode.

 

            “We thank every passenger for choosing Amtrak to meet their intercity travel needs,” said President and CEO Joseph Boardman.  “More and more people see passenger rail as a way to get to where they need to go, and when our front line employees put them first, it helps to bring passengers back for another trip.”

 

            A year-over-year comparison of FY 2010 to FY 2009 shows total Amtrak ridership grew by 5.7 percent, or about 1.55 million passengers, and all Amtrak business lines experienced growth including the Northeast Corridor (up 4.3 percent), long-distance trains (up 6.6 percent), and state-supported and other short-distance routes (up 6.5 percent.)  Over the same period, ticket revenue increased 9 percent, or more than $140 million.

 

            Boardman said Amtrak’s relationship with other customers such as states and commuter agencies are also crucial. “Just as we must earn the loyalty of the customers who ride our trains, we must work to build stronger ties to our state and commuter customers,” he added, noting that Amtrak operates in an increasingly competitive environment.

 

            Factors that contributed to Amtrak’s success in FY 2010 include a moderately improved economic environment allowing some recovery of business travel along the Northeast Corridor, the increased appeal and popularity of rail travel, effective marketing campaigns, the introduction of Wi-Fi on the high-speed Acela Express trains and sustained high gasoline prices. 

 

            In addition, continued difficulties with air travel and consumer dissatisfaction with air service are moving passengers from planes to trains particularly along the Northeast Corridor, where Amtrak now enjoys a 65 percent share of the air-rail market between Washington and New York and a 52 percent share of the air-rail market between New York and Boston.

 

            Since FY 2000, Amtrak ridership is up nearly 37 percent.  To continue this long-term trend, Amtrak is pursuing several initiatives including partnering with states to expand existing services and establish new routes, buying 130 new single-level long-distance passenger cars to modernize its equipment fleet, and beginning the process to expand capacity along the Northeast Corridor to support growing demand.  Amtrak is also promoting its vision for a world class next-generation high-speed rail service capable of achieving 220 mph (354 kph). 

 

Furthermore, as required under the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008, Amtrak recently completed the first of several comprehensive reviews of its long-distance trains exploring every aspect of operations from on-time performance to on-board services to identify opportunities for improvement.  The initial group of reports analyzed the Sunset Limited, Texas Eagle, California Zephyr, Cardinal and Capitol Limited.  The reports are available on Amtrak’s website.

 

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.

Note the closing quote from the Mayor of Ponca City as to why he wants passenger rail service.  It's all about providing transportation options, especially where those options have dwindled.

 

 

Passenger rail service from Oklahoma to Kansas discussed

 

Extending Amtrak's Heartland Flyer from Oklahoma City to near Wichita makes sense, lawmaker says, but the problem will be finding state dollars to pay for it.

 

Read more: http://newsok.com/extending-rail-service-requires-funds-support/article/3504545#ixzz12Rg9JHZD

Amtrak refinancing plan promises savings   

Friday, October 15, 2010 

 

A refinancing agreement between the U.S. government and Amtrak will save taxpayers approximately $162 million, the U.S. Departments of Transportation and Treasury jointly announced Friday.

 

During the course of its 39-year existence, Amtrak has incurred a large amount of debt paid by the government through an annual appropriation to the national passenger railroad.  The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA) permitted the Treasury Department to study ways to repay or restructure Amtrak’s debt that would save money for the taxpayer and the railroad, and to take action on its findings if this would produce substantial savings.

 

Full story at: http://www.railwayage.com/breaking-news/amtrak-refinancing-plan-promises-taxpayer-savings.html

Amtrak refinancing plan promises savings

 

 

That really is terrific news. The debt incurred during the 2000s to keep the company alive during the Bush Administration has been a fiscal anchor to Amtrak. This will greatly reduce the annual subsidy to Amtrak and allow it to use those funding for more capital improvements for exansion and efficiencies.

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.

 

Why now is a good time for government to borrow and invest

 

By Richard Voith

Friday, October 15, 2010; A19

 

 

 

Amtrak recently rolled out a $117 billion vision of true high-speed rail in the Northeast Corridor. Travel times would fall to 38 minutes from Philadelphia to New York and to only 3 1/2 hours from Washington, D.C., to Boston. These investments in the nation's densest region would spur economic growth, cut highway congestion and conserve gates and landing slots at our airports.

 

But can we afford it?

 

Total U.S. government debt exceeded 84 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2009, and most observers expect that percentage to keep growing. To many people, this is unsustainable, detrimental to economic growth and burdensome to our children. Calls for lower government spending, increased taxes or both have increased, but few question whether debt levels really are too high.

 

Full story at:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/14/AR2010101405238.html?sub=AR

Interesting story, as it speaks to how "hands-free" travel on passenger trains is attractive to users of electronic devices.... (I will even forgive the obnoxious use of the word "chug").

 

Amtrak chugs along nicely to record ridership

By Mike Chalmers, USA TODAY

 

Angela Jo Manieri and her cellphone helped set a record this year.

Manieri, of Newark, Del., who frequently rides Amtrak's Northeast Corridor line as a sales trainer for an organic skin-care company, was among the travelers who contributed to record ridership and ticket revenue for the nation's taxpayer-supported passenger train service.

 

In the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, Amtrak served more than 28.7 million riders, an increase of 5.7% from 2009, according to a company statement. Ticket revenue grew 9%, to $1.7 billion. Ridership on the Acela, Amtrak's higher-speed train, was up 6.6%. Manieri says the ability to stay connected by phone and Internet while traveling is just one reason she prefers the train over flying or driving.

 

Full story at: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2010-10-19-amtrak19_ST_N.htm

Interesting story, as it speaks to how "hands-free" travel on passenger trains is attractive to users of electronic devices.... (I will even forgive the obnoxious use of the word "chug").

 

Amtrak chugs along nicely to record ridership

By Mike Chalmers, USA TODAY

 

Angela Jo Manieri and her cellphone helped set a record this year.

Manieri, of Newark, Del., who frequently rides Amtrak's Northeast Corridor line as a sales trainer for an organic skin-care company, was among the travelers who contributed to record ridership and ticket revenue for the nation's taxpayer-supported passenger train service.

 

In the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, Amtrak served more than 28.7 million riders, an increase of 5.7% from 2009, according to a company statement. Ticket revenue grew 9%, to $1.7 billion. Ridership on the Acela, Amtrak's higher-speed train, was up 6.6%. Manieri says the ability to stay connected by phone and Internet while traveling is just one reason she prefers the train over flying or driving.

 

Full story at: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2010-10-19-amtrak19_ST_N.htm

 

The only thing I want to chug is a beer.  :drunk:

The only thing I want to chug is a beer. :drunk:

 

Interesting story, as it speaks to how "hands-free" travel on passenger trains is attractive to users of electronic devices.... (I will even forgive the obnoxious use of the word "chug").

 

Amtrak chugs along nicely to record ridership

By Mike Chalmers, USA TODAY

 

Angela Jo Manieri and her cellphone helped set a record this year.

Manieri, of Newark, Del., who frequently rides Amtrak's Northeast Corridor line as a sales trainer for an organic skin-care company, was among the travelers who contributed to record ridership and ticket revenue for the nation's taxpayer-supported passenger train service.

 

In the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, Amtrak served more than 28.7 million riders, an increase of 5.7% from 2009, according to a company statement. Ticket revenue grew 9%, to $1.7 billion. Ridership on the Acela, Amtrak's higher-speed train, was up 6.6%. Manieri says the ability to stay connected by phone and Internet while traveling is just one reason she prefers the train over flying or driving.

 

Full story at: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2010-10-19-amtrak19_ST_N.htm

 

Nice article,  I'm having trouble finding the increase in operating costs.  How does the increase in revenue stack up against the increase in costs?  Are they covering a larger, equal, or smaller percentage of their costs?

It is my understanding they are covering a greater share of their costs.  And with the refinancing of their debt (see an earlier post on this thread), that will free up more $$ for Amtrak to tackle some capital projects.

Just found something that says ticket revenue covers 70-80% of operating costs, but that leaves 0 money for capital improvements.

According to Amtrak monthly operating performance reports, Amtrak covers 74 percent of its operating costs from fares (compared to 51% for federal highways -- and that was before three Highway Trust Fund bailouts totaling $24.5 billion were made). So if Amtrak's ticket revenues are $1.7 billion, it's operating costs are $2.3 billion at a 74% cost-recovery ratio.

 

Last year, Amtrak was covering about 71 percent of is operating costs from fares. That 3 percent improvement respresents another $70 million Amtrak can use for capital improvements or to afford operating expenses from expanded services (such as a daily Cardinal through Cincinnati). Also, consider the importance of the recent refinancing of Amtrak's debt. That will free up another $161 million per year for capital improvements and expanded services. In total, that's nearly a quarter of a billion dollars that can and should be plowed back into the system to produce more expansion, more operating efficiencies and more revenues.

In total, that's nearly a quarter of a billion dollars that can and should be plowed back into the system to produce more expansion, more operating efficiencies and more revenues.

 

In their infinite (lack of) wisdom, Congress will probably look at all that as extra money Amtrak doesn't need. 

Pretty major shakeup at Amtrak...

 

Amtrak abolishes COO position   

Friday, October 22, 2010 

 

Amtrak President Joseph Boardman said in an employee advisory Thursday that Chief Operating Officer Bill Crosbie (pictured) is leaving Amtrak immediately and the position is being abolished. The vice presidents of the operating departments will now report directly to Boardman.

 

 

Full story at: http://www.railwayage.com/breaking-news/amtrak-abolishes-coo-position.html

Possible improvements to Amtrak stop in Waterloo, Indiana

 

This holds promise, but there are a lot of ifs and maybes.

 

Waterloo gets $1.8 million grant for Amtrak station

Money to help upgrade state's 3rd busiest passenger train depot.

 

By Bob Caylor

of The News-Sentinel

Waterloo has been awarded a $1.8 million federal grant to make itself a better stop on Amtrak's rail runs between Chicago and the East Coast. The town already has rehabbed a historic railroad depot for a new career as a passenger station. Now, town officials say the grant will fund the construction of a full-length platform with canopy, lighting, innovative signage, more accessible ramps and walkways, and additional parking at the historic train station.

 

Read the complete article from the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel.

Bad headline on this one, but the article isn't anti-Amtrak at all.

 

Gravy train for Waterloo

$1.8 million federal grant will improve Amtrak stop

Angela Mapes Turner | The Journal Gazette

 

A small, dimly lit Plexiglas shelter is surrounded by weedy gravel lots, exposing waiting passengers to the elements and causing trains to have to stop twice to load and unload for lack of space.

 

Town officials hope a $1.8 million federal grant announced this week will change the landscape, adding a full-length platform to allow passengers to board and depart at the same time, improving station lighting to meet federal disability act standards and improve safety, and incorporating the city’s restored historic rail depot – and its restrooms.

 

Read the complete article in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette.

 

The present situation is deplorable. There are no restrooms, and the plexiglas bus hut is open on one side and its side walls end about a foot off the ground. It provides shelter from rain, but no protection against wind and cold. It doesn't even have the infrared heaters that I've seen in some shelters, like on the South Shore at Carroll Avenue, and on Chicago's elevated stations. Parking is on a steeply-sloped area along the embankment. If I remember correctly, it's surfaced with ballast rock that provides a treacherous footing.

 

Here are a couple of photos:

 

Platform, shelter, and parking area:

 

Plexiglas bus hut. The smaller shelter sided with particle board houses the portable wheelchair lift:

 

Passengers detraining from the eastbound Capitol Limited onto snow-covered ballast because the engineer, with spotting assistance from a crew member, missed the asphalt walkway over the tracks:

 

Winter nighttime, a careful slog along an uncleared, snow-covered platform to the parking area with snow over an already-treacherous surface.

 

Historic depot before its recent complete restoration. I need to get some new photos of it; what I saw in progress a year ago looked to be first-class work managed by the architectural firm that restored Fort Wayne's Baker Street station and located its offices there.

Altho this stop is not too far from Ft. Wayne, I don't think there is any sort of bus connection. This station should be a focal point for rail service to NE Indiana and a connecting Thruway bus should run Waterloo-Ft. Wayne-Muncie-Indianapolis.

In the early nineties after Fort Wayne lost its Amtrak service, there were buses that ran to both Waterloo and Garrett (before the end of the Broadway, I think). Ridership was weak; Fort Wayne people  - for that matter, Northeast Indiana people - who can afford to travel wouldn't be caught dead on a bus, for fear they might be seen by someone who knows them. When the bus stop moved from downtown to the back parking lot of a rinky-dink strip mall five miles from downtown, to be closer to I-69, ridership fell off even more and the service soon was discontinued. I used it once from the strip mall lot, and was able to travel back and forth between my home and the strip mall on a city bus only because my departure and arrival happened to be at times when the city buses were running, albeit hourly service and never on a Sunday.

 

Bus travel carries a stigma, 'round these parts. It's thought to be a safety net for people who haven't made enough of their lives to afford a car. Folks regard it in the same way they regard eating at a soup kitchen. Charter buses provided by out-of-town casinos, and buses chartered by seniors groups for shopping excursions, of course, are not the same thing, you know.

 

A leading local charter company that runs nice buses with respectable drivers even tried offering a $40 round-trip shuttle Fort Wayne - O'Hare when air fare from Fort Wayne averaged $110 and air service was infrequent. They'd handle your bagge for you and provide free parking in Fort Wayne. The six passengers the day I rode it were the heaviest load the driver had seen. They tried it for a year, eventually scaling back to vans instead of full-sized buses, before dropping it altogether.

Amtrak Cascades posts ridership growth, obtains favorable border-fee ruling from feds

 

Ridership on Amtrak’s Cascades service continues to grow and is on pace to register a record number of passengers this year — particularly now that the railroad has received federal approval to run a second train to Vancouver, British Columbia, for another year.

 

Year-to-date ridership on the Cascades service is up 13 percent compared with 2009. In the third quarter, the service set a new ridership record of 237,162, a 7 percent increase compared with third-quarter 2009.

 

Read more at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=24841

In the early nineties after Fort Wayne lost its Amtrak service, there were buses that ran to both Waterloo and Garrett (before the end of the Broadway, I think). Ridership was weak; Fort Wayne people - for that matter, Northeast Indiana people - who can afford to travel wouldn't be caught dead on a bus, for fear they might be seen by someone who knows them. When the bus stop moved from downtown to the back parking lot of a rinky-dink strip mall five miles from downtown, to be closer to I-69, ridership fell off even more and the service soon was discontinued. I used it once from the strip mall lot, and was able to travel back and forth between my home and the strip mall on a city bus only because my departure and arrival happened to be at times when the city buses were running, albeit hourly service and never on a Sunday.

 

Bus travel carries a stigma, 'round these parts. It's thought to be a safety net for people who haven't made enough of their lives to afford a car. Folks regard it in the same way they regard eating at a soup kitchen. Charter buses provided by out-of-town casinos, and buses chartered by seniors groups for shopping excursions, of course, are not the same thing, you know.

 

A leading local charter company that runs nice buses with respectable drivers even tried offering a $40 round-trip shuttle Fort Wayne - O'Hare when air fare from Fort Wayne averaged $110 and air service was infrequent. They'd handle your bagge for you and provide free parking in Fort Wayne. The six passengers the day I rode it were the heaviest load the driver had seen. They tried it for a year, eventually scaling back to vans instead of full-sized buses, before dropping it altogether.

 

I would submit that one reason people didn't use it is because they realized that buses are subject to the same delays and road conidtions as the rest of the traffic on the highways. 

 

Good post, Robert.

Chicago-to-Iowa City high-speed rail route gets funding

 

October 25, 2010 5:35 PM | 3 Comments | UPDATED STORY

A long-sought plan for a new Amtrak route between Chicago and Iowa City with stops in the Quad Cities received a major funding boost on Monday, along with initiatives to run faster passenger trains on existing Midwest rail corridors from Chicago to Wisconsin and Michigan.

 

 

 

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/10/funding-for-high-speed-train-service-expected-to-be-announced.html

I'm surprised I'm the first one to post this ODOT press release!

_________

 

New Numbers show More Ohioans riding Passenger Rail

 

COLUMBUS (Monday, October 25, 2010) - Based on new passenger rail ridership figures from Amtrak, a review by the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Ohio Rail Development Commission shows that the demand for transportation choice is on the rise, with 14 percent more Ohioans riding passenger trains over the past year.

 

Nearly 147,000 passengers got on or off trains in Ohio in fiscal year 2010, according to data released earlier this month by Amtrak – the nation’s leading passenger rail operator. That’s up from 128,174 passengers in 2009.

 

The increase of more than 18,500 in Ohio helped Amtrak set a new annual ridership record of 28.7 million passengers for the fiscal year ending September 30. Since 2000, Amtrak says national ridership is up nearly 37 percent.

 

Currently, Amtrak provides limited long-distance service in Ohio, with seven station stops.

 

The biggest Ohio ridership gains were in Toledo, where 65,667 people got on or off at the historic Toledo Union Station - up 21 percent from the prior year - and in Elyria, where ridership jumped nearly 30 percent.

 

In Cleveland, ridership increased 12 percent, with 44,075 000 boardings and alightings at the Amtrak station downtown.

 

These increases come despite the late-night and early-morning schedules currently offered. Ridership in Cincinnati slipped 3 percent, due in part to the limited thrice-weekly service on the Cardinal line.

 

To boost ridership even more, Amtrak is considering service upgrades to the Capitol Limited service (Chicago-Washington DC), which has stops in Bryan, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria, Cleveland and Alliance. The improvements would include a new connection to Harrisburg, Philadelphia and New York City for through-service without changing trains at Pittsburgh. Amtrak is also considering an upgrade to daily service on the Cardinal in Cincinnati.

 

The Lake Shore Limited service (Chicago-New York City/Boston) stops in Bryan, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria and Cleveland and has been upgraded with refurbished dining cars within the past year.

 

Below is a breakdown of the station stops and the increase in ridership:

 

Station                2009            2010

Alliance              3,364          3,641

Bryan                5,942          6,562

Cincinnati          14,777        14,228

Cleveland          39,371        44,075

Elyria                3,719          4,862

Sandusky            6,513          7,826

Toledo              54,488        65,667

TOTAL:          128,174      146,681

 

###

Surprising that Toledo has many more riders than Cleveland. I suppose it has to do with the fact that even though Toledo's hours are extremely inconvenient, they're not nearly as absurd as Cleveland's.

 

It's also interesting that Waterloo, Indiana's plexiglas bus hut, at 18,000 surpasses any of Ohio's stations except for Cleveland and Toledo.

Surprising that Toledo has many more riders than Cleveland. I suppose it has to do with the fact that even though Toledo's hours are extremely inconvenient, they're not nearly as absurd as Cleveland's.

 

It's also interesting that Waterloo, Indiana's plexiglas bus hut, at 18,000 surpasses any of Ohio's stations except for Cleveland and Toledo.

 

Toledo also has connections to/from Detroit, Ann Arbor and other Michigan cities via Amtrak contractor-run buses with through-ticketing for Amtrak travelers.

 

And the arrival/departure times at Waterloo are actually pretty decent for day trips to Chicago.

And the arrival/departure times at Waterloo are actually pretty decent for day trips to Chicago.

 

You're not kidding.  If we had a 6:30 train to Chicago, I'd be visiting friends a lot more.

In 1991 I went by train to visit my parents in Englewood, Florida. I boarded the train at Garrett, Indiana (no longer served now) and went via Washington, D.C. and returned via Philadelphia, timing both connections so I'd have time to walk around. My parents met me at the station in Tampa when I arrived, but on the return I had them drop me at the bus stop in Sarasota and took the Amtrak-contracted connecting bus. It was a good experience, a nice, clean bus with a comfortable ride, and an across-the-platform transfer at Tampa.

 

...  If we had a 6:30 train to Chicago, I'd be visiting friends a lot more.

 

The timetables look good but the reality of the performance isn't impressive, although I haven't tried it in two years. The last time I tried it, with the main purpose of avoiding the drive to Michigan City (South Shore) in northern Indiana's treacherous winter weather, the Lake Shore Limited was almost two hours late at Waterloo, and the snack bar attendant already had stowed everything in preparation for arrival in Chicago. He seemed put out when I asked for a cup of coffee, which was lukewarm and tasted like it was left over from the night before. We lost another hour sitting in the throat of Union Station waiting for a platform.

 

The return trip, on the Capitol, was significantly late boarding and departing because they had problems getting the head-end power to come up. The cars still were dark and without heat (December), with big slabs of snow occasionally sliding off the roofs and splattering onto the platforms, when the car attendants began using flashlights to board their passengers one or two at a time. The Superliner cars had almost gotten warm enough for people to take off their coats and stop rubbing their hands together, by the time we got to Waterloo. And then I had a white-knuckle drive, the very thing I had hoped to avoid, on an ice-covered I-69 at 40mph while semis blasted by me without slowing down at all.

 

Don't get me wrong; I'm not bashing Amtrak. I think they do an admirable job considering the funding constraints they've had to work under for years. It's just a little more than a half-hour drive to Waterloo for me, especially during the hours when local traffic is light, and if we get more reliable timekeeping and hopefully more frequent service before I get too old and frail to travel unassisted, I'll use it a lot.

Cincinnati is the only city that went down

Cincinnati is the only city that went down

 

But that will change when the Cardinal becomes a daily train.

In 1991 I went by train to visit my parents in Englewood, Florida. I boarded the train at Garrett, Indiana (no longer served now) and went via Washington, D.C. and returned via Philadelphia, timing both connections so I'd have time to walk around. My parents met me at the station in Tampa when I arrived, but on the return I had them drop me at the bus stop in Sarasota and took the Amtrak-contracted connecting bus. It was a good experience, a nice, clean bus with a comfortable ride, and an across-the-platform transfer at Tampa.

 

... If we had a 6:30 train to Chicago, I'd be visiting friends a lot more.

 

The timetables look good but the reality of the performance isn't impressive, although I haven't tried it in two years. The last time I tried it, with the main purpose of avoiding the drive to Michigan City (South Shore) in northern Indiana's treacherous winter weather, the Lake Shore Limited was almost two hours late at Waterloo, and the snack bar attendant already had stowed everything in preparation for arrival in Chicago. He seemed put out when I asked for a cup of coffee, which was lukewarm and tasted like it was left over from the night before. We lost another hour sitting in the throat of Union Station waiting for a platform.

 

The return trip, on the Capitol, was significantly late boarding and departing because they had problems getting the head-end power to come up. The cars still were dark and without heat (December), with big slabs of snow occasionally sliding off the roofs and splattering onto the platforms, when the car attendants began using flashlights to board their passengers one or two at a time. The Superliner cars had almost gotten warm enough for people to take off their coats and stop rubbing their hands together, by the time we got to Waterloo. And then I had a white-knuckle drive, the very thing I had hoped to avoid, on an ice-covered I-69 at 40mph while semis blasted by me without slowing down at all.

 

Don't get me wrong; I'm not bashing Amtrak. I think they do an admirable job considering the funding constraints they've had to work under for years. It's just a little more than a half-hour drive to Waterloo for me, especially during the hours when local traffic is light, and if we get more reliable timekeeping and hopefully more frequent service before I get too old and frail to travel unassisted, I'll use it a lot.

 

I often wonder why Amtrak has nor requested funding to put its 16th St yard under roof, so cars could be repaired out of the elements and not freeze up. This should have been a top priority when the stimulus money was spent.

If they'd just put some high-velocity blowers, like the ones that dry cars coming out of a car wash, over the track entrances to the train shed to clear snow off the tops of cars that have sat in the yard, that would be a big improvement. They wouldn't have to run continuously, just when trains are entering.

Considering the suck-ass service Cincinnati gets, it's surprising the numbers are so high.

 

14228 passengers/(52 weeks * 3 days the Cardinal runs) = 91 people traveling on each day the Cardinal comes through. 91 / 2 Cardinal trains (to CHI and DC) = 45.5 people from Cincy on each train, arriving in the middle of the night. Quite impressive, IMO.

Will Cleveland always get shitty times?

Probably, as long as we have so few trains, that Amtrak places higher value on connections to western trains at Chicago, and that Cleveland is between Chicago and the East Coast.

 

I think there's a way to do it if you do some shuffling of trains around. The following proposed timetable assumes the Pennsylvanian has through cars from Pittsburgh to Chicago on the Capitol Limited (which Amtrak is pursuing), makes the Capitol/Pennsylvanian the late train departing/early train arriving Chicago instead of the Lake Shore, an Empire Corridor train is extended from Buffalo to Cleveland to connect with the Capitol/Pennsylvanian (afforded by eliminating the Lake Shore's Albany-NYC section), and the Lake Shore becomes a dedicated Chicago-New York train (as Amtrak operated in the 70s and 80s) and uses an existing Albany-NYC train for the New York connection. Disregard trains 43/44 on this schedule -- they won't happen unless PennDOT pays for them...

 

http://freepdfhosting.com/449a0df185.pdf

NOTE: Some jobs for Ohio in this contract award from Amtrak....

 

AMTRAK AWARDS $466 MILLION CONTRACT FOR 70 NEW ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES

 

by Amtrak on Thursday, October 28, 2010 at 10:24pm

Improved performance and reliability for Northeast passenger rail services

 

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. – As part of a comprehensive plan to modernize and expand its fleet of equipment, Amtrak is buying 70 new electric locomotives to provide improved performance and reliability for its Northeast intercity passenger rail services.  The six-year, $466 million contract was awarded to Siemens and will create 250 jobs primarily at a facility in Sacramento, California, but also at plants in Norwood, Ohio and Alpharetta, Georgia.

 

 

 

“Amtrak is a critical transportation provider in the Northeast and modern locomotives are essential to meet the service reliability expectations of our passengers and for us to handle the growing ridership demand in the coming years,” said President and CEO Joseph Boardman.

 

 

 

Boardman explained the first Amtrak Cities Sprinter ACS-64 electric locomotive is to be delivered in February 2013 and will operate at speeds up to 125 mph (201 kph) on the Northeast Corridor from Washington, D.C. to Boston and up to 110 mph (177 kph) on the Keystone Corridor from Philadelphia to Harrisburg, Pa.  They will replace locomotives in service between 20 and 30 years with average mileage of 3.5 million miles traveled.

 

 

 

“Amtrak’s order for 70 new electric locomotives will not only create new manufacturing jobs, it supports the Department of Transportation’s strategy to use transportation to build the infrastructure needed to support a modern growing economy, while helping make our cities more livable, improve the environment and reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” said Joseph C. Szabo, Federal Railroad Administrator.  “This new equipment will go far in meeting the rapidly growing demand for intercity passenger rail service in the Northeast.”

 

 

 

“As the global leader in rail innovation, we are thrilled that Amtrak has selected our proven locomotive technology which will create 250 green manufacturing jobs in the United States,” said Daryl Dulaney, president and CEO, Siemens Industry, Inc.  “These locomotives will be built in America using renewable energy and provide cleaner, more efficient movement of people on the most heavily traveled rail route in the country.”

 

 

 

The new Amtrak locomotive meets the latest federal safety regulations and includes additional safety features not yet required such as crash energy management components like anti-climbing technology and push-back couplers designed to keep the train upright, inline and on the tracks in the event of a collision.  The design also allows for easier maintenance leading to faster turn around times and increased availability of locomotives for service.

 

 

 

In addition, the new locomotives will be more energy efficient and will replace older units that presently do not have regenerative braking systems that can automatically return electricity to the power grid.

 

 

 

As the new units come into service, Amtrak plans first to retire all current 20 DC AEM-7 electric locomotives in its fleet, followed by replacement of all 29 AC AEM-7 units.  The remaining 21 locomotives of the order will be used to replace all 15 HHP-8 locomotives with the additional units supporting anticipated service expansion.

 

 

 

Boardman added in February 2010 Amtrak released an ambitious, long-term Fleet Strategy Plan to replace aging and outdated locomotives and passenger cars in order to enhance operations, attract more riders, reduce maintenance costs and delays, improve on-time performance and expand services on current and new routes.  The report lays out the basis for recapitalizing the entire fleet over a period of time in a manner that will not only provide new and modern equipment for passengers, but will also develop and sustain the domestic production capacity needed for the long term viability of intercity passenger rail in the United States.

 

 

 

The new 70 electric locomotives are a key element of that plan and is the second major equipment procurement undertaken since July 2010 when Amtrak announced the award of a $298 million contract to build 130 single-level passenger rail cars to support growing ridership on its long-distance trains.

 

 

 

About Amtrak

 

As the nation’s intercity passenger rail operator, Amtrak connects America in safer, greener and healthier ways. Last fiscal year (FY 2010), the railroad carried over 28.7 million passengers, making it the 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 Siemens

 

Siemens AG (NYSE: SI) is a global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering, and operates in the industry, energy and healthcare sectors.  For more than 160 years, Siemens has built a reputation for leading-edge innovation and the quality of its products, services and solutions.  With 405,000 employees in 190 countries, Siemens reported

 

worldwide revenue of $104.3 billion in fiscal 2009.  Siemens in the USA reported revenue of $21.3 billion and employs approximately 64,000 people throughout all 50 states and Puerto Rico.  For more information on Siemens in the United States, visit www.usa.siemens.com

 

 

Great news!

Great news!

 

According to Siemans.... 50 jobs will be split between their plants in Norwood, Ohio and Alpharetta, Georgia.  Those will clearly be good jobs for skilled machinists and other technicians.

 

Given that Amtrak aims to replace it's entire locomotive and passenger car fleet, we could see many more jobs beeing created.

AEM-7 in 1996 at Baltimore:

 

Lancaster, PA, 2008, with entomology option:

 

AEM-7 locomotives were built by EMD 1978-1988 based on Swedish designs after a Swedish locomotive was tested successfully in Amtrak's search for a replacement for its aging fleet of GG-1 electric locomotives. EMD built the AEM-7 units using carbodies from Budd and electrical and mechanical components from Sweden's ASEA Brown-Boveri (ABB).

 

Amtrak's first effort to replace the GG-1s, a fleet of E60 locomotives from GE, went poorly. The E60 units were a little lighter than the GG-1s but twice as heavy as the AEM-7s, and even during testing they tracked badly and derailed twice, resulting in their being limited to 90mph instead of their design-rated 120mph. A few were retained by Amtrak to pull heavy long-distance trains on the Northeast Corridor, but the rest were sold to New Jersey Transit and to a mine in the Southwest where they were regeared for freight service and used to haul coal on a dedicated line between the mine and a power plant. The last ones were scrapped by 2003, I think.

In KJP's #1787, "Train Shuffling." Can you explain a little more about what would be needed to be put back into place to make this schedule happen. I see there is a Ravenna-Kent stop, Youngstown, and New Castle stop. Do you need the Ravenna Connection for this? I like the Cleveland,Youngstown, New Castle, Pittsburgh (4 Hr.) connection. It's still a connection. It's better than we have now.

Yes, but not right now. Stay tuned.

Ridership increases at Elyria Amtrak

Published: Saturday, October 30, 2010

By KELLY METZ

[email protected]

 

ELYRIA — Amtrak ridership in Elyria is growing and with a boost of federal stimulus dollars, riders could soon be catching the train from the county’s new transportation center.

 

The ridership has grown in Elyria from 3,719 in 2009 to 4,862 in 2010, with the fiscal year being from October to September, according to an Ohio Department of Transportation. Ridership in Sandusky has also grown from 6,513 to 7,826. The stations are serviced by the Capitol Limited, between Washington, D.C., and Chicago; and the Lake Shore Limited between New York City and Chicago.

 

Marc Magliari, Amtrak’s Chicago-based spokesman, said he believes the increase in ridership has to do with “some economic recovery in parts of the country.”

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2010/10/30/news/mj3572488.txt?viewmode=fullstory

Daily Amtrak service may come to Tucson

Alex Dalenberg Arizona Daily Star Arizona Daily Star | Posted: Tuesday, November 2, 2010 12:00 am | Comments

 

Amtrak and Union Pacific Railroad are talking about bringing seven-day passenger rail service to Tucson.

 

Neither side would confirm the details of negotiations, whether they are progressing or stalled, except to say that talks are ongoing.

 

Any move from the current three-day service to seven days a week depends on the success of negotiations between Amtrak and host railroads along the proposed seven-day route.

 

Full story at: http://azstarnet.com/business/local/article_6a2b3b1b-b4c9-56ca-89ad-88bc75fd2bcb.html

Note:  The Lake Shore Limited, which serves Ohio, is mentioned in this Amtrak release...

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 3, 2010 ATK-10-143

Contact: Media Relations

202 906.3860

 

 

 

NEW AMTRAK TIMETABLE ARRIVES FOR FALL-WINTER

Lake Shore Limited, California Zephyr and Coast Starlight

to make new station stops effective November 8

 

WASHINGTON -- The new fall-winter Amtrak System Timetable, with more than 300 daily trains on 21,000 miles of routes in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces, is effective on November 8, 2010.  Printed bi-annually, it is among the most popular of several means to learn about Amtrak travel and book trips on America’s Railroad.

 

“Between the detailed information in the System Timetable and information available at Amtrak.com, AmtrakVacations.com and by calling 800-USA-RAIL, there’s every reason to say ‘all aboard,’” said Emmett Fremaux Jr., Amtrak Vice President, Marketing & Product Development.

 

Timetables can be requested by calling the toll-free Amtrak phone number or through Amtrak.com, which is now available in four languages.  This fall, French was added to the English, Spanish and German versions of the website.

 

        There are many minor and some seasonal changes throughout the timetable, but the following are the most noteworthy items which are effective with departures beginning November 8, except where noted below:

 

East

The Chicago-New York-Boston Lake Shore Limited (Trains 48/448 & 49/449) will now stop in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. and the northbound Miami-New York City Silver Star (Train 92) will receive passengers at Richmond-Staples Mill, which previously was a discharge-only stop.

 

Central

The morning Missouri River Runner trains have been moved 45 minutes later from their origin points of St. Louis (Train 311) and Kansas City (Train 314).  This restores an eastbound connection from the Southwest Chief (Train 4) in Kansas City, which will allow passengers to travel through to St. Louis on Train 314 without a long layover and relieve overcrowding in the Amtrak portion of Kansas City Union Station.

 

West

The Southwest Chief began operating over a new schedule last month and it is reflected in the new timetable as 30 minutes longer westbound (Train 3) to Los Angeles and 45 minutes longer eastbound (Train 4) to Chicago, due to changes in BNSF Railway Co. track conditions between Albuquerque and Kansas City.

 

The California Zephyr (Trains 5 & 6) has a new stop at Richmond, Calif., and the eastbound train will operate 40 minutes earlier throughout its entire route between the San Francisco Bay and Chicago, due to an earlier departure from Emeryville, Calif.

 

The Coast Starlight (Trains 11 & 14) has new stops added at Richmond and Burbank Airport, Calif.

 

About the Timetable

This season, the timetable cover pays tribute to Midwestern Amtrak services, with a photo of Amtrak Lincoln Service Train 302 as it crosses between Missouri and Illinois on a crisp fall day.  In the background is the Gateway Arch, the iconic image of St. Louis.  The cover represents Amtrak “Chicago Hub” trains in the Midwest, including the Missouri River Runner, Hiawatha Service, Wolverine Service, Blue Water, Pere Marquette, Saluki, Illini, Carl Sandburg and Illinois Zephyr.

 

By using what printers call a “perfect” binding in place of “saddle stitch” construction with staples, the timetable has the look and feel of a regular magazine, with a spine that allows for more a more professional appearance as well as more efficient distribution. A slightly lighter weight “bright” paper stock offsets the thickness of the eight pages added since publication of the Spring-Summer 2010 edition.

 

About Amtrak

 

As the nation’s intercity passenger rail operator, Amtrak connects America in safer, greener and healthier ways.  Last fiscal year (FY 2010), the railroad carried 28.7 million passengers, making it the 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.  Amtrak also is the operator 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. Become a fan at www.facebook.com/amtrak and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Amtrak     

While Ohio & Wisconsin are on hold....(noozer)

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 5, 2010 ATK-10-144

Amtrak Contact: Marc Magliari

312 880.5390

Illinois DOT Contact: Josh Kauffman

  217 558.0517

 

 

 

 

HIGH-SPEED RAIL PROJECT MOVES NORTH OF SPRINGFIELD STARTING NOVEMBER 15

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 north of Springfield will cause the daily Amtrak Lincoln Service trains to originate and terminate in Bloomington/Normal from Nov. 15 through Nov. 23 and from Nov. 30 through Dec. 10.  This work on the Chicago-St. Louis route will also cause the Chicago-San Antonio Amtrak Texas Eagle to detour without other scheduled stops between Chicago and St. Louis.  Alternate transportation will be provided in most cases (please the attached Passenger Service Notice). 

Passengers should note the track work will not be performed and normal schedules will be operated from Thanksgiving Eve (Nov. 24) through that weekend and into the next week (Nov. 29). 

The northbound departures of the chartered motorcoaches and vans from St. Louis, Alton, Springfield and Lincoln are scheduled one hour ahead of the regular Lincoln Service train schedules in order for the northbound trains to leave on-time from Bloomington/Normal. 

        The Chicago to St. Louis high-speed rail corridor is the first high-speed rail project in the country to begin construction.  Under an initial agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation (Illinois DOT), Union Pacific Railroad is installing new concrete ties and track switches along the corridor.  The first phase of the project is being carried out south of Springfield, concluding Nov. 9.  The second phase, between north of Springfield and Lincoln, will begin Nov. 15.

        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, six percent in 2009 and 11 percent in 2010.  From October 2009 through September 2010, 642,413 passengers have ridden Amtrak trains on the corridor, an increase 64,612.     

        The Midwest has received more than $3 billion in competitive federal awards in 2010 toward the development of the Chicago Hub Network. When completed, the network will connect more than 40 of the largest cities in the Midwest with passenger rail, including 60 daily roundtrips from Chicago.  In a recent report, Illinois PIRG projected a completed network will create 57,000 permanent jobs and support 15,200 jobs during the ten years that it would take to construct the system.

        Illinois’ high-speed rail signature route, Chicago to St. Louis, received $1.1 billion in federal funds 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. Two new modern transportation centers in Joliet and Normal, IL are planned and fully funded through federal, state, local and railroad partnerships. Construction at Chicago’s Union Station is currently underway to expand passenger capacity, and the St. Louis Gateway Station recently received federal funding for track improvements.           

Passenger Service Notices are 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 and healthier ways.  Last fiscal year (FY 2010), the railroad carried 28.7 million passengers, making it the 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.  Amtrak also is the operator 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. Become a fan at www.facebook.com/amtrak and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Amtrak    .

 

About Illinois DOT

 

The Illinois Department of Transportation provides safe, cost-effective transportation for Illinois in ways that enhance quality of life, promote economic prosperity, and demonstrate respect for our environment.  Illinois DOT provides leadership throughout Illinois for the improvement and coordination of the state’s multi-faceted transportation system and serves as an advocate and trusted adviser to local governments and other community agencies involved in providing transportation access and services for all of Illinois.  For more information, visit http://www.dot.il.gov/.

Annual Ridership on Illinois Amtrak Routes

Nears TWO million PASSENGERS

Chicago to St. Louis Corridor Gains Largest Ridership

 

        CHICAGO – Amtrak announced today another new record for Amtrak passenger train ridership in Illinois.  Fiscal year-end figures released show healthy increases throughout the nation and particularly in the Midwest.  Among Illinois routes, the Chicago to St. Louis corridor registered the largest ridership increase and all other state trains saw improved ridership.  The Chicago to St. Louis corridor is Illinois’ high-speed rail signature route.

        “We are encouraged to see more travelers and thank them for choosing Amtrak as their mode of transportation,” said Amtrak Board Chairman Tom Carper of Macomb.  “We believe these figures reinforce the concept that frequent, reliable trains with highway-competitive travel times can attract a significant ridership base.  We will continue to strive to give travelers the best service possible with fast, convenient and reliable service.”

        Total Amtrak ridership on routes operated with Illinois Department of Transportation (Illinois DOT) partnership was 1,969,093 for the 12 months ending Sept. 30, 2010 -- an increase of 130,418 passengers or a 7 percent gain from the previous year’s 1,838,675 riders.

        “These record numbers provide us with a glimpse of what is possible with future high-speed rail,” said Governor Pat Quinn.  “Illinois will serve as the hub of a Midwest high-speed rail network that will provide travelers with a reliable and efficient travel option while attracting business that are demanding a 21st Century transportation system.”

        For Amtrak fiscal year 2010, 642,413 passengers rode the Lincoln Service and other daily Amtrak round-trips between Chicago and St. Louis, up 11 percent from the previous fiscal year.  Total Amtrak ridership on the Illini and Saluki route, which includes nine intermediate stations and three daily round-trips between Chicago and Carbondale, rose to 304,255, an increase of 5 percent.  The Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg trains provide two daily round-trips and serve eight intermediate stations between Chicago and Quincy, with Amtrak ridership on the corridor via Galesburg rising by 3 percent and totaling 239,365 over the period.

        Under a partnership with Illinois and Wisconsin, Amtrak operates the Hiawatha Service between Chicago and Milwaukee, with seven daily round-trips (six on Sundays) and three intermediate stops.  These trains saw 783,060 passengers, an additional 6 percent above the previous year’s 738,231.

Midwestern routes achieved an average ridership growth of 55 percent over the period from 2005 to 2010.  The largest increases were seen on Illinois corridors, where additional frequencies were offered to provide more departure choices, more travel opportunities and greater customer convenience, as well as improvements in reliability. 

Illinois has four of the top five Midwest corridors.

Chicago-St. Louis:  five-year ridership growth – 136 percent; average annual increase – 27 percent.

Chicago-Carbondale:  five-year ridership growth – 107 percent; average annual increase – 21 percent.

Chicago-Quincy:  five-year ridership growth – 77 percent; average annual increase - 15 percent.

Chicago-Milwaukee:  five -year ridership growth – 49 percent; average annual increase – 10 percent.

 

In January 2010, Illinois DOT received $1.1 billion in federal funds for Chicago to St. Louis corridor improvements. The improvements are now underway and will allow passenger rail service from Chicago to St. Louis to operate at speeds up to 110 mph and include: new locomotives and passenger cars, rebuilding of track, additional signaling devices at grade crossings, and implementation of state-of-the-art signal technology.

About Amtrak

 

As the nation’s intercity passenger rail operator, Amtrak connects America in safer, greener and healthier ways. Last fiscal year (FY 2010), the railroad carried more than 28.7 million passengers, making it the 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 Illinois DOT

 

The Illinois Department of Transportation provides safe, cost-effective transportation for Illinois in ways that enhance quality of life, promote economic prosperity, and demonstrate respect for our environment.  Illinois DOT provides leadership throughout Illinois for the improvement and coordination of the state’s multi-faceted transportation system and serves as an advocate and trusted adviser to local governments and other community agencies involved in providing transportation access and services for all of Illinois.  For more information, visit http://www.dot.il.gov/.

Note to Mr. Kasich:  Concerned over whether riders will show up and if revenues will cover operating costs.... not in Virginia...at least on this one route...

 

Amtrak’s Lynchburg service surpasses ridership, revenue goals

During its first year of operation, Amtrak’s Lynchburg train exceeded annual ridership and revenue targets.

 

The route provides a daily service from Lynchurg, Va., on the I-81/Route 29 corridor to Washington, D.C., and as far north as Boston. Amtrak and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) launched service on the corridor in October 2009.

 

During fiscal-year 2010, which ended Sept. 30, the Lynchburg train carried 126,072 passengers, exceeding its goal of 51,000 riders by 147.2 percent. The service also generated $6.33 million in revenue, well surpassing its $2.58 million goal.

 

Full story at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article/Amtrak’s-Lynchburg-service-surpasses-ridership-revenue-goals--25090

I recently returned from a 5-day trip to the Washington DC metro area. It has been 15 years since I've spent any significant time in DC. It has really changed---for the better.

 

We stayed in Old Town Alexandria and used the Metro to get back and forth to DC for sightseeing and museum-visiting. Alexandria's King Street Station has several Amtrak intercity trains per day, Virginia Railway Express commuter

service, and a stop on the Metro's Blue and Yellow lines.  I saw ZipCars (car sharing company that provides members access to a fleet of automobiles without the expense and hassles of car ownership), bike sharing/rental with much improved bicycle infrastructure since 15 years ago.

 

Even Union Station in DC has a bike shed now. There are also pedi-cabs around The National Mall.

 

Everything is becoming more and more integrated and interconnected with the DC area's transportation system. We never had to get into a car at all-- not even a cab.

 

Noticeably more younger people (under 30) using the trains too.

 

Apartment and condo complexes sprouting up near Metro and commuter rail stations and using them to market the locations. Real estate ads for homes and townhomes touting their proximity to commuter trains, Metro, etc.

 

Ohio has unfortunately become a backwater by comparison because of our lack of transportation options. It's no wonder Ohio's economy continues to lag and young people keep leaving the state in droves. Transportation is the lifeblood

of an economy and the areas of the US with well-interconnected, multi-modal transportation systems are doing better economically than those that don't. No trains in Ohio means a fast train to economic oblivion...

 

Thanks a bunch, Mr. Kasich for putting politics and ideology before Ohio's economy!

 

Unfortunately, the Metro has seen major disinvestment and from folks who live there, the feeling that it could break at any second (trains and escalators) is pervasive.