July 20, 20222 yr I take issue with this comment by Matthew Ygesias: "A bit over a year ago, New York City premiered the Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station, a very expensive train-related infrastructure project that did not increase the number of trains that can roll through Penn Station nor make the trains go faster nor increase the number of destinations the station can serve. In other words, it was a train project that had nothing to do with trains." This is sensationalistic bullsh*t. Penn Station has suffered from overcrowding for years, with throngs of passengers squeezed into a rat's maze with claustrophobic low ceilings and an unpleasant atmosphere that has existed since the original station was demolished. Moynihan Hall was sorely needed to get intercity passengers away from commuters and it has given them an airy space to wait for trains and board them. It was money well spent. I've been in both the old and new stations and the difference is like day and night. Washington DC is suffering the same overcrowding and any solution will not be cheap. I do not know the details of what is being proposed, but I can tell anyone that these problems are real and have to be addressed. The problem I DO have is: Where is a similar amount of money for the national system? That's a major issue when Amtrak has 100+ Superliners in storage and is not fixing them, even tho they have a severe shortage of equipment. Amtrak seems to have a bias that favors the NEC over the national system. THAT'S the real scandal.
July 20, 20222 yr 3 hours ago, neony said: Washington DC is suffering the same overcrowding and any solution will not be cheap. I do not know the details of what is being proposed, but I can tell anyone that these problems are real and have to be addressed. Some of the cost of the DC station project will be putting Amtrak-owned adjacent land to a productive use. Amtrak, as landlord, will have a new income stream. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
July 26, 20222 yr Author From Carl Fowler, past vice chair of the Rail Passengers Association Watch this and weep. Beech Grove--where Amtrak's fleet goes to rot? Dropping the sarcasm this is still deeply disturbing--as at best it shows years of work needed just to catch up on deferred projects here. For me about the most optimistic thing I can take from this slide show is the handful of views of at least one Superliner that appears to be refurbished and awaiting its paint job to go back on the road. There are also several mysteries here. What is the Mount Hood Talgo set doing here? It's a Series Six Talgo and those were supposedly sold for scrap. Is it to be used for parts on the Series 8 sets still in Washington/Oregon service? My wife and I enjoyed Business Class on the Mount Hood trainset from Seattle to Vancouver, BC in 2017. Is anything at all happening to the long line of brand-new Venture cars seen at the outset? What was the accident that so crushed the vestibule area of the Viewliner sleeper seen in several shots. We know Amtrak fired far too many staffers here during COVID. This hauntingly shows the result of cost-cutting. This equipment needs to be in service--not moldering away in what would otherwise be seen as a scrap line. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 26, 20222 yr Amtrak spent 11 years and $450 million to save Acela riders 100 seconds How much of this is Amtrak and how much is the general lack of US ability to build infrastructure projects as quickly and efficiently as other countries? https://www.vice.com/en/article/wxn8qx/amtrak-spent-11-years-and-dollar450-million-to-save-acela-riders-100-seconds
August 2, 20222 yr good news — work begins on the 112yr old portal north bridge replacement in nj — gateway tunneling is next: https://gothamist.com/news/construction-starts-on-northeast-corridors-notorious-choke-point-portal-north-bridge
August 28, 20222 yr btw — the portal bridge just got stuck open again causing crazy delays and backups: https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/portal-bridge-stuck-open-nj-transit-suspends-penn-station-service/?fbclid=IwAR1vMPMAQd0DZhXflFW-tFPc582tIR9BP1sPIYQ2hly9Ec7osGIJBPDZpOE
September 1, 20222 yr I’ll be taking the Southwest Chief in about two weeks in a roomette. Was wondering if anyone had advice for a first time Amtrak-er. Thanks! 🙂
September 1, 20222 yr 20 minutes ago, Enginerd said: I’ll be taking the Southwest Chief in about two weeks in a roomette. Was wondering if anyone had advice for a first time Amtrak-er. Thanks! 🙂 Make sure to check if there's wifi if you need it. Some portions and/or routes don't have it. Bring decent snacks. Food is usually just prepackaged stuff.
September 1, 20222 yr Author If you treat it like a flight, you'll hate it. Treat it like a camping trip. Pack like you're camping too. Prepare for the unexpected including hours-long delays. In fact, don't even look at a clock until after you arrive at your final destination. You don't really need to anyway. Since you're in a sleeper, you're in a better position than someone in coach. Getting to lie down makes all the difference in the world. If you can sleep in a moving vehicle, you'll do fine. But many of us can't so we get lots of little cat naps when we can. You get hot meals in the dining car (although not cooked to order) and there's beer, wine, etc. There's also a shower down the hall in the sleeping car. You may get a hot shower. Might get a cold one. Might get both in the span of a few seconds. But it can help keep you somewhat fresh during the long trip. I suggest spending lots of time in the upstairs of the lounge car (the bar/cafe is on the first level), especially on the second day as you go through the rugged terrain of Colorado and New Mexico. Talk to people. You'll meet people from all over America and the world. The train's lounge is one of the greatest social mixers ever invented. But bring a book too for the flat lands or when there's delays. I also bring music and headphones/ear buds in case someone in the next room is noisy or a baby and/or a night owl. There are electrical outlets throughout the train including in the roomette. Most of them work. Keep your devices fully charged just in case the locomotive's HEP generator conks out in the middle of nowhere. Remember, it's a camping trip. Anything can and does happen! "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 1, 20222 yr Thank you @KJP! That’s a great way to look at it. I’m not so great at sleeping in a car but lying down might help, we’ll see haha. From what I’ve been reading, most of the delays are heppening between ABQ and LA, but I’m getting off in Albuquerque so I’m hopeful 🤞🏼 Very much looking forward to the experience.
September 1, 20222 yr 59 minutes ago, Dcs3939 said: Make sure to check if there's wifi if you need it. Some portions and/or routes don't have it. Bring decent snacks. Food is usually just prepackaged stuff. I believe this one does not have wifi, so I’m bringing books and games to help pass the time.
September 1, 20222 yr 4 hours ago, Enginerd said: I’ll be taking the Southwest Chief in about two weeks in a roomette. Was wondering if anyone had advice for a first time Amtrak-er. Thanks! 🙂 Lots of Amish, and in the summer Scouts going to Philmont at Raton, NM -- the scouts are probably all back in school by now.
September 1, 20222 yr 1 hour ago, Foraker said: Lots of Amish, and in the summer Scouts going to Philmont at Raton, NM -- the scouts are probably all back in school by now. Did not anticipate Amish!!
September 1, 20222 yr 3 hours ago, Enginerd said: Did not anticipate Amish!! Neither did I! Coming from Chicago the train made a stop in La Junta, Colorado -- long enough to dash out for some Daylight Donuts and walk around for a bit. Recommended!
September 2, 20222 yr uuuggghhhh !!!! 🙄 Transit Hudson rail tunnel project delayed until 2038, cost rises by $2 billion By Kevin Duggan Posted on September 1, 2022 The mega-project to build a new commuter rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River and rehabilitate century-old tubes ravaged by Superstorm Sandy will take three years longer and could cost $2 billion more than previously planned, officials from New York and New Jersey said. The cost of the Hudson Tunnel Project ballooned to $16.1 billion from $14.1 billion and its completion date is set for 2038 instead of 2035, according a Wednesday evening release by the Gateway Development Commission. more: https://www.amny.com/transit/hudson-rail-tunnel-project-2038-2-billion/ The old rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River. Christopher Leaman/US DOT
September 2, 20222 yr 35 minutes ago, mrnyc said: uuuggghhhh !!!! 🙄 Transit Hudson rail tunnel project delayed until 2038, cost rises by $2 billion By Kevin Duggan Posted on September 1, 2022 The mega-project to build a new commuter rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River and rehabilitate century-old tubes ravaged by Superstorm Sandy will take three years longer and could cost $2 billion more than previously planned, officials from New York and New Jersey said. The cost of the Hudson Tunnel Project ballooned to $16.1 billion from $14.1 billion and its completion date is set for 2038 instead of 2035, according a Wednesday evening release by the Gateway Development Commission. more: https://www.amny.com/transit/hudson-rail-tunnel-project-2038-2-billion/ The old rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River. Christopher Leaman/US DOT Ouch! Maybe we should go back to running ferries to Hoboken. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
September 2, 20222 yr 6 minutes ago, Dougal said: Ouch! Maybe we should go back to running ferries to Hoboken. they got'em -- you can take nywaterway ferry routes from hoboken terminal to midtown, wtc and around to wall st.. 👍 the thing is, that old tunnel is going to fall in on some poor rider's heads if they don't get cracking on fixing it. 😵
September 2, 20222 yr Author 4 hours ago, mrnyc said: uuuggghhhh !!!! 🙄 Transit Hudson rail tunnel project delayed until 2038, cost rises by $2 billion By Kevin Duggan Posted on September 1, 2022 The mega-project to build a new commuter rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River and rehabilitate century-old tubes ravaged by Superstorm Sandy will take three years longer and could cost $2 billion more than previously planned, officials from New York and New Jersey said. The cost of the Hudson Tunnel Project ballooned to $16.1 billion from $14.1 billion and its completion date is set for 2038 instead of 2035, according a Wednesday evening release by the Gateway Development Commission. more: https://www.amny.com/transit/hudson-rail-tunnel-project-2038-2-billion/ The old rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River. Christopher Leaman/US DOT That's ridiculous. No new tunnel for 23 years (and counting) after Superstorm Sandy. This country is a failure. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 2, 20222 yr 22 minutes ago, KJP said: That's ridiculous. No new tunnel for 23 years (and counting) after Superstorm Sandy. This country is a failure. That tunnel's not going to last 23 years -- particularly with an unknown number of "Superstorm Sandy's" to come in the increasingly-warmer next 23 years.
September 2, 20222 yr Author "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 2, 20222 yr 2 hours ago, KJP said: That's ridiculous. No new tunnel for 23 years (and counting) after Superstorm Sandy. This country is a failure. But we can churn out fighter planes for the Pentagon that they didn't want....just so some southern Senator on the Lockheed Martin payroll can grease his district. I am an eternal optimist, but I'm starting to think you're right.
September 2, 20222 yr Author 39 minutes ago, Cleburger said: But we can churn out fighter planes for the Pentagon that they didn't want....just so some southern Senator on the Lockheed Martin payroll can grease his district. I am an eternal optimist, but I'm starting to think you're right. Except they can't build planes affordably either. There's no good reason for any of this. Sooner or later no one's gonna be able to afford to build anything, the purchasing is going to stop and the price support will crash. Or lose one can hope.... "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 3, 20222 yr Author Amtrak started it https://news.sky.com/story/why-are-companies-and-even-joe-biden-posting-one-word-tweets-12687682 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 13, 20222 yr On 9/1/2022 at 8:43 AM, Enginerd said: I’ll be taking the Southwest Chief in about two weeks in a roomette. Was wondering if anyone had advice for a first time Amtrak-er. Thanks! 🙂 The first railroad strike in 30 years coinciding perfectly with my trip. How lucky
September 13, 20222 yr Author Looming strike prompts Amtrak to cancel some long-distance routes https://www.progressiverailroading.com/labor/news/Looming-strike-prompts-Amtrak-to-cancel-some-long-distance-routes--67532 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 1, 20222 yr Author "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 1, 20222 yr 4 hours ago, KJP said: Wrong direction on the NYC bound train, but the sentiment is there! Glad to hear CP employees using.
October 6, 20222 yr oh it gets worse ... Gravy Train: How Amtrak’s 10 highest earners raked in six-figure bonuses By Ben Feuerherd October 5, 2022 The 10 highest paid Amtrak executives raked in six-figure bonuses in 2021 – in one instance nearly doubling a senior-level executive’s salary – despite the rail network struggling with low ridership and plummeting revenues, The Post has learned. The top-earning employees received “earned incentive” bonuses of more than $200,000 each — more than 50% of their base salaries – according to figures obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request and a statement from an Amtrak spokesperson. The bonuses enraged the Transportation Workers Union that represents more than 1,000 Amtrak employees, which noted in a statement that the American taxpayer is, in part, footing the bill for the six-figure rewards. more: https://nypost.com/2022/10/05/amtraks-10-highest-earners-raked-in-six-figure-bonuses/ The top-earning employees received “earned incentive” bonuses of more than $200,000 each.
October 6, 20222 yr And then Republicans put in charge of a public service say that "government doesn't work."
October 7, 20222 yr Author Those pay rates are relatively low for a company (government-owned or not) of that size. And the Post calling Amtrak struggling is certainly disingenuous at best. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 7, 20222 yr 19 minutes ago, KJP said: Those pay rates are relatively low for a company (government-owned or not) of that size. And the Post calling Amtrak struggling is certainly disingenuous at best. I agree, the pay seems reasonable -- it's the bonuses that are ridiculous.
October 7, 20222 yr This is the way a lot of compensation is structured for those in officer and C-suit positions. That said; the compensation is still ridiculous, just not for only Amtrak. But if Amtrak wants to compete and attract/retain talent to effectively run the organization they're going to have to offer comparable compensation.
October 7, 20222 yr I have no problem with execs of government and government subsidized entities making that kind of money. I DO have a problem with how spectacularly horrible Amtrak is managed by international standards. There is so much room for improvement and the bonus structure needs to encourage those improvements. The lack of prioritizing catenary electrification is inexcusable. The boarding process in major hubs is stupid. The lack of transparency in rail accounting. The Gateway tunnels exploding costs while simultaneously not committing to improving service. The DC Union Station proposal that will cost billions and not actually improve service. I acknowledge that many of the challenges facing Amtrak are American structural problems, but there is too many things that need to be improved to ignore. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
October 7, 20222 yr 1 hour ago, Luke_S said: This is the way a lot of compensation is structured for those in officer and C-suit positions. That said; the compensation is still ridiculous, just not for only Amtrak. Agreed. 1 hour ago, Luke_S said: But if Amtrak wants to compete and attract/retain talent to effectively run the organization they're going to have to offer comparable compensation. 48 minutes ago, Boomerang_Brian said: I have no problem with execs of government and government subsidized entities making that kind of money. I DO have a problem with how spectacularly horrible Amtrak is managed by international standards. There is so much room for improvement and the bonus structure needs to encourage those improvements. . . . I acknowledge that many of the challenges facing Amtrak are American structural problems, but there is too many things that need to be improved to ignore. Agreed; there are few signs that Amtrak's executives are demonstrating the "talent" and "success" that would justify those bonuses. (And yes, this is true of executives at a lot of large corporations as well.)
October 9, 20222 yr Getting Amtrak off the freight routes in Chicago can’t happen fast enough. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
October 9, 20222 yr On 10/7/2022 at 10:18 AM, Luke_S said: This is the way a lot of compensation is structured for those in officer and C-suit positions. That said; the compensation is still ridiculous, just not for only Amtrak. But if Amtrak wants to compete and attract/retain talent to effectively run the organization they're going to have to offer comparable compensation. if they truly want better talent train daddy is available. he just quit london and came back. go git'm amtrak. more: https://www.railwayage.com/news/train-daddy-andy-byford-returning-to-the-u-s/
October 12, 20222 yr Author If you want to learn about all of the expanded federal investment opportunities in passenger rail. Watch and weep Ohioans because your state's "leaders" aren't going to apply for it. Maybe NOACA can shake loose a few nickels for preparing funding-ready corridor plans or a new station in downtown Cleveland.... "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 22, 20222 yr Author He shoots some cool vids "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 30, 20222 yr Author This goes against everything Amtrak has done and believed in before, so I'm curious to see if Amtrak actually does anything "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 1, 20222 yr Author Well done "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 3, 20222 yr Amtrak service to Columbus: MORPC, Ohio mayors submit formal requests to advance the process “Several Ohio mayors and planning agencies, including Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther and the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, have officially started the process to restore Amtrak service through Columbus without waiting for state-level support. Separate letters of intent to the Federal Railroad Administration this month support the 3C+D route that would reconnect Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati. Amtrak shut down its last route through Columbus in 1979. The letter also lists other routes the agency wants to help plan, passing through or starting in Columbus: Pittsburgh to Chicago, to Detroit via Toledo, to Athens via Lancaster, to Portsmouth via Chillicothe and a scenic route in Zanesville. Central Ohio mayors of Delaware, Hilliard and Worthington joined the letter signed by Ginther, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval and Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims Jr. Other cities and regions such as the Mansfield area sent separate letters.“ https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/11/03/morpc-columbus-cleveland-cincinnati-amtrak-request.html
November 8, 20222 yr Author Great news for Oxford, Ohio.... OKI funding has Amtrak project on track for 2026 construction https://miamioh.edu/news/2022/11/oki-funding-has-amtrak-project-on-track-for-2026-construction.html The reason why it wil take so long to start construction is because the city wants to do this first.... Council proposes building swap to make way for Amtrak station and move Oxford Seniors to TRI https://oxfordobserver.org/11279/community/proposed-oxford-building-swap-to-make-way-for-amtrak-station/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 9, 20222 yr This is great news! I'm disappointed by the long wait for construction to start, but at least we're seeing progress. Quote "Chestnut Fields will also include BCRTA offices and a facility to house buses, operate as a fueling station, and be used for bike storage." Using the Amtrak facility as multi-modal transit center is a great idea. The Butler County Regional Transit Authority is currently redesigning their entire bus network. One of their two proposed designs "Service Ideas Scenario 1" envisions 3 distinct bus networks for Oxford, Hamilton, and Middletown, with no connecting routes. I wonder if this Amtrak route could fill in that gap. How busy is the Oxford-Hamilton section of track? Could BCRTA run a train connecting them? What would need to happen to run commuter rail from Oxford to Cincinnati, or Oxford to Dayton (via Middletown)?
November 14, 20222 yr Author FRA launches passenger long-distance study site. The Federal Railroad Administration has launched a website for comments leading to an evaluation of long-distance service Amtrak had previously discontinued, as well as its two current triweekly routes, the New Orleans-Los Angeles Sunset Limited and the New York-Washington-Cincinnati-Indianapolis-Chicago Cardinal. The “Amtrak Daily Long-distance Service Study” site, which began operation Oct. 28, now only describes the FRA’s mission to examine the possibility of resurrecting routes dropped when faced with federal budget reductions….Significantly, lawmakers made it a point to have the FRA oversee the process, rather than Amtrak management. https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/fra-launches-passenger-long-distance-study-site/ Here's the site: https://fralongdistancerailstudy.org/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 16, 20222 yr Author FRA unveils Northeast Corridor project priorities https://www.progressiverailroading.com/federal_legislation_regulation/news/FRA-unveils-Northeast-Corridor-project-priorities--67996 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 22, 20222 yr Great Amtrak news out of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Apparently the details of the agreement aren't public, but this does suggest that the Surface Transportation Board acknowledged Amtrak's (and other advocate's) view that there was plenty of capacity on the existing freight track to add passenger rail. That is a helpful precedent for work on adding passenger rail to other existing freight tracks. "The expectations are that the new operation includes two trains daily – with four stops in each city – during reasonable hours to accommodate business or tourism schedules. The trains will travel at speeds of up to around 79 mph, and the trip [from Mobile, AL] to New Orleans, with the stops in Mississippi -- Pascagoula, Biloxi, Gulfport and Bay St. Louis -- will last about 3 hours and 23 minutes." When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
November 23, 20222 yr Author And not even at its peak A screen shot of 1962, just a few years before I was born, when my mom and her two oldest sons would squeeze onto an overcrowded Erie-Lackawanna passenger train from Cleveland to Youngstown to visit family for Thanksgiving. She and fellow passengers wondered why the railroad was using just four railcars to accommodate all of the riders. Why? Because the railroad was trying to get rid of its passenger trains... "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
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