NS passenger operator?

Have any of you guys red the article in the new trains magazine about the plans of NS to begin operating passenger operations? I have waited the see the day that a private line returned to the passenger front. Says Bill Schaffer, director of NS corporat affairs, "Our ore competancy is running trains, and our chairman (David Goode) has exhorted us to generate additional revenue, so as landlords we would insist on being an operator." I was aware that they had made a deal with the commuter transit system in NC and NJ for frieght operations. I think what I am a little bit confused about is whether or not NS is attempting to become a commuter carrier, a long distance carrier, or a little bit of both. I think it i a great thing to see this occuring,. what is the general consensus of everybody else?

Ed

NS has expressed serious interest ONLY in commuter rail operations so far. They are also interested in operating same on their ex C of G ATL - MACON line if "Georgia Rail Express" becomes a reality. They have also been talking with the State of Virginia about running their "Old Dominion Express" between D.C. and Bristol via Lynchburg and Roanoke

Actually, if Amtrak drops the Crescent, it is my hope that they will take a hard look at giving it a shot because the train is 99% captive to their lines. They might tend to like the idea of "ownership" of the route and its equipment. If they marketed it the same way they've been marketing themselves lately, it could generate revenue for them.

Hmmmmm, I wonder what colors they would choose?

<http://www.tdxinfo.org/>

I read a little about NS possibly going passenger as well. Sure sounds interesting...and I don't even live down south!



Jonelle

Wow this is interasting but I don't think it will happen.

AmtrakFan

The talk in Philly has been of NS becoming an operator of the proposed "Schuylkill Valley Metro" that is supposed to connect Philadelphia and Reading. It's the old RDG mainline, still double-tracked for the most part, and NS uses it for about 24 trains a day, mostly after dark. The last passenger service was a push-pull set of coaches with FP7's at either end, plus RDC service, in 1982. SEPTA, our local transit agency, had plans to build and operate a gold-plated hybrid-light-rail-like thing on 15-minute headways (for a 70-mile run!), constructing a separate electrified ROW with high-level platforms. Needless to say, the FTA rated that plan "Not Recommended", and PennDOT has a commission looking at other ways to restart service along this corridor, including a standard commuter operation with NS as the operator, using the existing infrastructure. Check out the SEPTA forum for the ongoing debate on this one.