Amtrak Pioneer Route

There’s no such thing as a limited train anymore, except in the name.

To look at the operational model for Amtrak’s LD service, look at the 2d tier trains before 1967, or the basic schedules in 1970. They are making most every stop.

Here are exemplars. Compare the CZ stops in 1966 with those in 2019...

On this route the only limitation to stops would be government willingness to fund station platforms. Given that this is low level territory that isn't going to be much of a barrier.

Even if you left the non Hinkle-Hermiston stations from my previous list intact, you'd probably be fine. Hinkle station was just a shelter station at the yard. You might be able to go to move the stop to Boardman and probably still have a reasonable stop.

Also, Hinkle-Hermiston at least has the station in Pasco in the meantime.

Roadgeek Adam wrote: ↑Sat Oct 26, 2019 1:02 am Even if you left the non Hinkle-Hermiston stations from my previous list intact, you'd probably be fine. Hinkle station was just a shelter station at the yard. You might be able to go to move the stop to Boardman and probably still have a reasonable stop.

Also, Hinkle-Hermiston at least has the station in Pasco in the meantime.

The former Hinkle-Hermiston station is on UP property and is not open for public. Anyone who tries to visit that former station will be trespassing and will be reprimanded by UP police. Due to this, I doubt that station could ever be reopened for public use.

Anthony wrote: ↑Sat Oct 26, 2019 3:25 pm
The former Hinkle-Hermiston station is on UP property and is not open for public. Anyone who tries to visit that former station will be trespassing and will be reprimanded by UP police. Due to this, I doubt that station could ever be reopened for public use.

Other than the Westland Road crossing in Hinkle, the best bet is Boardman or no stop at all. I wasn't advocating for build in place.

What is the anticipated running time end to end?

Roadgeek Adam wrote: ↑Sat Oct 26, 2019 8:28 pm

Anthony wrote: ↑Sat Oct 26, 2019 3:25 pm
The former Hinkle-Hermiston station is on UP property and is not open for public. Anyone who tries to visit that former station will be trespassing and will be reprimanded by UP police. Due to this, I doubt that station could ever be reopened for public use.

Other than the Westland Road crossing in Hinkle, the best bet is Boardman or no stop at all. I wasn't advocating for build in place.

Boardman is also home to a data center for Amazon with a lot of employees there. Would guess a train Boardman-Portland would be pretty popular, right now the Empire Builder highballs through there and only stops in Pasco and White Salmon, both pretty far out of the way.

There's a potential Amazon tie-in for this route as well? Unreal ... Well that definitely "ups the ante" in my eyes.

Comparing John's 1966 schedule with the 12/61 Railway Guide, CB&Q stops at Aurora, Mendota & Kewanee were to "pick up revenue passengers for Denver and beyond" only. D&RGW had the same running time but made flag stops at Granby and Bond, CO. WP stops and timing were identical.

Amazon tie-in? Yeah, no. Data centers only have 50-100 employees, if that. Much of the monitoring and maintenance is done remotely, and more and more infrastructure management is done via virtualization, so only the "hands on" type changes require people to physically be onsite e.g. hard drive or NIC changes, cabling...

Most of the activity that takes place at our primary data center is changing out air filters and monitoring batteries for uninterrupted power supplies...

That’s what they said about the Google data center when it opened in The Dalles in 2008 I think it was; the city has evolved and attracted other business...


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Wyoming (All Aboard Northwest): WyomingNewsNow.tv

All Aboard Northwest looks to bring passenger rail to Wyoming
...
James: “So let’s talk about the current plans you’re hoping to put forward. It looks like you guys would want to start two lines that would come through Wyoming. One that goes a little more westerly, through Cheyenne and then over to Portland. Then one that goes a little more northerly, that will cut through Casper... Before going up to Montana, before hitting Seattle. Tell us a little more about that?”

Dan: “Exactly. Along with the southern route... Cheyenne, due west along I-80 to Rawlins... To Evantson, Salt Lake City and beyond... We’re wanting to advocate to restore not only what was the Pioneer service that was terminated in 1997... That was due to congressional/federal budget cuts... But also look at north-south connectivity across the state too. So that there’s not only north-south connectivity across Wyoming, but also across the greater region... If you think about the I-25 corridor.”
...

Amtrak ceased operations on the Overland Route the day they terminated the Pioneer.

What do the various laws governing Amtrak say about starting service on a route Amtrak walked away from?

If its a member road or corporate succesor, they are automatically granted access but have to pay their prorated share of overhead and bear any incremental cost needed to accommodate the service eg passing sidings, plus station platforms and storage/servicing tracks.

Things get fuzzy if the current owner is a short line or the trackage didn't belong to a member e.g. CSSSB...

Restoring the Pioneer would be an accounting exercise.

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