Hoosier State Discussion (both Amtrak and Iowa Pacific)

[nomis]

Anderson et al seem to be sending mixed signals to Congress about what their vision is concerning trains outside the NEC.

I’d hardly say that this is Anderson’s doing VS a PIRAA fallout.

[Backshophoss]

So tonight was the last #851(29) to Chicago,did they hang a "goodby" drumhead on the last car??

[David Benton]

Anybody able to estimate the extra costs that will now be loaded onto the Cardinal ? all station expenses except Chicago on the Hoosier portion of the route would double in theory. Extra layover costs as per Mr Norman's observations. Presumably extra board for both routes still needed for the Cardinal only now.
I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up been up to half a million.

[Rockingham Racer]

Anderson et al seem to be sending mixed signals to Congress about what their vision is concerning trains outside the NEC.

I’d hardly say that this is Anderson’s doing VS a PIRAA fallout.

I said: "Anderson et al". But I do agree with the PRIAA as being the major culprit. I didn't read or hear of anyone from Amtrak screaming to save this "corridor". Maybe I missed that.

[Maverickstation1]

A group of young rail fans will make the final day of Hoosier State operations memorable.

https://www.jconline.com/story/news/201 ... 560626001/

[electricron]

"But all the towns and people seem
To fade into a bad dream
And the steel rails still ain't heard the news
The conductor sings his songs again
The passengers will please refrain
This train has got the disappearing railroad blues"
Steve Goodman

[justalurker66]

So tonight was the last #851(29) to Chicago,did they hang a "goodby" drumhead on the last car??

Today (Saturday) is a Cardinal day - 51 to Chicago in the morning, 50 from Chicago in the evening. The train approaching Chicago as I write this is 51(28), finishing it's overnight run. Friday was not the last day for the Hoosier State.

Tomorrow (Sunday) is the final Hoosier State day - 851 to Chicago in the morning, 850 from Chicago in the evening. 850(30) will be the final Hoosier State train.

The private car running this week has had a Hoosier State "drumhead". I do not know their plans for tomorrow (Sunday).

[Nasadowsk]

"But all the towns and people seem
To fade into a bad dream
And the steel rails still ain't heard the news
The conductor sings his songs again
The passengers will please refrain
This train has got the disappearing railroad blues"
Steve Goodman

First part of the song explains the problem: Too slow, too high costs, too little ridership.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Following up on Mr. Mavericks report and citing same source, it looks like the last run, 850(30) will go out with a drumhead. The group noted has chartered two former PRR cars, the 6BR-Lng "Colonial Crafts" and a 2DR,1CP,1BR, Obs-Lng "Frank Thomson" (part of a fleet to be named "-- Narrows", but PRR chose to deify some of their Gods). Presumably the Obs will be properly pointed and bear a drumhead - likely a PRR Keystone.

Well, the PRR was on the CHI-IND route, but hardly the "player" as was the NYC, even if they hosted the Chi-Mia "South Wind".

"Unterminister" Magliari noted that business on the Hoosier State has been up of late.

Finally, there was a PRR "artifact" visible to anyone on I-65 through Lebanon, IN - a concrete arched overpass with a Keystone carved into it. But alas, the highway was widened, and that was that.

[justalurker66]

We would have been worse off if efforts to save the train had damaged the interstate agreement on equitable allocations of cost.

The rule needs to be damaged. Defining any train less than 750 miles as requiring state funding (except, of course, the NEC) shifts the burden for too many trains to the states. At 196 miles the Hoosier State would not be saved - but seeing the Capitol Limited as a 780 mile train makes me wonder if it would be cancelled if the arbitrary 750 mile rule was 800 miles? Or was 750 miles chosen to specifically allow for the Capitol Limited and eliminate funding for some 725 mile train somewhere?

I'd like to see a fair accounting of how much it cost for the Hoosier State. I believe Indiana was being overcharged by Amtrak for the service. Billing as if they were a private operator and it was the only train Amtrak ran in the entire country was wrong.

[justalurker66]

A group of young rail fans will make the final day of Hoosier State operations memorable.

https://www.jconline.com/story/news/201 ... 560626001/

"So, he and two friends – Keiwoon Krause, a recent high school graduate living in Fishers, and Nate Carpenter, still a student at the Area Career Center in Hammond – started Blue Pine Rail, an enterprise built solely, for now, on hitching vintage rail cars to the Hoosier State for a final run from Indianapolis to Chicago on June 30.

Trailing the Hoosier State that morning will be the Colonial Crafts and the Frank Thomson, a pair of rail cars built just after World War II by Pullman-Standard and now privately owned and hired out for excursions."

[eolesen]

New bus service

https://www.nwitimes.com/business/local ... 9bf47.html

INDIANAPOLIS — A New York City-based startup will soon be testing a daily bus service between Indianapolis and Chicago that could replace an Amtrak train service destined to end June 30.

OurBus will offer the round-trip bus service from July 1 through Labor Day, the Indianapolis Business Journal reported.

The pilot project comes after Indiana lawmakers discontinued funding for Amtrak's Hoosier State passenger line in the new state budget. The train also stops in Crawfordsville, Lafayette, Rensselaer and Dyer.
...

[gokeefe]

I'd like to see a fair accounting of how much it cost for the Hoosier State. I believe Indiana was being overcharged by Amtrak for the service. Billing as if they were a private operator and it was the only train Amtrak ran in the entire country was wrong.

I appreciate the sentiment but unfortunately it would not be borne out by an audit. Fuel, crew labor and mechanical would take up a significant portion of the $3.5M+ mentioned in the article. Amtrak's fight in the past has been to get the states to pay their fair share of the capital costs associated with the equipment they're allocated.

I remain surprised and disappointed that Indiana and Ohio have such thin levels of service. There is a web of major metropolitan areas in that part of the country which could all be connected by corridor service.

[mtuandrew]

What capital costs? Their equipment is fully depreciated. Unless you’re talking about paying into a new equipment fund or station construction, this is all for maintenance, wages and operations with a slice of profit above that (which goes directly toward the national operating deficit.)

[njtmnrrbuff]

Yes, Indiana and Ohio are the most forgotten states in terms of being a part of the Amtrak network. In Ohio, it’s not only the fact that there are a few long distance trains, but the majority of them stop at stations during the middle of the night. Northwestern Indiana sees the most Amtrak service out of the rest of that state but still, the service isn’t that frequent. You have few Wolverine trains stopping in Michigan City-two in each direction. At Hammond-Whiting, only one pair of Wolverines stop in each direction.

It’s good that there will be a new bus service running between Chicago and Indianapolis and hopefully it will make the same stops that the Hoosier State made and the trip will be faster than the train. For those who still want to continue to travel by train between Indianapolis and Chicago, in between, and vice versus, at least the Cardinal still runs. Maybe eventually, Amtrak will start running the Cardinal daily. Before that happens, probably more equipment would need to be available. In addition, the ride would have to be faster between Dyer and Chicago.