Lest we forget, Amtrak has been confronted with A-II write-offs from both Kaycee and Chester (latter might be returned to service once the Legal Beagles release such) and committing four cars to this apparently wasteful service on 19-20, Crescent, is too great a burden on equipment starved Amtrak.
electricron wrote:More likely would be an extension of the Crescent to Houston after the Sunset Limited is retired.Might as well go all the way to San Antonio then as they have storage/maintenance facilities there and you would have connections with the Texas Eagle although I'm sure the timing would require overnight stays in the Alamo City.
Cancel the two non daily trains, extend the Crescent to San Antonio, extend the City of New Orleans to Orlando, and close the maintenance facilities in New Orleans (wouldn't need them as the Crescent and CONO wouldn't terminate there anymore). The two extra Viewliners used on the Cardinal are used on the Crescent extension and the extra Superliners saved on canceling the SL are used on the CONO extension so I don't believe any more train sets would be required. All trains would have daily service, Houston would still have service, and the Gulf Coast route would be restored. The biggest market to lose service would be Cincinnati. Tuscon and El Paso would also be losses. Not one state in the country would lose all of its train service although certainly some would lose a significant portion.