Amtrak Crescent Section between Meridian, Miss., and Fort Worth, Texas.

Decided to start a new topic. This has been discussed before here: amtrak-crescent-discussion-t109522.html which will now be for operational discussion.

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews ... -ft-worth/

NEW ORLEANS — Amtrak will apply for a federal grant that, if approved by the Federal Railroad Administration, would pay for 80% of a study of track and station improvements necessary to extend a section of the New York-New Orleans Crescent between Meridian, Miss., and Fort Worth, Texas.

Nicole Bucich, Amtrak’s vice president of network development, acknowledged the encouragement of federal, state, and local officials, and a Louisiana-led Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement grant application, in announcing the company is partnering with the Southern Rail Commission in applying for a Federal-State Partnership Program grant.

“We are very excited about the extension of the Crescent from Meridian to Dallas; you all have been working on this for a very long time,” Bucich told the group. “We feel this is the catalyst for a lot of work by many people in this community — not just the technical work that’s been done, but tremendous outreach that’s been going on.”
...
John Robert Smith, the former mayor of Meridian and Amtrak board of directors chairman who is now chairman of Transportation for America, noted at the meeting that efforts to extend a section of the Crescent over the jointly-owned Kansas City Southern-Norfolk Southern Meridian Speedway have been pursued for decades.
...

Until the STB announces its decision of CP/KCS and if any restrictions of the Meridian - SHE - Marshall - DAL portions of KCS we need to wait.

It's just for another study. Will take years for operations to happen. Amtrak doesn't have the equipment and manpower anyway.

Until we can get decent service on existing trains I can't put much stock in talks of expansion. The Crescent doesn't even get a dining car anymore, and with regard to not having enough equipment, I think you'll find a good number of Viewliner sleeping cars and dining cars stored at Hialeah and Beech Grove these days.

There's no dining car on the Crescent these days?
That may have just made a travel decision for me.

Greg Moore wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 10:40 pm There's no dining car on the Crescent these days?
That may have just made a travel decision for me.

I think the issue here is staffing.

Greg Moore wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 10:40 pm There's no dining car on the Crescent these days?
That may have just made a travel decision for me.

Nope, for some odd reason it no longer even gets a Viewliner dining car for "flexible" tv dinner meals. Just a cafe car:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJrnsplIk1I

Unconfirmed rumor the diner is close to returning once NOL gets enough OBS.

west point wrote: ↑Fri Mar 17, 2023 10:29 pm Unconfirmed rumor the diner is close to returning once NOL gets enough OBS.

Not quite a rumor at all. Amtrak's President is on record saying once the On-Board Staff for each train they'll bring the diners back. Just a matter of what trains get them when.

Just asking since this has been under discussion for quite some time:
1. Is this being made a condition of the KCS-CP merger?
2. What is the condition and current track speed for this route, before any upgrading?
3. What is the current train control: signals, track warrant?
4. Is it planned for through cars with attendant switching costs and manpower or connecting train with across platform transfer?
5. Was there a Thruway Bus connection still or before?

urr304 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 18, 2023 1:31 pm Just asking since this has been under discussion for quite some time:
1. Is this being made a condition of the KCS-CP merger?
2. What is the condition and current track speed for this route, before any upgrading?
3. What is the current train control: signals, track warrant?
4. Is it planned for through cars with attendant switching costs and manpower or connecting train with across platform transfer?
5. Was there a Thruway Bus connection still or before?

1. No However CP agreed to enter into talks if speedway was included in purchase. ( It has been ). Also CP agreeded to start second train CHI - MSP even before all improvements called for are complete. (STB). Note the speedway only goes on the previous IC RR Meridian - Shreveport. KCS SHE - Wylie is once part of the L&A ( Lousianna & Arkansas, ) not part of speedway (STB report ) but a subsidiary of KCS.
2. Unknown but IC times were MEI - JAN = 2:30
- Vicksburg = 4:50
- SHE = 10;40
T&P times SHE - Marshall was 1:05. Marshall - DAL for Eagle is = 3;40.
Question is will UP fight going SHE - DAL or will train have to take KCS SHE = Wyle and Wyle to DAL? a much inferior route.
3. Leave to others
4. depends on how route is finally set up
5. AS I recall at one time there was a thruway somewhere on gulf - Meridian - JAN to connect with north bound crescent and CNO