Amtrak Expansion Plan

PRIIA's 750 mile breakpoint was chosen as a good enough approximation between long and corridor.

Obviously it left the corridor Palmetto "stranded" on the LD side of the legal divide, and had no other thoughts that corridor trains as lengthy as the Roanoker would work.

Bob Roberts » Tue Feb 26, 2019 8:12 am

Thanks Bob, that makes sense to extend Piedmonts.

Arlington » Tue Feb 26, 2019 8:28 am

PRIIA is the product of legislators who have no idea about RR operation. 'Nuff said.

Arlington wrote:^ it targets 110 max and has few stops, so I'd hope so.

But this has to be about what's possible in a corridorization package political deal, which I think is more along the lines of
1) New coaches
2) Places to berth/turn corridor trains about 400 to 600 miles from the US's biggest cities that meet some combination of:
2a) berths at the end of 600 miles of flat & fast running from NYP, WAS, CHI, LAX
2b) berths at today's midpoints that'd be tomorrow's endpoints: SPK, MSP, CIN, CLE, BUF, OMA, DEN, SLC, PHX, HOU, SAT?
3) Improvements to host RRs that are win-win (faster, more reliable running for 2x to 4x current LD frequency)

Thank you, this is exactly what I hoped to convey.

There will be a place for daily-or-more LD service, especially on single-overnight routes like NYP-CHI and NYP-Florida that can feasibly compete with flying (and Auto Train which competes with flying and driving) and the extra-long western routes that serve both vacationers and isolated communities efficiently enough. I don’t think western LD trains need the newest equipment, VIA has proven that, they only need reliable and clean equipment. On the east coast, they at least need equipment that can keep up on the NEC.

But the future in the East, South, Midwest, and Pacific really is in corridors.

It seems that rumored changes to the national network/long distance trains has finally reached Capital Hill.

In a letter to Amtrak CEO Anderson 91 members of Congress have asked for answers to questions regarding food service, station staffing and the future of the national network/long distance trains.

https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/7c8e6b_e ... XbUSgOsqz8

Is this so the employees can get to the supermarkets?

March 02, 2019 4:45 PM ET
Amtrak will operate a modified Keystone Service (New York – Philadelphia – Harrisburg) and Pennsylvanian (New York – Philadelphia – Pittsburgh) schedule on Sunday, March 3 and Monday, March 4, due to forecasted winter weather. Full scheduled service will be restored pending improved conditions.
Canceled service for Sunday, March 3, includes:
Pennsylvanian Train 43 with no alternate transportation
Canceled service for Monday, March 4, includes:
Keystone Service Trains 605, 609, 647, 651, 639, 642, 646, 656 & 620 with no alternate transportation
Pennsylvanian Train 42 with no alternate transportation

It's called Snowflake America. Yeah, I know: there aren't as many section guys as there used to be.

Rockingham Racer wrote:It's called Snowflake America. Yeah, I know: there aren't as many section guys as there used to be.

To be more precise ... This is also what railroads that aren't going bankrupt look like.

True that.

For all the discussion recently with regards to changes I thought it was worth noting the following route expansions currently in progress or in the planning stages ...

1. Downeaster: Seasonal service to Rockland

2. Gulf Coast: Service between Orlando and New Orleans

3. Midwest: Service between Chicago, Detroit and Toronto

4. Ethan Allen: Extension to Burlington

5. Vermonter: Extension to Montreal

6. Valley Flyer: Service between Springfield and Greenfield (starting within the next 30 days)

7. Long Island: Service from New York Penn to Long Island

8. Heartland Flyer: Extension to Newton via Wichita

9. Illinois: Service between Chicago and the Quad Cities

10. Minnesota: Service between Minneapolis St. Paul and Duluth

With only the exception of #10 Amtrak already is or will be the operator of the new service. I didn't mention anything in Virginia because I don't believe there has been anything announced at this point.

I would be hard pressed to find a time when more expansion plans were underway than now. I left out the routes which might be adding frequencies as those are too numerous to list. Shocking frankly ...

gokeefe wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2019 10:27 pm For all the discussion recently with regards to changes I thought it was worth noting the following route expansions currently in progress or in the planning stages ...

2. Gulf Coast: Service between Orlando and New Orleans

I'm not so confident of that one. New Orleans to Mobile might be more accurate at least for now.

Would add the return of the Montrealer(aka Vermonter) to Montreal,after the "isolated track/platform" is in service at
Gare Central for this train and the Adirondack.
This will allow US Customs pre clearance before dept, and get rid of the border inspection delays.

See item #5.

I still can't imagine any other period ever in Amtrak's history when so many service enhancements or extensions were under consideration or being implemented.

It is a notable series of incremental expansions which would see the return of more trains to more places over the next few years than at any time since 1971.

There would be almost fifty new stations added systemwide (average of five each per proposal).

gokeefe wrote: ↑Sat Aug 17, 2019 11:59 am I still can't imagine any other period ever in Amtrak's history when so many service enhancements or extensions were under consideration or being implemented.

It is a notable series of incremental expansions which would see the return of more trains to more places over the next few years than at any time since 1971.

There would be almost fifty new stations added systemwide (average of five each per proposal).

I'll believe it when I see it. Not to mention some services that started like the Kentucky Cardinal didn't last long. Plus there may be fifty new stations but how many of them are going to be relevant nationally? Rockland? Who outside of Rockland cares? Expanding to Toronto or if the CONO goes to Orlando? Those would be game changers. In other words, those will be the ones that won't happen. But hey, we'll have service to Rockland!!!!

People would have said virtually the same thing about Portland, Maine eighteen years ago this December. And yet ... It ended up being really significant.

Similar arguments could be made about improving service to Houston. "Game changer" would be putting it lightly for that city. But it probably won't happen.

So for the states that care to fund service expansion there will be progress. For those that don't, "more of the same".

Out of all the possibilities on that list I would say service to the Quad Cities is not only the most impactful systemwide but also has the potential to generate more ridership that any of the others.

Service to Rockland has certain meaning and significance beyond Maine. It would provide a way forward for Amtrak to consider service extensions in dark territory. Right now that's a problem with the potential to impact a lot of proposals.