Amtrak Heartland Flyer Discussion and Possible Extension

Seven (7) companies expressed interest - well is it safe to assume that Amtrak and Iowa Pacific were two (2) of them? I wonder who the other five (5) companies are?

Corridor Capital, Erie Lackawanna, First Transit, Herzog, Iowa Pacific, PTSI Transportation, along with Amtrak.

Ummm... Erie Lackawanna?

Could it be this outfit?:

http://www.eldcps.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I doubt an underfunded dining car preservation society is interested in running a revenue train.

Their dining car 741 has been sitting a Midwest Railcar, Kansas City MO, since I cannot remember when...

.....and Corridor Capitol...AGAIN?

Hey, one of these days maybe they'll get a contract and will actually get to use those old Santa Fe hi-level cars.

Considering Amtrak was using those same old Santa Fe Hi-Level cars on the Heartland Flyer just a few years ago, it wouldn't be much of a back pedaling on the rolling stock.
On most days, Amtrak runs three Superliners on this train. Putting six old but newly restored Hi-Levels on this train and running two crews, it could be possible to extend this train to Newton.

Corridor Capital has pitched those hi-levels now in East St. Louis to many people, including knowledgable types at Illinois and Michigan DOTs, as well as Indiana and a few other newbies. So far, nobody has bitten. I got a feeling those cars have a lot of problems.

Corridor Capital claims they're "indestructible", but reading between the lines, they're still in ca. 2002 (earlier?) as-retired condition. CC only wants to rebuild and maintain the cars once a state or operator bites on a lease (like Talgo with antiques), and has no comprehensive plan to operate them.

A shame to have the Hi-Level coaches out of service though, if CC's ransom note... er, business proposal is right about their qualities.

http://ccrail.com/wp-content/uploads/Co ... ochure.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Didn't California DOT order the refurbishment of the old NJT Comets about the same time they started the RFP process for the new Surfliners? The old Comets have been in successful service for over a year now while those new Surfliners haven't proceeded past lines on an old drawing board, or should I now say on a CAD file in a computer.

Ron: I'm not sure I see your point in re: the Heartland Flyer.

Mr. Stephens, with no end date set for the Nips (I drove by the Rochelle plant during August on a weekday, and nothing visible was going on), Mr. Coston could well end with a home for his cars after all.

On Amtrak's website, it says the Heartland flyer has a cafe car, but the train appears to be all coaches

Looked at some photos online. My guess is a downstairs coach space has been set aside for cafe service.