Amtrak New Gulf Coast Service - New Orleans to Mobile AL

The downtown station was to be located somewhere between the cruise port and the convention center, so depending on where the actual platforms get placed, the entrance to the cruise terminal could in theory be blocked for either 45 seconds or up to 15 minutes.

I don't see anyone being that obtuse as to put the platforms RIGHT AT the entrance to the port, but dumber things have happened with municipal planning...

My main point however was the loss of tourism with losing the cruise ships is going to be bigger than anything Amtrak might offer.

As you say, unless they placed the platform so that the train worked the station while sitting on a grade crossing, there is no way the train would block anything. The monster freights CSX likes to run at slow speed block that entrance far more than a passenger train, even a long one that's crawling into the platform.

Link: From Trains Magazine… STB Gulf Coast hearing, Day 2: Testimony explains CSX train movements, By Bob Johnston | April 5, 2022

Brief, Fair Use Quote:

But the appearance of that witness, CSX Senior Vice President of Mechanical and Engineering Ricky Johnson, provided significant insight into how CSX operates on the New Orleans-Mobile, Ala., route where Amtrak seeks to add two daily round trips. Johnson illustrated his testimony with drone footage, maps, and track diagrams of Mobile and the area around New Orleans’ Gentilly Yard.

And the games continue…

For context, here's Day 1:
https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews ... rovements/

WASHINGTON — Monday’s first day of a Surface Transportation Board hearing on Amtrak’s request to initiate service between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., moved so slowly that some attorneys speculated that the four days this week allotted for the hearing may not be enough.

In almost eight hours, the hearing barely progressed past opening statements by lawyers representing the four parties to the case: CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern, the Alabama State Port Authority, and Amtrak. Only the first of 12 scheduled witnesses offered testimony; Amtrak cross examination of that witness, consultant Charles Banks, called by CSX, had concluded, but STB chairman Martin Oberman indicated he would have additional questions for Banks on Tuesday.

Amtrak (@AmtrakConnects) has posted a tweet today:

CSX says that running 2 daily Amtrak trains on the Gulf Coast would impair freight service on “a very busy corridor.” So we set up a livestream in Bay St. Louis, MS to see if the route is as busy as CSX claims.

Count along with us on Twitch!

Ironically the livestream has fallen offline and a followup tweet says:

Running into some technical difficulties. We'll be back shortly!

So I am kinda impressed with Amtrak's initiative here, but I also see that no matter the mode Amtrak is still gonna Amtrak.

Day 3 testimony:
https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews ... w-orleans/

WASHINGTON — Norfolk Southern’s view of the impact of potential Amtrak service was a focal point of Wednesday’s third day of hearings on the passenger carrier’s effort to launch two daily round trips between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala.

Testifying in the Surface Transportation Board’s online hearing, Randall Hunt, the railroad’s senior director of interline services, used diagrams and drone footage to illustrate the impact on 3 miles of NS trackage, known as the “Back Belt,” connecting CSX’s Gentilly Yard and the route to the New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal.

Freight trains from six Class I railroads converge on this double-track connection, Hunt said, most of which is also used by Amtrak’s New Orleans-New York Crescent.

I've got to give some props to Amtrak for a little "guerilla tactics" here:

Amtrak live streams a mostly empty track for the day.

It seems to be bearing fruit, per Trains News Wire coverage of the STB hearings to date:

WASHINGTON — Last week’s fourth day of testimony at the Surface Transportation Board’s hearing on Amtrak Gulf Coast service focused on two questions:

— “Where did the data used for traffic modeling come from?”

— “What constitutes a train that can cause ‘unreasonable impairment’ to freight operations” if two passenger round trips are introduced between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala?

Details of the traffic modeling for the New Orleans-Mobile route remains a significant point of contention in the slow-moving evidentiary hearing, set to resume today (Tuesday, April 12) at 9:30 a.m. There will be a two-hour break from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. because of scheduling conflicts.

This will be the first of at least four additional days of testimony; additional hearing dates will be this Thursday, April 14; Monday, April 18; and Tuesday, April 19. If the hearing is not concluded by the 19th — a distinct possibility with only four of 12 scheduled witnesses having testified so far — additional dates will be scheduled in May.

Also from the above article, an independent advocacy group posted a timelapse video of how many trains pass through the Pascagoula Bridge... doesn't look too busy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6mdvDwscwc

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Fri Apr 15, 2022 10:36 am Also from the above article, an independent advocacy group posted a timelapse video of how many trains pass through the Pascagoula Bridge... doesn't look too busy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6mdvDwscwc

Interesting video but essentially minimal probative value. For a minimum level of statistical validity, such a video for 7 consecutive days for that time period would be required. For a reasonable level of statistical validity, a 95.5% confidence level, 3 or 4 weeks of consecutive days would be required.

Ken W2KB wrote: ↑Fri Apr 15, 2022 11:42 am

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Fri Apr 15, 2022 10:36 am Also from the above article, an independent advocacy group posted a timelapse video of how many trains pass through the Pascagoula Bridge... doesn't look too busy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6mdvDwscwc

Interesting video but essentially minimal probative value. For a minimum level of statistical validity, such a video for 7 consecutive days for that time period would be required. For a reasonable level of statistical validity, a 95.5% confidence level, 3 or 4 weeks of consecutive days would be required.

The video, though, is just for the general public. They aren't going to spend an hour watching a month of trains run by. I would hope what Amtrak is posting is a typical day, not an unusually slow one.

From what Amtrak says it found, I'm reminded of the old yarn; guy is arrested for murdering his parents, insists on leniency because now he's an orphan.

These railroads have spent a fortune on stock buybacks rather on upgrading their tracks to live up to the changes they are making, such as having trains that are far longer than their sidings. Even without Amtrak wanting to RESTORE service, this seems beyond absurd, and railroads should not be allowed things like buybacks before they get their house in order.

Say what you will about share repurchase, but if CSX is making do with the physical plant as-is, why would they need to be spending any more than necessary on track?

As a private property, CSX can move trains as slowly as they wish. Amtrak cannot move as slow... if it will cost money to make it practical for the speeds needed to meet the schedule, Amtrak needs to pay the full cost for those improvements.

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Certainly shows the downfalls of having private companies owning essential infrastructure.

David Benton wrote: ↑Mon Apr 18, 2022 4:37 am Certainly shows the downfalls of having private companies owning essential infrastructure.

Exactly. CSX isn't a toy company making board games for kids. It's a crucial part of this country's economy that has gotten many special breaks because of it. They may be privately owned but due to the nature of their position in the infrastructure they don't get to do whatever they want.