Amtrak's Five Year Plan

https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/proj ... 8-FY23.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

First time I info about looking at DMU train sets for short distance trains. Makes sense if cheaper than a Genesis and three Amfleet cars to operate.

Gratifying to see the new Chief Safety Officer position, especially at an Executive Vice President level. Also good to see Amtrak devote a full page to the Cascades crash (p. 41) and their response.

DMUs and DEMUs are mentioned on page 15 for those following at home - those would be a long-term solution for Springfield Shuttle service, but unexpected. Maybe Nippon Sharyo can repair its reputation and supply equipment as the only current FRA-compliant (not alternate-compliant or waivered) DMU supplier.

Interesting to note that the NEC map on page 27 shows both SPG-NHV and SPG-BOS (but not ALB-SPG) as NEC connecting services. I wonder if they are hinting at Inland Service resumption?

P. 71 makes me think that national crew base rationalization is on the horizon.

Discussion of stemming food & beverage losses is all over the entire LD Service Line section and again on p. 152. Interested & worried to see what that might mean for the existence of diners on eastern LDs, and some western ones like the Sunset Limited east of San Antonio.

Does Amtrak Services have a list of private car suppliers they can call upon for charter service, so they don’t have to reserve a percentage of Amtrak-owned equipment for charters (p. 108)? Seems like it wouldn’t be a bad idea anyway.

Doesn't sound good for the long distance trains, but alas, elections have consequences.

Matter of time before the whole SL consist goes to Chicago as the TExas Eagle and three or four cars goes to NOL as the Sunset Ltd.

mtuandrew wrote: P. 71 makes me think that national crew base rationalization is on the horizon.

I think review is overdue , but I'm not sure rationalization is the answer to reducing costs. More crew bases could reduce away costs , and allow more trains to operate with one man in the cab. New regional services may mean new crew bases are more economic than the traditional ones. An example would be the Expanded Lynchburg - Roanoke may make a crew base at Charlottesville or Lynchburg viable. This may reduce costs for the Cardinal , and the Crescent.

Does it seem like they're talking about downsizing the trains even while noting a 25% increase in long distance ridership?

Matt Johnson wrote:Does it seem like they're talking about downsizing the trains even while noting a 25% increase in long distance ridership?

Sounds more like they're going to try for more flexible consists. Probably because they equipment shortage is getting worse and worse.

pp31. They are going to put deodorizers in the bathrooms of the Acelas.

pp32.

While the [NEC Acela and Amfleet] bathrooms are normally dispatched in good condition, the conditions deteriorate with use as paper products and liquids find their way to the sink counters and floors

emphasis added.

Interesting, can't seem to cut and paste from the pdf...

DMUs & DEMUs -- Aren't they more expensive than buying a locomotive + a coach? Budd's RDCs saved the railroads money. Do DEMUs even exist right now? Maybe lash an M8 to a SMART... I'm a big fan of the concept if they can fix the capital cost & inspections cost & crumple-zone issues.

BandA wrote:Do DEMUs even exist right now? Maybe lash an M8 to a SMART...

Nope, not over here - possibly overseas but I don’t know of them. A dual mode diesel/3rd rail would be simple enough (more or less a SMART DMU with some added South Shore guts) but AC/diesel would be complex and heavy.

mtuandrew wrote:

BandA wrote:Do DEMUs even exist right now? Maybe lash an M8 to a SMART...

Nope, not over here - possibly overseas but I don’t know of them. A dual mode diesel/3rd rail would be simple enough (more or less a SMART DMU with some added South Shore guts) but AC/diesel would be complex and heavy.

Yes in France are they click

SRich wrote:

mtuandrew wrote:

BandA wrote:Do DEMUs even exist right now? Maybe lash an M8 to a SMART...

Nope, not over here - possibly overseas but I don’t know of them. A dual mode diesel/3rd rail would be simple enough (more or less a SMART DMU with some added South Shore guts) but AC/diesel would be complex and heavy.

Yes in France are they click

Stadler is building DEMUs FLIRTs running under 25kV AC. It's your basic intercity EMU FLIRT with a diesel power car added. Check out British Rail Class 755 FLIRT.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_755" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://railcolornews.com/2017/12/22/uk- ... er-anglia/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Stadler is building DMU FLIRTs for TexRail (Fort Worth) and Arrow (Redlands) commuter rail agencies. They've saved money eliminating the electric power collection from overhead catenaries and will not be bi-mode - but this could be added later.

I find it astounding that the percentage of Amtrak's seat-miles that are occupied by revenue-paying passengers is only 50%-60% or so.

That means that even if Amtrak sold part of those unsold seats at steeply discounted prices, it would be operationally profitable.

Don't airlines have percentages of at least 80%-90%?

mtuandrew wrote: Discussion of stemming food & beverage losses is all over the entire LD Service Line section and again on p. 152. Interested & worried to see what that might mean for the existence of diners on eastern LDs, and some western ones like the Sunset Limited east of San Antonio.

First Class Transfer (p. 152)
FY2018: $69.4m
2019: $61.3m
2020: $59.6m
2021: $54.4m
2022: $51.2m
2023: $52.5m

Are they thinking of introducing a sleeper class that doesn't have complimentary meals? Or are they budgeting a steep decline in sleeper ridership?

They already have a sleeper class that doesn't include meals: the Silver Star, and it's been deemed successful, I hear.