Shippers vs. Amtrak

[gokeefe]

Basically, short of frequency, service, and station improvements, the one route that Amtrak is missing is Detroit-Toledo.

I think Detroit-Buffalo would be more useful ...

With regards to the bigger picture the best option in my mind could be tax credits to host railroads or tax exemptions on rights of way carrying Amtrak (most states dont tax rights of way but some important ones like NY do).

Either of these (or both) could be done in lieu of host railroad payments and might have the additional benefit of eliminating an entire expense line item for Amtrak.

Such a program could also have some pretty specific requirements for OTP and other metrics.

[ExCon90]

Back in the day, I was on a Southern Railway train that had some piggyback trailer cars attached. I don't remember the route. Is this combination something that could make any economic sense today? Maybe with double stacks instead of TOFC.

The trouble with that has always been the disparity of origins and destinations: passengers go from one station to another, while mail, express, and freight go between facilities designed to handle them. Amtrak's "mixed trains" were always delayed by time-consuming adding and dropping of cars at places other than passenger stations. Even pre-Amtrak mail operations are largely no longer possible because post offices are more and more rarely located adjacent to passenger stations, New York, Philadelphia, and (I think) Washington being prime examples.

[CTRailfan]

I think Detroit-Buffalo would be more useful ...

Sure, that's a good idea. Connect to the end of the Empire Service. Were you referring to a Canadian router? Not sure if there is a logical route through Canada, or if it would be a logistical nightmare with the border, but that is an interesting alternative. There is a bridge at Niagara that looks hilariously steep (like Cog Railroad steep) in the Google Maps view embedded in Amtrak's website due to the way they stitch the images together or do the 3D view.

[Tadman]

Traverse City was a nod to one of Tad’s ideas a while back. And Detroit-Lansing seems an obvious passenger route, no?

The fact that gravel is largely being hailed by truck is an issue, at least if the quarry and the construction project in question is accessible by rail. Back to my last post, I also think railroads will have to try for some of that higher-speed, higher-value, shorter-distance traffic like just-in-time deliveries of everything from Amazon shipments to auto parts. That helps the case of passenger rail (similar speeds, more-similar routing patterns, similar siding and signaling needs), instead of working at cross-purposes as does Precision Scheduled Railroading.

Such auto plants are mostly in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois. This would be wicked good use of a concept like Reading Bee-Line, but PSR is the exact opposite of such. Ergo we have trucks taking market share back.

I like the idea of a Caledonian Sleeper-like train because it doesn't need fancy equipment or track. It could start in Chicago at 5:30pm, pause in Ann Arbor at 1030p, then arrive Traverse City at 730a. The 25mph state-owned tracks operated by GLC aren't a problem because you don't want to do 70mph and arrive at 3am. Such an operation is probably only 2-3x/week April-October, but would be a good way to get existing cars off the roads up there and also provide cheap transport for the summer employees of the area that aren't that well compensated anyway.

[gokeefe]

I think Detroit-Buffalo would be more useful ...

Sure, that's a good idea. Connect to the end of the Empire Service. Were you referring to a Canadian router?

Yes, specifically with the DET station moved to MCS and BUF (Depew) back at BCT.

[CTRailfan]

Yes, specifically with the DET station moved to MCS and BUF (Depew) back at BCT.

Interesting idea. It certainly would provide some more long-distance connectivity to the Detroit area from the East.