The big ax just fell. Long distance to 3x/week.

[Safetee]

Let's face it whether or not long distance trains have any value in 2020s smart phone theocracy, amtrak has been on the track of perdition and hellfire from the beginning. From the complete lack of meaningful congressional funding to get a truly worthy product on the market, to and through the modally expensive, constantly late, and frequently dirty trains, Amtraks version of the quality long distance passenger train has largely been approved only by the hardy rail fan. Unclear how long it will take for amtrak to completely throw that baby out the window, but i wont be surprised if elimination of heating and air conditioning is the cost saving approach signal for the last straw.

[J.D. Lang]

Unclear how long it will take for amtrak to completely throw that baby out the window, but i wont be surprised if elimination of heating and air conditioning is the cost saving approach signal for the last straw.

That's what Alfred Perlman did with the New York Central. Pretty efective.

[Westernstar1]

Information on the frequency reductions for 10 Long Distance Amtrak trains, to take place in October:

https://is.gd/YZGx3R

The 2021 Transportation Bill says Amtrak appropriations must be coupled with no reduction in frequencies, trains, or personnel.

Richard

[Jeff Smith]

https://media.amtrak.com/2020/08/update ... k-service/

Long Distance Service Updates

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting decrease in travel demand, most Amtrak long distance routes will operate tri-weekly beginning in October 2020. All stations along these routes will be operated on days when Amtrak service is offered. Tri-weekly service will begin on the following routes:

Effective Week of October 5, 2020:

California Zephyr

Train #5 (Westbound) departs Chicago: Monday/Wednesday/Saturday
Train #6 (Eastbound) departs Emeryville, CA: Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday
Capitol Limited

Train #29 (Westbound) departs Washington, DC: Wednesday/Friday/Sunday
Train #30 (Eastbound) departs Chicago: Monday/Thursday/Saturday
City of New Orleans

Train #58 (Northbound) departs New Orleans: Wednesday/Friday/Sunday
Train #59 (Southbound) departs Chicago: Monday/Thursday/Saturday
Crescent

Train #19 (Southbound) departs New York: Tuesday/Friday/Sunday
Train #20 (Northbound) departs New Orleans: Tuesday/Thursday/Sunday
Effective Week of October 12, 2020:

Coast Starlight

Train #11 (Southbound) departs Seattle: Monday/Wednesday/Saturday
Train #14 (Northbound) departs Los Angeles: Monday/Wednesday/Friday
Lake Shore Limited

Train #48 (Eastbound) departs Chicago Monday/Thursday/Saturday
Train #49 (Westbound) departs New York: Wednesday/Friday/Sunday
Train #448 (Eastbound) departs Chicago: Monday/Thursday/Saturday
Train #449 (Westbound) departs Boston: Wednesday/Friday/Sunday
Southwest Chief

Train #3 (Westbound) departs Chicago: Monday/Thursday/Saturday
Train #4 (Eastbound) departs Los Angeles: Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday
Texas Eagle

Train #21 (Southbound) departs Chicago: Tuesday/Friday/Sunday
Train #22 (Northbound) departs San Antonio: Tuesday/Friday/Sunday
Effective Week of October 19, 2020:

Empire Builder

Train #7 (Westbound) departs Chicago Monday/Thursday/Saturday
Train #8 (Eastbound): departs Seattle: Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday
Train #27 (Westbound) departs Chicago: Monday/Thursday/Saturday
Train #28 (Eastbound) departs Portland, OR: Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday
Palmetto

Train #89 (Southbound) departs New York: Monday/Thursday/Saturday
Train #90 (Northbound) departs Savanah: Wednesday/Friday/Sunday
Additionally, the Silver Meteor and Silver Star will continue to operate a combined daily service between New York and Miami. The Auto Train will continue to operate daily between Lorton, Va., and Sanford, Fla. There are also no changes for the Cardinal and Sunset Limited, which will continue to operate tri-weekly service.

[Pensyfan19]

The 2021 Transportation Bill says Amtrak appropriations must be coupled with no reduction in frequencies, trains, or personnel.

Any word on how the bill is doing, or when it must be passed by?

[USRailFan]

Isn't there some pro-Amtrak senator that can be persuaded to filibuster it?

[Gilbert B Norman]

Mr. US Fan, not sure where you're from overseas, but around here, it's all about "optics".

Here we are with three of our four private sector major airlines getting ready to "whack" some 30,000 employees, Amtrak employees must be prepared to feel some of the pain. If Amtrak gets appropriations sufficient to get a rescission of the train frequency reductions resulting in no "whackings", imagine the heat that the 33 US Senators standing for reelection this year will take from their airline employee constituents. "Look what you did for that little pipsqueak outfit called Amtrak; look what you failed to do for us".

If more than 500 Amtrak employees are adversely affected, I'd be surprised. 500 v. 30000? well "do the math".

[John_Perkowski]

Interesting. On a Facebook group, OMG, THE FOAMERS!!! They want perfect LD.

Absent a major fuel crisis that I don’t see happening, it’s time to look at a bunch of service in terms of cancellation. It no longer serves a transportation purpose, and I doubt it serves a political purpose.

I’d axe everything but LA-SF.

[mtuandrew]

Isn't there some pro-Amtrak senator that can be persuaded to filibuster it?

Unless you want to remove Amtrak funding, you’re going the wrong way. The bill is already written with Amtrak funding, it just needs to be passed and signed.

[GWoodle]

The 2021 Transportation Bill says Amtrak appropriations must be coupled with no reduction in frequencies, trains, or personnel.

Any word on how the bill is doing, or when it must be passed by?

2020 funding ends at the end of the fiscal year. 2021 needs to be passed ASAP. Given current climate in Washington, not sure if they could do continuing resolution. Kick the can till after November election if not to new Congress in January.

Get the signs ready. Due to the overnite schedule of the LD train, never on Monday/Tuesday somewhere on the route. If you miss your train, could be stuck with last train to Clarkesville.

[rohr turbo]

Isn't there some pro-Amtrak senator that can be persuaded to filibuster it?

Actually that's the incorrect term. A filibuster is a method for obstructing legislation from passing (by reading the phone book all night, etc.).

I do hope Amtrak does get this amount of funding in the next relief bill. Sold-out LD trains (summer, pre-Covid) indicate that this IS a transportation option Americans use.

[RRspatch]

Isn't there some pro-Amtrak senator that can be persuaded to filibuster it?

Actually that's the incorrect term. A filibuster is a method for obstructing legislation from passing (by reading the phone book all night, etc.).

I do hope Amtrak does get this amount of funding in the next relief bill. Sold-out LD trains (summer, pre-Covid) indicate that this IS a transportation option Americans use.

Careful there. Advocating for a national network by mentioning sold out LD trains will get you branded as an "Advocate" which apparently is a MAJOR slur or derogatory term in this "Amtrak" group. Still others will accuse you of 1971 era thinking and one will almost scream at you for stealing shareholder value out of the hands of widows and starving orphans. He will then mention that JUST one Amtrak train is enough to throw an Omaha based railroad into complete chaos! This of course is very telling on just what PSR (aka "asset stripping") has done to the north American railroad system.

Yes, I agree that ridership is down across the system and that perhaps going to less than daily schedules might be needed as a short term fix. But have a hard date (say May 1st 2021) when everything goes back to daily. As was pointed out by a recent Trains magazine article there's no way ridership will recover to pre Covid-19 levels (even if a vaccine is developed) at tri-weakly (sic) levels. The old term "never let a good crisis go to waste" comes to mind here.

Keep what we have and BUILD on it. So yes, I'm an advocate and proud of it.

Note: author is long on RRB cheques.

[njtmnrrbuff]

We will all have to be patient. Even after the vaccine comes out, that doesn't mean that ridership will get back to pre-covid levels quickly. I would like to ride a long distance train soon and haven't in a while. I don't think I will be for a while, at least, outside of a major corridor.

[Gilbert B Norman]

I’d axe everything but LA-SF.

Colonel. what is so sacred about LA-SF where there has never been "single seat" service during the Amtrak era?

Careful there. Advocating for a national network by mentioning sold out LD trains will get you branded as an "Advocate" which apparently is a MAJOR slur or derogatory term in this "Amtrak" group........Keep what we have and BUILD on it. So yes, I'm an advocate and proud of it.

Mr. Spatch, there are other sites and social media groups that deal in advocacy. Some to me appear even more militant than organizaions that hold charters, and standing with the IRS as Exempt Organizations under IRC Section 501, to advocate such.

[David Benton]

RRspatch has a point , we seem to have lost most of our pro L..D and pro Amtrak posters. We should at least strive to be neutral or tone down the ridicule of Amtrak support as anti class One activity. I enjoy a good debate , but it should be civil , and acknowledge others right to have a point of view.
I would also note we have been rolling out the LD adios drumheads regularly for the 15 - 20 years I've been on these forums , and there have been times that their need has seemed more likely than now.