Railroad Forums 

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

  • Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.
Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.

Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, mtuandrew, Tadman

 #1546291  by Gilbert B Norman
 
It appears that I "overquoted" in my immediate post, which resulted in Mr. Dunville making a comment beyond my intent.

I have edited that Fair Use to reflect my intent of only addressing a matter relating to passenger rail.

Once again, the fault is mine, and I ask the Forum to accept my sincere apology.
 #1546297  by WashingtonPark
 
Tadman wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 8:27 am
When I check in at hotels or rental car desks and mention I've just arrived on the train, the looks I get are stranger than if I just arrived in a Studebaker from outer space driven by John Lithgow.
Why would they think John Lithgow driving you was strange?
 #1546306  by exvalley
 
Can anyone explain why they have not updated the timetables for post-October 1st travel? For those of us with reservations it would be nice to know if we are impacted. I have a couple of theories:
1) This is a bluff in order to seek more funding from the government;
2) They are still working out schedules and arrangements with connection partners;
3) There is some sort of regulatory process that they have to go through.
 #1546308  by David Benton
 
exvalley wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 3:11 pm Can anyone explain why they have not updated the timetables for post-October 1st travel? For those of us with reservations it would be nice to know if we are impacted. I have a couple of theories:
1) This is a bluff in order to seek more funding from the government;
2) They are still working out schedules and arrangements with connection partners;
3) There is some sort of regulatory process that they have to go through.
Searches for early Oct seats on theLSl still showed daily service last nite. Work in progress I think.
 #1546312  by Tadman
 
WashingtonPark wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 2:34 pm
Tadman wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 8:27 am
When I check in at hotels or rental car desks and mention I've just arrived on the train, the looks I get are stranger than if I just arrived in a Studebaker from outer space driven by John Lithgow.
Why would they think John Lithgow driving you was strange?
That was a reference to the show "Third Rock from the Sun" where John Lithgow played an alien and drove a red 1960ish Studebaker or Rambler which was also their space ship. It was very tongue-in-cheek as was the show.
 #1546314  by David Benton
 
Amtrak .com still showing daily departures bookings available for LSL 3rd week of October.

EU has more deaths than the USA, but around 1/2 the current infections EU population is now 450 ish million.
https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps ... 7b48e9ecf6
 #1546360  by Gilbert B Norman
 
I'm sure the advocacy community cheers when they learn of this Huffington Post material.

Fair Use:
While rail advocates have long called on the U.S. to invest in train infrastructure and commit to building a world-class, coast-to-coast, environmentally friendly passenger rail system, the funding has yet to come. Flying remains the default way to travel between distant cities.

Some see a sliver of hope that this may change, however, as the U.S. grapples with both the coronavirus pandemic and the climate crisis.

For one thing, air travel suddenly looks a lot less enticing in the COVID-19 era. With social distancing nearly impossible at 30,000 feet, anxieties are high and passengers eye each other skeptically, worried that every cough or sneeze will spread the coronavirus. And the pandemic has dealt the aviation industry a catastrophic financial blow, grounding thousands of planes and leading to pay cuts for many of the roughly 715,000 people it employs in the U.S.
Even if not said, the freelance journalist author, obviously holds "make 'em run more trains". But to do so will require dedicated passenger ROW's much as exists in the Corridor and with Utah Transit. But so far as imposing upon the industry to run more passenger trains over their existing property simply represents a "taking". As more roads adopt "The Gospel According to Yager", otherwise known as Precision Railroading, the impact of any such "taking" will be harder to absorb.

"One a day", even if they wish it could be gone, but over the past fifty years, the industry has become Kubler-Ross Phase V "Acceptance" on such. Any more intrusions, uh "not too sure" on that one.
Last edited by Gilbert B Norman on Thu Jun 25, 2020 1:00 pm, edited 3 times in total.
 #1546365  by Tadman
 
exvalley wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 3:11 pm Can anyone explain why they have not updated the timetables for post-October 1st travel? For those of us with reservations it would be nice to know if we are impacted. I have a couple of theories:
1) This is a bluff in order to seek more funding from the government;
2) They are still working out schedules and arrangements with connection partners;
3) There is some sort of regulatory process that they have to go through.
I think #1 might be correct, and it will prove just how important a national network really is.
 #1546390  by Jeff Smith
 
Tadman wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 4:24 pmThat was a reference to the show "Third Rock from the Sun" where John Lithgow played an alien and drove a red 1960ish Studebaker or Rambler which was also their space ship. It was very tongue-in-cheek as was the show.
AMC Rambler's rule! Car I ruled on. I got the reference right away.

Now, what we need for a cultural reference is "Petticoat Junction"!
 #1546396  by Gilbert B Norman
 
Off topic, Mr. Site Owner:
Jeff Smith wrote: Thu Jun 25, 2020 12:21 pm AMC Rambler's rule! Car I ruled on. I got the reference right away.
After two VW's I had while in Service - one of which was a "lemon", it was time for an AMC Hornet. I had it for my first two years with the MILW, but I totally hated it. Imagine trying to start that thing in Wausau, WI during January!

No wonder I've "graduated" to a Lexus LS 500 today.
 #1546399  by lordsigma12345
 
I don't think it's a bluff but I think it is certainly possible the supplemental funding they are seeking could include language that would handcuff them from making some of the cuts. The Silver service is obviously a less painful or impactful cut since many of the stations will still have daily service which is probably why it's happening now. I would say that absent such a congressional handcuff the cuts will be occurring.
 #1546407  by Jeff Smith
 
As a "robber baron" of railfan web-sites, I exempted myself! :wink:
Gilbert B Norman wrote: Thu Jun 25, 2020 1:35 pm Off topic, Mr. Site Owner:
Jeff Smith wrote: Thu Jun 25, 2020 12:21 pm AMC Rambler's rule! Car I ruled on. I got the reference right away.
After two VW's I had while in Service - one of which was a "lemon", it was time for an AMC Hornet. I had it for my first two years with the MILW, but I totally hated it. Imagine trying to start that thing in Wausau, WI during January!

No wonder I've "graduated" to a Lexus LS 500 today.
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