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Midwest-Texas Auto Train

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  • Member since
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  • From: Dallas, TX
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Posted by CMStPnP on Sunday, December 30, 2012 12:21 PM

PNWRMNM

CM

Better to be silent and thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.

Mac 

Mac,

Character is like a tree, and reputation like a shadow.   The shadow is what we think of it.    The tree is the real thing.Smile

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Posted by schlimm on Sunday, December 30, 2012 12:52 PM

Cmnstp's s comment was obviously a mildly sarcastic joke but sam1 chose to engage in name calling,  Perhaps folks need a thicker skin and a better sense of humor around here?

C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan

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Posted by UChicagoMatt on Monday, December 31, 2012 7:11 PM
The tremendous distance and poor track for Chi-SA would work against such a plan. I-95 is choked with cars and there exists a time-honored tradition of escaping to Florida. Chicago itself is choked with traffic, but I-55 is rural and fast. My experience as a Chicagoan is that the gulf side of Florida is way ahead of Texas. The 1970s autotrain to Florida left from Louisville owing to horrific track Chi-Ind. That has not changed. However, any train would have to leave from no farther south than Merrillville or University Park. To Chicagoans, Louisville is already the South. I would venture that much of the Chi-TX traffic is Latino and the economy of scale of the car vastly outweighs buying 6-8 tickets. In any event, money spent creating a fast regional hub out of a Millennium Park Station has far more benefits for more people than an 1800-mile autotrain to Texas.
  • Member since
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  • From: Dallas, TX
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Posted by CMStPnP on Tuesday, January 1, 2013 9:44 AM

UChicagoMatt
The tremendous distance and poor track for Chi-SA would work against such a plan. I-95 is choked with cars and there exists a time-honored tradition of escaping to Florida. Chicago itself is choked with traffic, but I-55 is rural and fast. My experience as a Chicagoan is that the gulf side of Florida is way ahead of Texas. The 1970s autotrain to Florida left from Louisville owing to horrific track Chi-Ind. That has not changed. However, any train would have to leave from no farther south than Merrillville or University Park. To Chicagoans, Louisville is already the South. I would venture that much of the Chi-TX traffic is Latino and the economy of scale of the car vastly outweighs buying 6-8 tickets. In any event, money spent creating a fast regional hub out of a Millennium Park Station has far more benefits for more people than an 1800-mile autotrain to Texas.

I just rode the Texas Eagle this Christmas.     Chicago to Dallas has pretty decent track and we did at least 70 mph most of the way.     The Texas Eagle schedule is clearly padded.     Northbound to Chicago we pulled off into a siding and blew 90 min of running time because we were running so fast North (we were running with UP's directional flow of traffic).     Southbound was different as we were running against the UP directional flow of traffic, so we were an hour late.

Most of the Texas Eagle traffic was not Latino, it was primarily White, Black, then other minorities.

Minor item of significance is UPRR is working on the northbound siwtches at Dallas Union Station so the Texas Eagle has to back out of that station and then do a runby past after it's stop there.      That takes time as well.    UPRR is almost done and that should be a moot point in 2013.

Another growing factor in the Texas Eagle being late is the train has to stop twice at most stations during the holidays at least because it is so long (15 cars and two locos when I rode it) once for sleepers and once for coach.       I would propose at the intermediate stops it just stops for coach at most stations and just have the few sleeper passengers walk the inside of the train with their bags OR board at major stations where there is a 20 min smoke break.     It would speed up the schedule more, IMO.

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, January 2, 2013 5:24 PM

schlimm

Cmnstp's s comment was obviously a mildly sarcastic joke but sam1 chose to engage in name calling,  Perhaps folks need a thicker skin and a better sense of humor around here? 

I did not take it as a mildly sarcastic joke. I took it as a hidden agenda that the author is yet to answer, other than to offer another trite comeback. You can afford to claim that I am being overly sensitive. The comment was not directed at you. And by the way, who asked you to weigh into the issue?  What business is if of yours?

People posting to these forums should confine their comments to rail issues.  Personal comments and ill attempts at jokes, which never fly very well in the internet world, should not be part of any posting.

My reference to ignorant behavior is just that. If you want to categorize it as name calling, that is your choice, although as I said, it is none of your business. If people don't want a push back from me, comments should be kept to the subject at hand. Personal comments and observations are out-of-bounds, but throw one at me, and I will throw it right back at you. Or anyone else.

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, January 2, 2013 5:26 PM

CMStPnP

PNWRMNM

CM

Better to be silent and thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.

Mac 

Mac,

Character is like a tree, and reputation like a shadow.   The shadow is what we think of it.    The tree is the real thing.Smile 

What is the meaning of this comment?  What is your issue?  

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Posted by schlimm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013 9:36 PM

Sam1

schlimm

Cmnstp's s comment was obviously a mildly sarcastic joke but sam1 chose to engage in name calling,  Perhaps folks need a thicker skin and a better sense of humor around here? 

I did not take it as a mildly sarcastic joke. I took it as a hidden agenda that the author is yet to answer, other than to offer another trite comeback. You can afford to claim that I am being overly sensitive. The comment was not directed at you. And by the way, who asked you to weigh into the issue?  What business is if of yours?

People posting to these forums should confine their comments to rail issues.  Personal comments and ill attempts at jokes, which never fly very well in the internet world, should not be part of any posting.

My reference to ignorant behavior is just that. If you want to categorize it as name calling, that is your choice, although as I said, it is none of your business. If people don't want a push back from me, comments should be kept to the subject at hand. Personal comments and observations are out-of-bounds, but throw one at me, and I will throw it right back at you. Or anyone else.

I would suggest you take your own medicine then.  All participants are permitted to comment on any post, even those apparently directed at others, whether in r jest or anger.  I notice you didn't tell mac when he "weigh into the issue" that his comment was" none of his business."   You make the pronouncement: "Personal comments and ill attempts at jokes, which never fly very well in the internet world, should not be part of any posting."  yet there are three permanent threads on the general forum which are largely attempts at humor.  Maybe you don't care for attempts at humor, especially when they aren't your cup of tea?  I don't, honestly, but i don't say there shouldn't be any such postings.  Who appointed you to be the moderator?  If you think someone is launching a personal attack at you, you are supposed to report the abuse to the moderators, not "flame" at another member. 

C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, January 2, 2013 9:45 PM

schlimm

Sam1

schlimm

Cmnstp's s comment was obviously a mildly sarcastic joke but sam1 chose to engage in name calling,  Perhaps folks need a thicker skin and a better sense of humor around here? 

I did not take it as a mildly sarcastic joke. I took it as a hidden agenda that the author is yet to answer, other than to offer another trite comeback. You can afford to claim that I am being overly sensitive. The comment was not directed at you. And by the way, who asked you to weigh into the issue?  What business is if of yours?

People posting to these forums should confine their comments to rail issues.  Personal comments and ill attempts at jokes, which never fly very well in the internet world, should not be part of any posting.

My reference to ignorant behavior is just that. If you want to categorize it as name calling, that is your choice, although as I said, it is none of your business. If people don't want a push back from me, comments should be kept to the subject at hand. Personal comments and observations are out-of-bounds, but throw one at me, and I will throw it right back at you. Or anyone else.

I would suggest you take your own medicine then.  All participants are permitted to comment on any post, even those apparently directed at others, whether in r jest or anger.  I notice you didn't tell mac when he "weigh into the issue" that his comment was" none of his business."   And who appointed you to be the moderator?  If you think someone is launching a personal attack at you, you are supposed to report the abuse to the moderators, not "flame" at another member. 

Commenting on an rail related issue is vastly different than commenting on a snide remark. The remark was directed at me.  You have no business interpreting what was an obvious slam. How it struck you is irrelevant regarding how I interpreted the comment.  Stick to the subject matter of these forums!

I am keenly waiting for the original commentator to tell me his agenda. Inasmuch as the moderator is reading these posts, he or she already knows that I am not a happy camper.

 

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, January 2, 2013 9:46 PM

CMStPnP

PNWRMNM

CM

Better to be silent and thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.

Mac 

Mac,

Character is like a tree, and reputation like a shadow.   The shadow is what we think of it.    The tree is the real thing.Smile 

What is your agenda as per this comment, assuming that it is directed at me?

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    July 2006
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Posted by schlimm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013 10:15 PM

You have absolutely no right to tell other members what they may or may not comment upon.  And all your presumptuous bristling because you didn't like CMStPnP's innocuous, albeit somewhat sophomoric sarcastic humor.  

C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan

  • Member since
    July 2006
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Posted by schlimm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013 10:26 PM

And again, your decision to tell me this was none of my business but let mac's comment critical of CMStPnP's joke ride shows that it isn't about someone commenting, it's only about whether or not people agree with your views.  

C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan

  • Member since
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  • From: Allen, TX
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Posted by cefinkjr on Monday, January 7, 2013 5:39 PM

iron mountain

So when they arrive in Texas thay have to drive around in a gas guzzling truck or haul yet a second vehicle behind the RV. The rent on an RV pad is not cheap. And of course the cost of a big luxuriopus RV is like buying a second home. Why not drive an economical small car onto an auto train, rent a comfortable place in Texas and enjoy. There are many rentals available.  If one does the math there is no way haulingand buyuing  your own to Texas is a cheaper alternative to and auto train trip.

I've spent some time in "The Valley" when our Winter Texans were there and I can tell you that many solve the problem by leaving a small, economical car in Texas while they go North for the summer.  Some even buy a small car on arrival and sell it a couple of months later.

Chuck
Allen, TX

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