Google the pictures on the Internet, looks like they did a good job with the restoration. Amtrak will switch to St. Paul Union Depot and abandon Midway station the articles seem to indicate.
I wonder if Trains will give us details on the route change, such as mileposts through the area.
Johnny
At present the Empire Builder goes right past the soon to be reopened station. No route change will be necessary other than the installation of switches and a siding to use to load -passengers. A quick review of satellite views of the various right of ways west of the station did not suggest a better route through the city.
Apparently the interlocking to enter the new station has not been designed. Why? Not disclosed. So it may take several months to get the track, switches, & signaling installed ?
blue streak 1 Apparently the interlocking to enter the new station has not been designed. Why? Not disclosed. So it may take several months to get the track, switches, & signaling installed ?
Interestingly, there will still be a pause at Midway station to switch cars into or out of the consist. Unless something has changed recently, a coach is added/taken off daily for the Twin Cities/Chicago portion of the run, and occasionally private cars need switching as well.
The present Amtrak route through the Twin Cities is the most logical even after Amtrak begins to use SPUD again. The Burlington and the C&NW had to back their passenger trains into SPUD when both operated passenger trains. IF Amtrak wanted to access BNSF near SPUD it would have to do a back up move to access SPUD. If it uses CP it would not. Amtrak uses Minnesota Commercial tracks to access Midway Station and BNSF trackage and should continue to do so after it begins service to SPUD.
Amtrak should also seriously consider using the Fridley Minnesota Station of the Northstar Commuter. With the opening and use of SPUD by Amtrak this will leave the western half of the Twin Cities having to drive to downtown St Paul. The Fridley Station has ample parking available and is near I-694 and easy to get to. The station could be operated as an unstaffed station. The sleeping car attendant could load sleeping car passengers and the Amtrak conductor coach passengers.
Amtrak hopefully might consider an additional train between Chicago and St Cloud Minnesota too.
The Fridley platform would not be 'free' - and I would suspect little revenue. The facts are that Amtrak is dependent on Congressional funding, and has not been able to pay its bills/brake even in it's entire history(let alone pay back the congressional funding that keeps it alive).
I have ridden the EB(in 2010) and it was enjoyable.but I feel that Amtrak may have a bigger competitor in the near future. The large double decker 'Mega Bus' concept could pull away a lot of inter-city traffic. With tickets in the $30 range, and 6 departures/day out of Mpls - This is pulling away student fares....
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
jrbernier The large double decker 'Mega Bus' concept could pull away a lot of inter-city traffic. With tickets in the $30 range, and 6 departures/day out of Mpls - This is pulling away student fares.... Jim
The large double decker 'Mega Bus' concept could pull away a lot of inter-city traffic. With tickets in the $30 range, and 6 departures/day out of Mpls - This is pulling away student fares....
Very little competition between the train and the bus. This is often cited by bus operators when Amtrak starts up service in a local area that Amtrak will take all their service. I think the competition or crossover between bus and train is approx 11% at best. Majority of Amtrak's competition for load factor is airlines and automobiles.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.