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[quote user="John WR"] In May's Trains Bob Johnston offers a fascinating look at what has happened to the Texas Eagle.  In 1997, Bob reports, Amtrak had all but given up on the train.  Then in Texas a grass roots organization emerged to save it:  The Texas Eagle Marketing and Performance Organization.  TEMPO created a website offering information about the train along with a clear map and connecting trains.  It also advised Amtrak about setting fares to yield maximum revenue (within the framework of Amtrak's own policy) and generally worked with Amtrak to improve performance.  The result is a 12.8 per cent increase in ridership in fiscal 2012 and a revenue increase of 7 per cent per year for the last 2 fiscal years.  All of this was accomplished by volunteers (most of whom seem to be Texans) who simply value rail transportation.   TEMPO is working with Amtrak to obtain better scheduling and hopes to get more and newer equipment which will boost ridership and revenue.   The TEMPO website is an excellent example of what local people can do to improve the performance of trains serving their area.  http://tempo-rail.org/ [/quote] I ride the Texas Eagle six to eight times a year.  I usually take it from Taylor to Dallas or Taylor to San Antonio. I am reasonably familiar with the train. In FY12 the passenger count was 337,973 compared to 299,508 in FY11 or an increase of 12,8 per cent.  The sleeping car count was 38,921 vs. 36,048 or an increase of 8.0 per cent.   The FY12 revenues were $28.5 million compared to FY11 revenues of 26.6 per cent or an increase of 7.14 per cent. Sleeping car revenues increased 5.2 per cent. The FY12 loss was $34.5 million compared to $30.1 million in FY11.  This was an increase of 14.6 per cent. The average end point to end point load factor for the Eagle was approximately 71 per cent in FY12 and FY11. I have attended several TEMPO meetings.  The sponsors don't have a clue about finance nor as far as I could tell do they care.  Clearly, given the FY12 to FY11 comparison, it appears that Amtrak, perhaps with the encouragement of TEMPO, is buying ridership.  Increasing ridership without a proportional increase in revenues is not an effective business strategy. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison was the key factor in saving the Texas Eagle and having it upgraded to daily service. TEMPO likes to take the lion's share of the credit for the improvements, as well as the establishment of the Heartland Flyer, but I believe it was the influence of Senator Hutchison that was critical to the outcome. Senator Hutchison is now retired from the Senate.  TEMPO is not likely to get a sympathetic hearing from the incumbent senators.
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