Amtrak has the authority to force access to freight railroads right of way why dont they use it?
That authority has been used only once in the case of Boston and Maine Guilford in Mass. Amtraks creation in law had the authority to force access when they need it. Why then do we read that Amtrak has to beg UP and CSX for access?
Railroads are a business, we do what we do to make money. Show up with a big bag of cash and they will listen.
Editor Emeritus, This Week at Amtrak
Railroads were chartered to provide transportation for passngers and freight, i.e., a common carrier. Amtrak was a deal to let railroads off the hook of a legal obligation to run a decent passenger service.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
When Wick was at NS he didn't cut Amtrak any breaks.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
schlimm Railroads were chartered to provide transportation for passngers and freight, i.e., a common carrier. Amtrak was a deal to let railroads off the hook of a legal obligation to run a decent passenger service.
Yes, and part of the "deal" in exchange for letting the RRs "off the hook" as far as passenger losses were concerned, was that they had to allow NRPC (dba Amtrak) to run the trains, at its own expense, on the RRs infrastructure.
Somehow, that latter part of the "deal" has gotten preverted.
Yes, yes, I know it is their property, etc., etc. But where would they be if there was still an ICC continuing to require that they operate those trains they were allowed to discontinue on 01 May 1971?
For all of the talk about the RRs being "private enterprise", it just looks like they have figured out that they can extort taxpayer $$ from Amtrak (or the states), if a new train frequency/route is wanted bad enough.
Just my 2 cents worth.
When Wick was at NS, like today, generally NS tries to keep Amtrak on time, probably more consistantly than the other five.
DragomanThe law also requires "fair" compensation to the RRs for the use. What is "fair"? UP said it would of course allow making the Sunset daily -- for three-quarters of a billion dollars! Is that "fair"? Is it worth fighting about?
Instead, Amtrak slinked back to Washington and promised not to ask about a daily Sunset for some set amount of years (I forget how many). In the end since it's not the NEC, it was not worth fighting about.
daveklepper When Wick was at NS, like today, generally NS tries to keep Amtrak on time, probably more consistantly than the other five.
He did. In fact, Amtrak train performance was included in the overall train performance metric that was part of the company bonus calculation. Also, NS calculates Amtrak train performance exactly the same way Amtrak measures NS.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
BaltACD When Wick was at NS he didn't cut Amtrak any breaks.
One of the conditions for new Amtrak trains on NS is that they must contribute appropriately to shareholder value. That is, they must pay above their cost to accomodate.
oltmannd daveklepper When Wick was at NS, like today, generally NS tries to keep Amtrak on time, probably more consistantly than the other five. He did. In fact, Amtrak train performance was included in the overall train performance metric that was part of the company bonus calculation. Also, NS calculates Amtrak train performance exactly the same way Amtrak measures NS.
All carriers calculate Amtrak performance the way Amtrak does, otherwise they would be talking apples and fireflys when it comes time to negotiate with Amtrak. NS has very little in the way of Amtrack to operate.
BaltACD NS has very little in the way of Amtrack to operate.
I think you don't have that correct.
Most Amtrak trains out of Chicago use NS. Cardinal/Hoosier to Thorton Jct, IL. Michigan trains to Porter IN. Lake Shore Limited to Cleveland, Capitol Limited to Pittsburg. Also Pennsylvanian between Pittsburg and Harrisburg PA. And they host the Crescent plus the N. Carolina trains, the NE Regionals to Lynchburg and Norfolk. And I think the Adriondak is now NS (ex D&H) north of Schenectady.
I won't say they have more than the other three class I's. CSX has the Cardinal. the Florida trains, All of the trains south of Washington DC until Alexandria where NS's split off. The Empire service West of Albany as well as the Lake Shore Limited
BNSF has the Empire Builder West of Minneapolis, The CZ between Chicago & Denver and the SW Chief all the way, Also the Illinois trains to Quincy. I'm not clear how the trains between Portland and Seattle are operated but I think that it is BNSF. The Cascades to Vancouver. The San Diego trains south of LA. P/O the San Joaquins
Up has the Sunset, the CZ west of Denver, the Coast Starlight, plus the Capitol Corridor trains and a part of the San Joaquins. The Texas Eagle S of Joliet.
I am not listing the CP and CN but they have a few. And the KCS has none.
Thats the ones I can think of, I invite others to correct. How do you calculate the "OPERATE". Number of trains, train milage?
Electroliner 1935 Cardinal/Hoosier to Thorton Jct, IL.
Cardinal/Hoosier to Thorton Jct, IL.
80th st to Thorton Jct is the UP/CSX ex C&EI, not the NS.
An "expensive model collector"
My maps show Thornton Jct. I have found that I must reread what I have typed so that it will make sense.
Johnny
IMO Wick needs to gently push for future access not today. There is no extra equipment so an immediate push is an exercise activity in futility. Now when the Sprinters and new Nippon NS cars become active and the shuffling of equipment begins then maybe ?
Since we have no idea what the new Congress will do requirements to operate Amtrak anything else is premature.
n01294480th st to Thorton Jct is the UP/CSX ex C&EI, not the NS.
You are correct, after leaving Chicago Union Station on Amtrak rails, the Cardinal runs on the NS (former PRR) track South of the Amtrak sanitary canal bridge (21st st) to 40th St where it diverges to the UP (former C&EI). It takes UP track to Thornton Jct where it connects to the CN (former GTW) thence CN to Maynard where it goes to CSX (former Monon). So crews have to be familiar with five carriers rules.
Electroliner 1935 n012944 You are correct, after leaving Chicago Union Station on Amtrak rails, the Cardinal runs on the NS (former PRR) track South of the Amtrak sanitary canal bridge (21st st) to 40th St where it diverges to the UP (former C&EI). It takes UP track to Thornton Jct where it connects to the CN (former GTW) thence CN to Maynard where it goes to CSX (former Monon). So crews have to be familiar with five carriers rules.
n012944
And have in their possession all the rule books, train handling rule books, safety rule books, time table, Superintendent bulletins and train messages for each carrier whose territory they are operating on.
"UP has ............The Texas Eagle S of Joliet."
This is mostly but not completely accurate. Between Dallas and Fort Worth the Texas Eagle runs over the Trinity Railway Express, which is the former Rock Island line between the two cities. Between Fort Worth and Temple it runs on the BNSF.
Rio Grande Valley, CFI,CFII
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