Informal poll

[Lithonia Operator]

Who thinks that Amtrak will be allowed to run from NOLA to Mobile?

Or not.

Put me down as a yes, but barely, just a 51/49 yes.

[BaltACD]

If they are granted authority to operate, I feature it will be the Amtrak service with the largest loss/mile of operation, and it will get shut down by Amtrak after a relatively short period of time.

I don't think Amtrak actually made a case for operation.

[Lithonia Operator]

Balt, I fear you may be right.

[BEAUSABRE]

No

[anglecock]

Will this be a state supported service ....if so the train could run empty and still break even

[Overmod]

Personally, I am almost astounded that they shouldn't be.  Amtrak ran service through these before the freight carriers discovered precision scheduling, and given a little Federal very best butter applied to the cams and springs, I doubt that a couple of trains each way actually poses a major logistics disaster for the freight railroads' service.

Of course they will have to stop being snide little children.  In the case of Federal officials it would appear that will be difficult.

[BaltACD]

Note - there are 11 active movable bridges on the line between New Orleans and Mobile.  For several of the bridges, the bridge operators have to get Track Car Authorities from a location on 'dry land' to operate a track car to the bridge and relieve the On Duty bridge operator who then operates the track car back to 'dry land' and releases the Authority.  There is at least one passing siding on the line that cannot be accessed by highway vehicles.

Just some minor operational issues.

[Flintlock76]

Overmod

Of course they will have to stop being snide little children.  In the case of Federal officials it would appear that will be difficult.

I don't know, tantrum-throwing seems to be all the rage nowadays.  

[MidlandMike]

Amtrak seems awfully invested in the push to complete the reinstatement of the train to give in.  Unless there is a court case that stops it, I believe the service will happen.

[Electroliner 1935]

Rode the Sunset Limited from Miami to L.A. back when that was operating. Long trip with miles of miles but an interesting trip. I do not recall any train hiccups, just ran the published schedule. Now the Class I's want no part of Amtrak. They can't run the freight trains reliably and want to blame Amtrak for their incompetence.

[alphas]

The Sunset Limited was Amtrak's biggest LD money loser.   I don't remember the exact figures but an LA to FL coach passenger cost Amtrak more than $700 over what the passenger paid.