What would you like to see?

[John WR]

oltmannd

I'll just copy off Paul's paper..

Are you a fan of Doris Kearns Goodwin?

[oltmannd]

John WR

but I don't expect you to regard my post as assigned research.

I'll just copy off Paul's paper...

[bill613a]

I don't believe this plan would require another set of equipment.  Currently #97 gets into Miami at 7pm and goes out as #98 the next morning at 8:20am. If #98 were extended to Boston it would arrive at approximately 4:30pm and this equipment would go out as #97 the next morning somewhere between 10-11:am  As far as the maintenance issue goes the Tampa and Miami sections could periodically be rotated.

My list of suggestions was based on the premise of low hanging fruit and the fact that AMTRAK got a reprieve in the last election.  IIRC no major recommendations from the PRIIA of FY 2010 have been implemented.  The CAPITOL/PENNSYLVANIAN consolidation needs to happen and happen soon.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

The Boston-Florida train operated briefly in about 1973 or so.  I believe it can be found in the third Amtrak timetable, which was the first one that was more than just schedules inherited from the freight railroads. It is also infamous for being a proofreader's nightmare.

[John WR]

oltmannd

Back at the dawn of Amtrak, the FL train ran from Boston for a while, I think.  I'll have to dig out an old timetable or two...

That's very good of you Don, but I don't expect you to regard my post as assigned research.  I'll be happy to take your word for it and stand corrected.  

John

[oltmannd]

John WR

bill613a

3. Running the SILVER METEOR as a Boston (Inland route)-Florida train with separate Tampa Bay and Miami(FEC) sections.

Has there ever been more than a through car to and from Boston on a Florida train?  Not as far as I know.   But perhaps a through car might be considered.   

Back at the dawn of Amtrak, the FL train ran from Boston for a while, I think.  I'll have to dig out an old timetable or two...

[John WR]

bill613a

3. Running the SILVER METEOR as a Boston (Inland route)-Florida train with separate Tampa Bay and Miami(FEC) sections.

Has there ever been more than a through car to and from Boston on a Florida train?  Not as far as I know.   But perhaps a through car might be considered.   

[blue streak 1]

bill613a

3. Running the SILVER METEOR as a Boston (Inland route)-Florida train with separate Tampa Bay and Miami(FEC) sections.

Fine idea but would require another set of single level equipment.  also would probably mess up the necessary rotation of single level equipment to / from the MIA maintenance base.

cannot see this any time soon as there is just not enough equipment any time in the for seeable future.

[bill613a]

1. Extension of the VERMONTER to Montreal.

2. Extension of the PALMETTO to Jacksonville.

3. Running the SILVER METEOR as a Boston (Inland route)-Florida train with separate Tampa Bay and Miami(FEC) sections.

4. Finally combining the CAPITOL LTD with thru cars from the PENNSYLVANIAN at Pittsburgh, adjusting the schedules closer to the PENNSYLVANIAN times in Pittsburgh and and rerouting the combined train between Butler, IN and Chicago through Fort Wayne via NS (ex Wabash & NKP).

5. Additional stops on the LAKESHORE LIMITED to include Painesville OH, Ashtabula,OH and Fredonia, NY.

6. Assigning better equipment to the ADIRONDACK by either leasing some of the surplus VIA coaches or as suggested elsewhere on this forum once the Talgo situation has been resolved swap out two existing sets from the Cascadia corridor to this scenic line.  Amfleet doesn't do it justice.

7. When (if) the SOUTHWEST CHIEF is re-routed over the transcon line run a thru coach and sleeper to connect to the Bay Area with an existing SAN JOAQUIN.

[cudjoebob]

well, first off, service on the FEC:  JAX-MIA California style with 6-8 trains a day, plus an extension of a silver service train splitting at JAX.        LAX-Las Vegas is a service that I don't know why hasn't been started years ago.      Chicago-Florida via Atlanta goes through several large metropolitan areas and should be well patronised.     the Carolinian extended to Atlanta.        on the 'pie in the sky' wish list is the extension of the Sunset from New Orleans to Orlando.        oh, and how about starting rail service (Tri-Rail) on the seldom used ex Seaboard freight line from the MIA airport Tri-Rail station to Homestead/Florida City?    (you might deduce from my above list that I live in south Florida, the Keys)

[passengerfan]

I would like to see the Pioneer return with a couple of changes. Route the train Seattle - Portland - Boise - Pocatello - Ogden - Laramie - Denver - Pueblo - Fort Worth - Houston. This would provide the most service to the most people with connections to other trains in Denver - Fort Worth - Houston. Everytime I ever rode the Pioneer it was full in coach and sleeper I was really sorry when it got the axe. And if Amtrak ever runs the Sunset through to Florida again maybe a through sleeper from Seattle to Miami.  

[dakotafred]

Daylight service between Cleveland and Chicago! ... plus overnights with convenient departures at both ends, as in the old days. This used to be a terrific market, and I have to think it could be again. If the former NYC is too busy, run over the old Nickel Plate. The latter misses some decent intermediate stops, but that might actually help by speeding up the schedule to the big end markets.

I can blue-sky with the best!

[AMTRAKKER]

I agree with everyone who has suggested Chicago to Florida service. (long overdue...)

I would also like to see the return of service on the Pioneer route as I would ride the train frequently to Portland.

Perhaps consider some type of direct service out of Chicago serving Las Vegas, and some type of service from Chicago to the San Diego area.

[Anonymous]

Five trains a day between Fort Worth and San Antonio, with intermediate stops in Cleburne, Waco, Round Rock, Austin, and San Marcos. Eventually extend through service to Dallas, but rely on Trinity Railway Express for connecting services in the interim. 

Upgrade route for eventual top speed of 125 mph.  Shoot for an average running speed of 88 mph, which would mean approximately three hours from Fort Worth to San Antonio.

Push/pull operation. No dinning car!  No sleeping car! No checked bagage. Business class and coach class only. Crew = one engineer, one conductor, one bistro car attendant. 

Control access to stations ala BART. Sell 90 per cent of tickets on-line or through automatic ticketing machines at the station, as well as at banks, grocery stores, high volume convenience stores, etc. Charge a 10 per cent penalty for purchasing tickets from a station agent. Shoot for 100 per cent on-line or ticket machine sales in five years. Contract for on-line reservation, ticketing, etc. systems. Don't use government agencies to provide any services. 

Provide ample parking and connections with local transit at aforementioned stations. Upgrade station, i.e. heating and air conditioning, restrooms, appearance, etc.

Contract for construction and operations; accept bids from lowest effective cost bidder. Require operation to recover operating costs within three years and capital costs within five to seven years.  

The I-35 corridor between Dallas/Fort Worth is one of the most congested corridors outside of the NEC and California. This is where the focus should be.  Not the restoration of long distance trains that will never cover their costs!  Eliminate the long distance trains and use the savings to develop corridors similar to the I-35 in Texas as well as others.

[I C Rider]

How about something from Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alalbama, and Louisiansa, to Florida

[schlimm]

Dixie Flyer

My vote would be for Midwest to Florida service fed by corridor trains from St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland and Pittsburg to Cincinnati and a long distance train from there to Florida.

That sounds like it might be a draw, if we already had those corridors.  But the trackage rights might not be too good.  My call would be developing a CHI-IND-Columbus-Pitt corridor over time.  Also, extend the Illinois Blackhawk service to Madison.

[Dixie Flyer]

My vote would be for Midwest to Florida service fed by corridor trains from St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland and Pittsburg to Cincinnati and a long distance train from there to Florida.

[John WR]

Robbie,  

Since you are generous enough to ask what I would like to see I vote for the New England Limited, an all pullman train that ran in the 19th century.  It was immortalized by Rudyard Kipling:  

Without a jar, or roll, or antic,

Without a stop to Willimantic,

The New England Limited takes its way

At three o'clock each day,

Maids and Matrons, daintily dimited,

Ride everyday on the New England Limited;

Rain nor snow ne'er stops its flight,

It makes New York at nine each night,

One half the glories have not been told

Of that wonderful train of white and gold

Which leaves each day for New York at three

Over the N.Y. & N.E.

[RoyPBower]

I would like to  see the Dixie Flyer route from Chicago to Miami restored via Louisville, Nashville, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Macon, Jacksonville, and Florida east coast. Many hefty population centers can be served.

As  for the Quebecois, run a through sleeper from Montreal allowing passengers the night in New York aboard the sleeper before hitching the sleeper to Silver Service the following morning..

Also, Jacksonville - Miami via St Augustine.

[hf1001]

Same as me like I posted earlier. OKC is getting more popularity now with all of the new structures being built. The should definately be thinking about a nicer depot in OKC. The main lobby is closed for parties and private events. Who Knows?

[terry.hall51]

I would like to see an AMTRAK route that runs from Oklahoma City to Kansas City via Tulsa.

[aricat]

 We really need a second Chicago-Twin Cities train which should also include service to Duluth. Anoka county Minnesota seems to be very receptive to the restoration of service. Both I-35 and Minnesota highway 65 have seen dramatic increases in their traffic volume in the last decade. Service should be both commuter( Hinckley-Minneapolis/ St Paul) and through service to Duluth.DMU's not locomotive hauled trains would work best. They could be operated with a two person crew. I'm talking about more than one train a day. Stations except for Hinckley would be unmanned. Vending machines work quite nicely. Hinckley has a casino which could generate a lot of traffic.There is significant potential for good load factors. We need to think outside the box when it comes to train service. Yes there will have to be some subsidy,just how long are we going to subsidize our highways and the trucking industry.I noticed on a trip to Britain in 2006 that trains are being well patronised and there is talk about expanding service on lines that were abandoned in the short sighted Beeching cutbacks in 1965. The Twenty First century will give us a chance to break our dependency on cars and choked highways. Trains are part of the future not part of the problem

[jeaton]

Twice daily Chicago-Cincinnati service making an average speed of, oh say 50 MPH.  Just a tad improvment over the tri-weekly service now carded to make 37.53 MPH.  (That is for my personal convenience, so it really ought to be number one on the list.).

Since such service is headed in the right direction, might as well have the service extended to Florida and other major intermediate points in the Southeast.

[oltmannd]

Montreal, PQ to Jacksonville/Miami FL. Lots of Quebeckers flock to Florida every winter and increasingly through the spring and summer. These folks are 50+....go for extended time frames... a train would be ideal for them. This well defined market might even prove to be profitable.

You can book Montreal to Miami as a multi-city trip.  You have to find your own lodging in NYC for the night, tho'.  You'd think Amtrak could provide seamless service by partnering with a hotel....

[MILW205]

I'm with Kevin (above): extend at least some of the Hiawathas to Green Bay

[Ulrich]

Montreal, PQ to Jacksonville/Miami FL. Lots of Quebeckers flock to Florida every winter and increasingly through the spring and summer. These folks are 50+....go for extended time frames... a train would be ideal for them. This well defined market might even prove to be profitable.

[hf1001]

You know, I believe that going to KC is a lot better than just to Newton. Maybe, now this will probably never happen, but a service going from KC to NEW to OKC to FTW still called the Heartland Flyer trains 821 (from kc) and 822 (from ftw) but then an additional train called the Tulsa Flyer from KC to TLS to OKC. I have no idea what train numbers they could be.

What do ya'll think?(Oklahoma accent by the way)

[Prairietype]

An extended route on the Heartland Flyer to Newton, Kansas

 

What time would you like to see it run?

Also, how would you react to a new additional training leaving OKC in at 7:00 am in the morning for Kansas City, and a Kansas City southbound train arriving OKC midday and return? 

If you like this idea, what would you call it? 

 

[conrailman]

Bring back the 35&36 Desert Wind from Chicago to Lax and the 40 &41 Broadway Limited or Three  Rivers again from New York City to Chicago.