New equipment moves coincidence ?

[blue streak 1]

Various hard to confirm posts around the country have mentioned that several moves  are  occurring tomorrow.   Supposedly Talgos are going to Beach Grove,  Some Viewliner - 2s are going from Elmira - Albany, proving runs of ACS-64  on the NEC for either and / or Harrisburg, NYP, BOS. 

Seems a lot to all happen in one day especially Viewliner=2s ?.  Of course everything could have changed 5 minutes ago.

[DwightBranch]

I have seen speculation on the Amtrak Unlimited board that Amtrak wants to alleviate car shortages by putting the Talgos in service and shifting Horizon cars to long distance:

"It's mere speculation, but I've also been suspicious that Amtrak may be eyeing the Horizons for a refurbishment and conversion to long-distance service. Every last one of the eastern long-distance trains could do with more coaches, and the Horizons are the only likely source in the short term."

But whether they could pull it off so fast to account for all of the equipment moves you mention is questionable, no doubt it will take months to get the Talgos ready for service.

[daveklepper]

Why months?   Why not one week?

[Alan F]

daveklepper

Why months?   Why not one week?

First, Michigan DOT has to reach an agreement with Talgo to lease/buy the trainsets and for Talgo to maintain them at a TBD facility. There is a lot to negotiate - price, maintenance, parts, technical support, training. Then there are legal complications as Talgo will likely end up suing Wisconsin. Michigan DOT and Talgo may not be able to work out a deal. Michigan would only use the Talgos for 3+ years through 2017, so the cost of setting up a maintenance facility is a significant consideration. If a deal is reached, it will take months to test and prepare the Wisconsin Talgo for operational use.

If the 2 Talgo trainsets are used for the Wolverine service, it would free up some Horizon cars. Maybe they get used to expand service on other Midwest corridor routes while waiting for the corridor bi-level cars to be delivered and enter service. Most of the Horizon cars will no longer be needed for the Midwest routes except the Hiawatha and maybe the Hoosier State by the end of 2017. Amtrak may reconfigure some cars to LD seating configuration for use on the eastern LD trains, but that is speculation.

[CMStPnP]

Contractually, I believe the Horizon and Amfleet are required on the HIawatha service as are the fixed trainsets........certainly not Amtraks doing as Amtrak attempted to sub in Gallery cars before on Chicago-Milwaukee only to have the Mayor at the time (Mayor Norquist complain).    So Milwaukee had the Amtrak contract written in such a way for the Chicago - Milwaukee service that Amtrak had to provide a specific seating capacity on each train and use specific equipment as well.    Amtrak really cannot touch the Hiawatha trainsets.     This goes back years and years and at one point the City of Milwaukee used to pay someone to ride the Hiawatha back and forth each day and report back to the Mayor if Amtraks part of the deal was being upheld.    Not sure if that is still the case.

In regards to the Talgos and the State of Wisconsin.    State of Wisconsin legally stated already via the Attorney General and the media that the Talgo trainsets belong to the Talgo company and they will NOT make a legal claim on them.     So there is no legal dispute there.   Plain and simple, Wisconsin does not want the trainsets.     Remember also that the potential running of the Talgo never passed an OK with the Canadian Pacific Railway as it never got that far.      Prior to CP and back a decade or two, when they were trying to run the SPV2000 on the Milwaukee Road.     Milwaukee Road was concerned a one car self propelled passenger car might not trigger it's CTC properly and insisted on a second dummy car to trail the SPV2000.      The point is, what Amtrak or a local authority wants to run has to pass muster with the host railroad as well.

If Michigan wants to take the risk with the Talgo trainsets, I wish them well.   I don't think they have been fully tested in that climate and we'll see how reliable they actually are in harsh winter conditions.    My guess is the emperor will reveal itself to not have the clothes it was advertised to have and that will be the end of Talgo in the Midwest..