Amtrak Gulf Update

[Anonymous]

Amtrak gives route update

Saturday, September 10, 2005 1:28 AM CDT








Amtrak is working to restore passenger rail service in Louisiana and Mississippi that was suspended due to extensive damage to rail lines and facilities caused by Hurricane Katrina.

"Rail lines and facilities are pretty badly beaten up, but the freights and Amtrak are working hard to restore service," said Amtrak President and CEO David Gunn. "We are doing a damage assessment of our facilities, and we'll start repairs very soon. We want to resume our operations as quickly as feasible in New Orleans and other communities in Louisiana and Mississippi Amtrak serves."

The latest update is as follows:

n The City of New Orleans (Trains 58 and 59): Normally providing daily service between New Orleans and Chicago, this train currently operates between Jackson and Chicago. Starting with the southbound departure on

Monday and the northbound departure on Tuesday, the train's southern terminus will be extended to Hammond, La.

n The Crescent (Trains 19 and 20): Normally operating daily service between New Orleans and New York, this train presently operates between Atlanta and New York. Starting with the southbound departure on Monday and the northbound departure on Wednesday, the train's southern terminus will be extended to Meridian.

n The Sunset Limited (Trains 1 and 2): Usually serving passengers between Los Angeles and Orlando, Fla., through New Orleans on a three-day-per-week schedule, the Sunset Limited now operates between Los Angeles and San Antonio. There are no plans presently to extend the train's eastern terminus or to initiate service east of New Orleans.

The freight railroads that own the rail lines over which these three Amtrak trains operate are working to repair miles of damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. Amtrak employees are working to restore operations at the Amtrak station in New Orleans. However, no date is yet known for the reopening of passenger rail service in New Orleans.

Amtrak is offering full refunds and waiving all penalties for passengers who had made reservations traveling to or from New Orleans or other areas served by the affected trains.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Dale, I think the Sunset will eventually be restored to it's original route, but it could take quite a while. The freight railroads seem to be making good progress toward track restoration. The bigger problem is going to be New Orleans itself. No passenger service is going to be allowed into the city, until it is deemed to be safe for the general public. I'll take a wild guess, maybe by Christmas.

Rerouting around New Orleans isn't a very good option, but perhaps a route through with no station stop would be possible. We'll just have to wait and see.

[nanaimo73]

It is hard to tell if the Sunset will return east of New Orleans. The CSX route may not be repaired this year and that is not a healthy route. Amtrak may decide to use a trainset somewhere more profitable.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Thanks for coming back Dale. You kind of left me hanging when you pulled your original post. No problem.

When you say not a "healthy route", are you talking economicly for freight, or just for passenger service? Freight is the "dog", Amtrak is just the "tail" though some might say it was the "fleas".

That route is rather unique, and serves a number of cities with recognizalbe names, including the capitol of Florida. All the more reason that Florida's congressional delegation isn't likely to give it up so easily.

You should know by now that Amtrak and profitability are mutually exclusive concepts, though most people wi***hey weren't.[swg]

[nanaimo73]

By heathy route I meant for Amtrak. Neither CSX or UP try (very hard) to run it on time and tri-weekly trains are not cost effective.

[Big_Boy_4005]

That's what I thought you meant. The thing is there really isn't much incentive for UP or CSX to give priorty to Amtrak. I honestly believe if it was left up to the railroads, Amtrak would have been dead long ago.

Remember, cost effective is not a determining factor in Amtrak service (yet). If it was, a lot of other lines would be on the block too.