Typo. Droolers.
The Heartland Flyer could become a viable corridor. What I think is off base in the year 2019 is continuing to provide an extremely costly LD service,something that should be picked up by private land cruise specialists, if they think the market is really there. [Since boardings are stagnant or declining, and most of the end to endpoint sleeper passengers are the elderly born prior to 1955, it's clearly a shrinking market base.]
Amtrak service should be (and except for politics, would be) congruent with the current mission statement, which is federal law:
Amtrak’s Mission and Goals As Defined by the U.S. Congress through the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA) and codified in 49 USC 24101:
Our Mission “The mission of Amtrak is to provide efficient and effective intercity passenger rail mobility consisting of high-quality service that is trip-time competitive with other intercity travel options.”
Amtrak services cannot be competitive with airlines at distances much over 500 miles, and even then not competitive even with highways unless average speeds are increased substantially above the current 40 mph*.
*6) Implement schedules based on a systemwide average speed of at least 60 miles an hour that can be achieved with a degree of reliability and passenger comfort.
[from this link)
charlie hebdoOur Mission “The mission of Amtrak is to provide efficient and effective intercity passenger rail mobility consisting of high-quality service that is trip-time competitive with other intercity travel options.” Amtrak services cannot be competitive with airlines at distances much over 500 miles, and even then not competitive even with highways unless average speeds are increased substantially above the current 40 mph*.
LD trains get from Chicago to the West Coast in 2 days. The average driver takes about twice as long on a trip without sightseeing.
charlie hebdo So only two metro areas en route. And the distance is 545 miles. If you had a 125mph top speed, that would be ~5 hours. Is there a rail route directly to Dallas?
So only two metro areas en route. And the distance is 545 miles. If you had a 125mph top speed, that would be ~5 hours. Is there a rail route directly to Dallas?
If I had to guess, former Frisco from KC to Carrollton,TX (West Dallas suburb) then switch railroads there to a local Texas switching railroad into West Dallas and onto the station. That is pretty direct and hits Tulsa, OK.
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