If I were the head of Amtrak what would you do

[HarveyK400]

Blue Streak 1,

Eliminating slow zones as you suggested is important; but I look at that more as ongoing management than a new initiative. 

Not all slow zone remediation involves track.  When IC took over the GM&O and became the ICG, speed limits were reduced out of Chicago for Metra and Amtrak.  My recollection is the line was designated as being within a new yard limit in order to remove time locks from manual mainline turnouts.  This was done to speed up switching freight customers.  The result was that about ten minutes were added to the schedules.

Harvey 

[blue streak 1]

Harvey: That is a new one on me but still remediation of that zone can be effected somehow.