An open letter to Joseph Boardman

Dear Mr. Boardman,

Now that you have been given an extra two years, here's some advice for you: Amtrak needs to have a concrete plan for future routes and should display such routes on its system map. Ridership is up and more people are traveling but seats are sold out and there's a serious lack of equipment. 

What is your focus? That is, will you continue to provide lip service to routes outside of the Northeast, Wolverine, and Lincoln corridors? If the NEC is truly your future, Amtrak should go to Congress, the FRA, and the STB to put some of your other routes up for bidding.

Speaking of other operators, Mr. Boardman, you yourself know that other passenger entities are waiting in the wings to outbid Amtrak on existing and future routes. Rather than relying on your congressional buddies to unfairly tilt the playing field in your company's favor, provide Congress, the states, President Obama, and riders compelling reasons why Amtrak is better than AIPRO members, Virgin, and other carriers.

The next time you conduct a route study, call the host railroads on their bluff, and for goodness sake, don't throw your own employees under the bus when the going gets tough. There is no reason why the Cardinal shouldn't be a daily train. There is no reason why Panhandle residents should be without train service for almost eight years now. Speaking of the Sunset Limited, either restore the eastern link or allow another operator to conduct daily service between New Orleans and Orlando because the drama has dragged on long enough. When it comes to the Southwest Chief, fight to keep the train on its current route between Newton, KS and Gallup, NM.



Sincerely,



The Rail Enthusiast

Tackling the Headlines 53

Feds redlight XpressWest loan

Take: It now looks as though the company will either have to raise the money on its own or look elsewhere for the remaining funds.

Bidders for Scottish sleeper service

Contrary to what I feared last year, there is still interest in the service. Current holder First Group is facing a challenge from DB-owned Arriva and Australian-based Serco.

Take: This is great, and it would be nice if all three operators could open up shop in this country because they might be able to provide expanded overnight service that is sorely lacking.

Eau Clare residents remember train service

Take: I had no idea that the CNW ended service along the route that soon. It's no wonder that the city's residents took the MNDOT's decision to skip Eau Clare as a part of the planned Chicago-St. Paul Regional HSR route so hard over 1 1/2 years ago while the WIDOT just stood by. But then, again, what to do when your own governor refuses to think beyond the Hiawathas?

Unions picketing Amtrak Board member

Take: Just about the only thing that I know is that Amtrak employees were without a contract from 1999 to 2008. Negotiating for three years? What kind of contract was signed in the first place? This conflict had better not lead to a strike. The idea that Amtrak wants to destroy its unions is just laughable.

Planning the next leg of SEHSR is (finally) underway

In late spring, hearings were held to determine the routing for the Charlotte Atlanta leg of the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor.

Take: I am very partial to the NS option merely because the existing Crescent route is a template that can be used to provide corridor service later on. Also, a daytime New York-Atlanta route as well as various other long distance branches serving Montgomery, Mobile, Dallas, and Los Angeles could give Upstate South Carolinans a plethora of options. Both the I-85 and the Greenfield options would be useful for future Express service. The CSX Augusta option is better off with conventional SC-GA and long distance services.

Tackling the Headlines 52

X-Train news

Here's a report on where in Vegas the train will stop and here's the latest info on when it will launch

Take: It seems that Paul Druce and X-Train rival Pullman Palace were unto something earlier this year because this entity officially known as Las Vegas Railway Express Inc. is setting itself up to be a stillborn project.

Railroads expected to fall short of PTC deadline

Take: This is what happens when Congress passes a measure and expects the railroads to pay for it.

Over in the UK, hardcore Labourites are calling for the revival of British Rail

While the controversy may be over one rail line, the end game is about driving all of the franchises out of business.

Take: This news would probably be joy to the ears of True Believers and other people opposed to Amtrak competition and would supposedly be "proof" that the British experiment failed. However, the problem is that the government's botched privatization has gotten all of the attention rather than the fixes that it made and the franchises that have actually succeeded. 

Random thoughts #13

1. Cap'n Transit makes some good points on why long distance trains are still needed. Anyone in the rail community who wants to get rid of the national network at best has no understanding of how connectivity works  and at worst demonstrates elitism. The moment that the overnight routes are eliminated, small-town communities will lose yet another means of travel and will be forced to drive hundreds of miles to their destinations. The fact is, Greyhound continues cutting service to small towns and niche bus operators like Megabus are not picking up the slack because they cater to major cities and universities. As far as air travel, forget it because Congress wants to reduce or eliminate subsidies for service to small airports altogether.
2. There's a way for Amtrak to completely avoid having to serve any All Aboard Florida stations between West Palm Beach and Miami and this map is a perspective from a southbound Silver Service train. There are some in the rail community who are devising ways for Amtrak to serve stations on the FEC line but the problem is that the national carrier is usually resistant to have two stations in the same town and given that all four cities are on separate lines the entire time, there is the possibility that Amtrak would not staff anyone at the FEC stations, so that whole approach would be counterproductive.
3. When it comes to the rail station-real estate relationship, it can work for all kinds of passenger rail as the Housatonic Railroad is also devising a plan to make its stations stand out by providing things like coffee shops, newsstands, rental cars and Zipcars. Japan's JR West builds shopping centers and department stores and is Housatonic's likely model.
4. To answer Eric Jaffe's question, it all comes back to the feds. If someone in D.C. can get the clue that the current way of doing things is broken, then we could see more private involvement in passenger rail.

Tackling the Headlines 51

Via strike averted
Take: Really good news for Canadians as the summer season is about to get into full gear.

Brunswick-Rockland line's future to be decided soon
Take #1: This is a bit troubling and unfortunate for Maine Eastern. I hope that the passenger requirement remains in place if another operator runs service between the two cities.

Take #2: Depending on who gets the 59-mile line, the ME DOT should partner the new freight operator (not named Pan Am Railways) with an independent passenger entity. The problem with this model is that it would be better off being done with regional routes or in a large state like Texas (and it's something that Congress may want to consider).

Take #3: This brings me to my final point on this topic, if a shortline holding company like Iowa Pacific or Watco bids, then, there would be no need for the previous scenario to take place since the new railroad would simply take over for Maine Eastern. Otherwise, it just makes sense if the Pan Am-Amtrak partnership is further extended east.

Miami's airport station further delayed
Take: This is what a lack of communication can do to a grand project. Besides costs, All Aboard Florida's plan to build a downtown station may force Central Station to take a backseat--even if corridor service and/or additional Amtrak trains call it home.

All Aboard Florida clears another hurdle
Take: Good to see that the controversy with the Mormon Church is behind AAF. The real final hurdle is finding a way to enter Orlando International Airport.

Tackling the Headlines 50

Iowa lawmakers leave Amtrak at Moline station

Take: Regarding the last paragraph by the Quad City Times's editoral board, it's called selective ignorance. The Iowa legislature and Governor Terry Branstad know exactly what they are doing--they either hate trains or they don't want Amtrak running the route (pretty much the former).

High-speed rail plan advances for route between Milwaukee and Twin Cities

Take: From a state that doesn't get it to one that does. Bravo to the Gopher State for stepping up.

Talks begin on high-speed rail linking Twin Cities, Rochester

Take #1: Advice to Zip Rail: the more frequencies the better! 

Take #2: By the time this thing turns a wheel, hopefully, other routes will be in service.

Trains are about to serve the Gateway City's old station once again

Take #1: Oh, it's getting serious now! In its own way, Lodging Hospitality Management has decided to get the ball rolling on specialty rail travel. The nationwide push could serve as a template that combines unconventional rail travel with historic stations.

Take#2: Today, charter and excursion services. Tomorrow, Express HSR service and private intercity routes.

Passenger trains essential to plans for downtown multimodal terminal station

Take: This is on the GADOT more than it is on Norfolk Southern because the Peach State talked about commuter rail from the late '90s until the middle of the last decade without any trains operating. Given recent news of Amtrak wanting to remain in north Atlanta once it moves out of its cramped station, a central location is essential for any SEHSR service that will serve Macon and Jacksonville and for a revived Nancy Hanks route that just might be privately operated. In essence, this is a bluffing tactic by the Class I carrier, and it is up to the state of Georgia to get serious about passenger rail before it gets left behind.

Penn Station-MSG update

Take: The hard part is for the city is actually sticking to that 2028 deadline. There should be no excuses from either the city or Madison Square Garden once the extension runs out. Period.

Possible Via Rail strike looming

Take: I feel your pain, Canadian travelers. Via Rail brought this upon itself when its management decided to cut and slash routes in the name of "modernization."

Random thoughts #12

1. As it turns out, there was a plan to move Madison Square Garden to the Farley Post Office. The problems? The Great Recession and a lack of foresight by the city's government derailed those plans. However, the city must revive that idea once the grace period is over. It will be for the good of everyone involved because the time for having Penn Station and MSG joined at the hip is over.
2. This story hints that the Orange Blossom Express could be on the way. The "other" Orlando-area commuter rail project made headlines 23 months ago but quickly disappeared once SunRail got the thumbs up from Florida's governor. Hopefully, the TIGER funding can accelerate the OBE going into service.
3. Had things gone differently, Los Angeles would have been known as a transit-friendly haven (look at all of the proposed rail technologies!) instead of being best known as America's most autocentric city and biggest air quality nightmare. Its planned subway--the 1925 plan, not Metro's best efforts at playing catch up--could have rivaled NYC's today had it not been for the constant lack of foresight.
4. In order to even have marginal rail service, Canadians will have to get outraged. The slashing of Via service by the Harper cabinet and the lack of reaction by the public at large should actually make the people of Australia and New Zealand happy that their countries won't have the least advanced passenger rail service among all industrialized nations.
5. Buffalo-Niagara Falls commuter service is not only overdue but could serve as a lifeline. Commuter rail can not only connect all three of the city's stations, but it can connect with Ontario's GO Transit.
6. I finally get an answer to a lingering question: Norfolk will have a ticket agent once its new station opens up.
7. As a followup to a previous story, the XpressWest people are now having money troubles, putting them in company with Las Vegas Railway Express.
8. Three months ago, I got into a scuffle over the feasibility of the Coast Daylight using Caltrain tracks between San Jose and San Francisco. I provided some practical solutions and yet, no one seemed to even think broadly. Now, I will pick up here where I left off in February. First, the engine switchover at San Jose's Diridon Station shouldn't be a problem--this is already done in D.C.--and even if it were, diesel and electric trains share the tracks in big European cities. Second, the speed issue makes these people wanting to block the Daylight really snobbish, not unlike the "let's get rid of the long distance trains" crowd. At a time when the Bay Area could use more intercity trains, restricting the SJ-SF stretch to only Caltrain and HSR is absolutely dumb planning. In addition to Coast service, there is a private operator that has its eyes on providing future Santa Cruz-San Francisco service. Finally, Amtrak does not need to provide additional San Francisco-Los Angeles train service should the Daylight prove to be successful. As a matter of fact, I recommend that Herzog operate the additional frequencies since its subsidiary currently runs Caltrain. How will this get pulled off? Simple, Caltrans needs to lease a portion of the Coast Route.