Re: ARE THE SUNSET, EAGLE AND SWC DOOMED?

[henry...@aol.com]

The most immediate threat to the Sunset Limited is a bill by Cong. Sessions (R-TX) that would eliminate the train.  I don't know if it has the traction to get through both Houses of Congress, but it shows the opposition that Amtrak long distance trains have.  It takes some "guts" to specifically oppose a train that runs through Texas when you represent a Texas district in Congress.

 

It looks like Amtrak, Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico are going to find a way to save the Southwest Chief route on its existing right of way.  The deal maker appears to be Colorado money given on the condition that Amtrak add a major stop in Colorado at Pueblo. That takes the train on a little longer run, but money talks!

 

TXARP is still willing to push for a re-route of the Southwest Chief through Amarillo if the current talks fall apart.

 

Henry

 

In a message dated 7/15/2014 1:48:09 P.M. Central Daylight Time, jfra...@comcast.net writes:

I don't know if anyone still reads this, but Howard purges my posts on the TXARP site so I posted it here.

jphjaxfl, on 15 Jul 2014 - 03:54 AM, said:

Amtrak is not going to start new long distance service without states along the way providing some support.  That is the reason The Sunset Limited east of New Orleans has not returned. Rerouting the Southwest Chief through Wichita and Amarillo is starting a new long distance route.  I haven't heard that Kansas and Texas have come up with any funds to support that route. I agree with GML that Amtrak will eliminate the Southwest Chief and operate the Texas Eagle/Sunset route daily from Chicago to Los Angeles with feeder train from New Orleans to San Antonio (if they get some state support from LA and TX).  That will free up a whole bunch of Superliners and locomotives to support the other western long distance trains.  Since no new western long distance cars or locomotives are being built, this will help alleviate some of the problems as the equipment gets older.

 Railpac in California is saying the exact opposite:  http://www.railpac.o...-steve-roberts/  (note citation Ryan)

 

They think the Sunset is in the most danger and with it the Eagle as the 'tea partiers' will go after the worst performing routes.  A worst case scenario would be that both happen, the Sunset and Eagle fall as well as the SWC.  Think about it.  Amtrak seemingly wants out of the LD business.  This would eliminate three money losing trains and the Cardinal would be the fourth.  It would free up lots of Superliner equipment to put on the remaining western trains, the CS which runs through three pro-passenger rail states and the CZ and EB which have spectacular scenery.  In the East they could superliner the combined Capitol/Silver Star all the way to Florida and only run the Meteor up to NY.  They could cut the Crescent at Atlanta and abandon the CONO(thus leaving New Orleans without any passenger rail service), leaving all those extra viewliners for the remaining trains.  This should cut their LD loses in half and would leave the whole southwest part of the US without any passenger rail other than the Dallas/Fort Worth commuter operation and the Heartland Flyer.  Nothing would operate west of New Orleans or Kansas City without state support.  It's a 'tea party' and Eastern sophisticate dream.

 

There seems to be no doubt now, with the immigration fiasco and all the other scandals, that the Repubs will retake the Senate and reinforce their House majority which will strengthen the so called 'tea partiers'.  None of these groups have any sympathy for Amtrak or passenger rail in general for whatever reason.  (I know it makes no sense, but that is reality.....write your representative and let them know where you stand).  Some see the glass half full....I see a looming disaster, at least in my part of the 'woods'.

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[JohnF]

I sent an email to Pete Sessions about his amendment 842.

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[Stephen Grande]

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[henry...@aol.com]

Thank you.