Monday, July 27, 2009

This Week in Amtrak

Amtrak Cascades leaving Edmonds StationImage via Wikipedia

This Week at Amtrak; July 27, 2009



A weekly digest of events, opinions, and forecasts from



United Rail Passenger Alliance, Inc.

America’s foremost passenger rail policy institute



1526 University Boulevard, West, PMB 203 • Jacksonville, Florida 32217-2006 USA

Telephone 904-636-7739, Electronic Mail info@unitedrail.org • http://www.unitedrail.org





Volume 6, Number 25



Founded over three decades ago in 1976, URPA is a nationally known policy institute which focuses on solutions and plans for passenger rail systems in North America. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, URPA has professional associates in Minnesota, California, Arizona, New Mexico, the District of Columbia, Texas, New York, and other cities. For more detailed information, along with a variety of position papers and other documents, visit the URPA web site at http://www.unitedrail.org.



URPA is not a membership organization, and does not accept funding from any outside sources.



1) The irrepressible William Lindley of Scottsdale, Arizona, frequent contributor to This Week at Amtrak, has come up with some sage thoughts about train stations. Mr. Lindley, in the Arizona heat, occasionally rides his motorcycle, drives his car, and frequently uses the metropolitan Phoenix areas bus and light rail transit system in his travels around town. He would very much like to ride Amtrak trains to and from Phoenix for his domestic and world travels, but, alas, none exist. Read, think, and enjoy.



[Begin quote]



By William Lindley



Imagine putting a 10-story building in the middle of Los Angeles International Airport's runway. Ridiculous! you say. Yet, that's what Kansas City did with their Union Station – built a mid-rise building right smack in the middle of the train platform area, destroying its ability to be a train station. Saint Louis built a mall inside its Union Station, but at least most of that could be removed fairly easily (malls are always changing, anyway).



Are our historic train stations only to become museums (like Kansas City's) or should they have a rightful place in our transportation future?



Atlanta recently made what appears to be a bad decision that will prevent some mainline trains from conveniently entering its planned new downtown station, but at least the station will be downtown. Saint Paul, Minnesota likewise is moving forward with the renovation of its Union Depot, close to downtown – as light rail, and possibly a southward extension of the upcoming Northstar commuter trains get underway.



These cities understand, as in most real estate, station sites are about Location, Location, Location. That means walking distance to downtown; it means connections with commuter trains and streetcars and buses; it means a place where mainline trains can move in and out easily, and where rail services can be provided.



When the national argument for passenger rail was at its lowest point, Dallas shortchanged itself on the latter, by providing only three platforms – barely enough for Trinity Railway commuter trains and one or two intercity trains. San Antonio, in contrast, found new life for its main depot building as a food an entertainment complex called Historic Sunset Station at St. Paul Square, but, built a harmonious, functional, and pleasant new adjacent passenger and train servicing facility just a few feet away, using the original passenger platforms.



If the original station does not fit today's demands, it is appropriate to build a new building “around” an existing depot as at San Antonio. But, also have the fortitude to build an updated facility in a new location convenient to the city's modern activity centers. Some of our best historic stations and depots, often over a century old, are located in parts of cities and towns no longer desirable for 24-hour public use because of dangerous neighbors.



While it is highly desirable to keep these older structures and find new uses for them, it is equally important and more desirable to meet the needs of the traveling public by providing a station facility in a safe and secure location. The most beautiful or historic station can be meticulously restored, but if it’s in a bad part of town or lacks adequate parking or transit connections, the purpose of a proper, useful, and desirable gateway for rail passengers into a city or town is defeated.



An interesting point of discussion has been for former New York Central train station and tower in Buffalo, New York. The building has been empty since 1979 and is in a high state of disrepair. The sprawling station complex is located 2.5 miles from downtown Buffalo, and was designed to host an astonishing 3,200 passengers per hour. Debate and plans are raging in Buffalo as to how best preserve this architectural gem, perhaps through reincarnation as a high speed rail terminal.



In Detroit, a similarly magnificent structure is in even more dire condition; the old Michigan Central station and tower in another huge complex sits outside of the normal traffic flow of downtown Detroit. The local government in Detroit has decreed the building should be torn down it is in such bad condition, but supporters of this huge architectural marvel are looking to create a new life for the station either through rail-related purposes or as a convention center and casino, perhaps an international trade processing center (The station is near the Ambassador Bridge and gateway to Canada.), or as police headquarters for the City of Detroit.



When Michigan Central originally constructed the complex in 1913, it was built to last a lifetime, and Amtrak used the facility until 1988. At the time of its construction, it was the tallest railroad station in the world, with its massive tower atop the station, going up 18 floors and comprising 500,000 square feet of space, including the station areas. Located about two miles southwest of downtown Detroit, the station was always considered to be outside the loop of normal downtown traffic. The hope today is a revival of the station building will also bring a revival of the surrounding neighborhood.



In Jacksonville, Florida, the downtown Union Station is today the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center, named in honor of the late CSX Transportation Chairman of the Board who took a personal interest in saving the historic Jacksonville Union Station, designed by New York Architect Kenneth Mackensie Murcheson. Murcheson also designed Pennsylvania Station in Baltimore, Maryland, which is still in use today by Amtrak on the Northeast Corridor.



When Jacksonville Union Station opened at midnight on November 17, 1919, with its vast array of through-service and stub end tracks, it was designed to handle up to 210 trains a day. On opening day, the station handled more than 110 trains and 20,000 passengers. Every U.S. president from Woodrow Wilson through Richard Nixon traveled through the station. The station was mothballed in 1974, and Amtrak was moved to a far suburban station in the middle of one of Jacksonville’s industrial areas with a high crime rate.



While today’s primary use of the Union Station complex is a convention center, plans are also on the drawing board to remake the complex into a full multi-modal facility, which will include Amtrak, commuter rail, intercity bus, local transit, and downtown airport check-in facility where passengers will be able to come to the complex, check in for their airline, and then take secure bus service from the downtown station to the airport on the north end of Jacksonville. Ideally, when Amtrak moves back downtown, the present, far-suburban Amtrak station will stay in use as a second facility in a sprawling metropolitan area.



For all modern, full service stations, all the local connections – commuter trains, streetcars, buses, taxis, parking – create a "lesser matrix effect," where the intercity train matrix meets the local distribution matrix. The better these two systems tie together, the more useful they both become. Relieved of the necessity to carry every passengers everywhere, intercity trains can again rely, as they did in earlier days, on feeder regional and commuter trains. But, that does mean the Limited needs a stop at one or two suburban stations on either side of downtown, perhaps 10 to 30 miles out, at regional train stations (with that 10-to-30 mile spacing based on regional service levels), to collect and distribute passengers.



Let's look at one more example.



In Phoenix, the 1923 Union Station is still the junction point between BNSF and Union Pacific right downtown. The station is three short blocks from City Hall and a few more blocks away from the new City Hall light rail station (which Valley Metro Rail, in its wisdom, calls "First Avenue and Jefferson Street and Central Avenue and Washington Street Station" – not terribly easy to write and remember).



Phoenix Union Station maintains its alignments for the original six through tracks (a seventh was added during World War II) and several stub-ends on both sides of the depot. There is no other location close to downtown which could accommodate more than perhaps even two platforms, because of the street layout and the historic warehouse district.



Advanced studies are underway for both commuter rail in metro Phoenix and for express trains to Tucson (120 miles to the southeast). The Tucson trains would not be "high speed," but would likely travel at 79 MPH or 90 MPH on upgraded (double-and-triple-tracked) Union Pacific rails. UP, BNSF, and Arizona's short-line railroads are involved, and it is known the railroads are businesses and expect any passenger agreement to be beneficial to their freight business. Arizona has learned from California and New Mexico, Utah, and other western states which have succeeded in working relationships and actual operations with host freight railroads.



Valley Metro Rail ("METRO"), meanwhile, is planning a westward extension in the median of Interstate 10, taking LRVs potentially right past the railroad depot. There has been some talk also of historic or modern streetcars along Washington Street from downtown to the Capitol at 19th Avenue, should the LRT line be deferred or rerouted – and these streetcars could certainly connect Union Station to the Capitol with its thousands of daily workers at the west end, and the LRT line at the east end.



The city of Phoenix has certainly grown since the historic downtown station was built. In the 1920s, a civic goal was 100,000 citizens; today the city boasts 1.5 million, and the metro area over 4 million. But, as the population has expanded fifteen-fold, transportation options have expanded, too. Union Station was built to handle 90% of the transportation needs of a city of 100,000, so it certainly could handle 10% of transportation of a city ten times larger. It still fits the city.



And, it fits the city, too, in its Mission Revival architectural style. It is not enough for a station to be correctly located (both in the city and on the railroad mains) – a station also serves as a gateway, setting the mood for travelers entering a city or town. A station is part of a city's identity; and Phoenix Union Station does fit.



So, in Phoenix, at least for the upcoming decade, Union Station is the only logical intercity train station.



In the future, following Berlin, Germany's motif, a new modern station could be built west of the Airport LRT station (which METRO again calls "44th Street and Washington Street" instead of “Airport”). There is room enough between 38th Street and 44th Street to build an eight or 10 platform railroad station with connections to the new people-mover (to all airport terminals, parking garages, the car rental center, taxicabs and tour buses). This new station would handle commuter trains, intrastate express trains, intercity trains from Los Angeles, San Diego, the Grand Canyon, El Paso, Albuquerque, and points east.



Yet, even in that scenario, Union Station remains the only choice for a downtown depot. Perhaps the commuter trains and express trains will stop there, with the intercity trains serving the Airport station. Once regional commuter trains cover the intermediate stations, a modern Golden State intercity train would likely stop at suburban Gilbert on the east side and suburban Goodyear on the west, with those stations' regional rail connections. Arizona Express trains would likely serve Union Station, the Airport, Tempe (with Arizona State University's huge main campus), Mesa, and Gilbert and just a few more intermediate stops north of downtown Tucson.



A mix of trains and services then blankets southern Arizona. Union Station steps back at that point from some of its design role, and becomes more an historic gathering place, a meeting place, perhaps with conference facilities or shopping in addition to regional rail and streetcar connections.



Southern California has the newest and among the most robust examples of several overlaid systems, although there is room for improvement even there. Los Angeles Union Station has been well refitted to its modern role, a re-interpretation of its historic one; the same is true of San Diego's Santa Fe station. These serve as models for other cities; look, too, to Saint Paul. Learn from mistakes at Kansas City and near-misses like Dallas. Denver would be wise to consider the constraints at Dallas as it looks to reconfigure its historic station built in 1881 as part of a new development, even as it seeks to bring commuter and more intercity service back to the station.



Many of our historic train stations should continue their revival along with their passenger trains... past is prologue.



[End quote]



2) It’s contest time here at TWA! How many train stations can you name where a local or state government treasury has paid to rebuild, upgrade, or create a new station on behalf of Amtrak, and only perhaps months or very few years later Amtrak abandons or severely curtails service to that station?



Here’s a short sample to start your thinking process:



Tampa, Florida

Lakeland, Florida

Dade City, Florida

Ocala, Florida

Pensacola, Florida

Tallahassee, Florida

Chipley, Florida

Lake City, Florida

Madison, Florida

Atmore, Alabama

Bay St. Louis, Mississippi

Gulfport, Mississippi

Tempe, Arizona

Louisville, Kentucky



Okay, that should get you started. Send your list to TWA at info@unitedrail.org and we will publish a complete list along with the name of the winner. When you send the list, please include the name of the train which served the former station and, if possible, when the service was discontinued.



3) Just before all the commotion began about Amtrak’s grievously flawed Gulf Coast report restoring passenger train service east of New Orleans, news came from Wisconsin the state was purchasing two train sets, totaling 14 cars, from well-respected Talgo of Spain to place in service on a high speed route between Chicago and Wisconsin stations.



Those with a current copy of Amtrak’s Summer 2009 timetable will notice it is a Talgo train set speeding along Puget Sound en route to Olympia, Washington and Eugene, Oregon for Amtrak’s Cascades service in the Pacific Northwest.



Most people, including this writer, thought Talgo had been banished from expansion in the United States because of safety restrictions imposed by the Federal Railroad Administration. Talgo had received a waiver for those restrictions, but was only allowed to operate trains on approved trackage in the Pacific Northwest. Just a couple of weeks prior to the Wisconsin announcement, it was learned from insider sources the FRA had been studying a relaxation of its perhaps overly rigid standards for Talgo. That information proved to be true with the Wisconsin announcement.



As a bonus, Wisconsin convinced Talgo to perform final assembly of the Talgo equipment in the state, creating local jobs along with buying shiny new trains.



Some old time railroaders have lightly grumbled about mixing in too many types of equipment into Amtrak’s fleet, and the need for overall uniformity for ease and lower cost of maintenance. Certainly, a case can be made for that, but an equally compelling case can be made for the right type of equipment on each individual route.



Along those lines, there are a number of present Amtrak routes where the old Colorado Railcar/now US Railcar DMU self-propelled units are the perfect answer to lower operating costs and matching the right type of equipment to the right type of passenger demand and route.



4) Continuing with that subject, Amtrak has published an RFP for Viewliner 2 passenger cars. In part, here is what the RFP said:



[Begin quote]



PURCHASE OF “VIEWLINER 2” LONG-DISTANCE SINGLE-LEVEL PASSENGER CARS



RFP# X-047-9167-001



INTRODUCTION:



Amtrak intends to issue a competitive Request for Proposal for a vendor to design, manufacture and deliver 130 “Viewliner 2” Long Distance Single-Level Passenger Cars, with an option for Amtrak to purchase up to an additional 70 cars. The “Viewliner 2” rolling stock which is fully described in the Technical Specifications, will be used as Amtrak passenger trains, primarily in long-distance service, but capable of operating anywhere within Amtrak’s system. There are four (4) “Viewliner 2” car types: Diners, Sleepers, Baggage-Dorms and Baggage cars. The “Viewliner 2” cars will be modeled on the concept of the Amtrak “Viewliner 1” cars.



[End quote]



The RFP goes on to state ultimately the contract for purchase of these cars and the start of construction will be issued in May 2010, with a notice to proceed in June 2010.



So, with all due lack of speed, we’re a year away from anything even being brought to a point of construction.



Let’s break down the specific order.



– 130 cars total, with an option to purchase up to 70 additional cars, for a grand total of 200 cars, if every option is exercised.



– The 130 cars will be divided into four types: Diners, Sleepers, Baggage-Crew Dorms, and Baggage Cars.



Even if you divide 130 relatively evenly, you still come up with only 32 or 33 cars per type of car. That will not double the existing 50 car Viewliner 1 sleeping car fleet, which is so worn out it can only charitably be described as a long line of rolling slums.



Amtrak’s single level dining car fleet is exclusively made up of Heritage fleet diners, which have operated far beyond their initial service life expectancy. At present, Amtrak doesn’t operate any crew dormitory cars, but instead wastes sleeping car revenue space with crew billets (Granted, you have to put the crews somewhere, but a better solution would have been to keep the older Heritage crew dorms running than taking up high-dollar revenue sleeping car space.).



Baggage cars are all Heritage fleet cars, and there is always a need for more baggage cars.



So, even adding the additional 70 cars for the optional order, once again, Amtrak is doing nothing more than replacing fleet instead of adding to its fleet – inadequately so.



This may be news to Amtrak’s financial folks and senior executives, but, why is Amtrak always buying equipment? It’s very rare among common carriers – especially airlines – to actually buy passenger equipment. Amtrak already knows how to lease locomotives, why can’t it lease passenger cars, too? What is the purpose of getting free federal monies from Congress to buy, when private capital can be used to lease? Is this another example of Amtrak’s lack of financial sophistication? Is it just easier to beg money from Congress every year instead of doing something proactive in the leasing market?



5) Look at some of Amtrak’s internal numbers. Amtrak reports revenue several different ways (not different revenue, but revenue as it relates in different ways). One of the ways it reports revenue is “revenue per car day.” This measures coach revenue versus sleeping car revenue, and it’s done by route. The numbers are based on average days.



This particular set of figures is based on 12 months prior to and including November of 2008; this is NOT a fiscal year report.



Route and classes of revenues



Empire Builder

Superliner Coach – $5,163

Superliner Sleeper – $5,015



City of New Orleans

Superliner Coach – $4,624

Superliner Sleeper – $3,253



Southwest Chief

Superliner Coach – $4,419

Superliner Sleeper – $4,467



Auto Train (Northbound, Train No. 52) *

Superliner Coach – $4,339

Superliner Sleeper – $5,286



Auto Train (Southbound, Train No. 53) *

Superliner Coach – $4,255

Superliner Sleeper – $5,583



California Zephyr

Superliner Coach – $3,251

Superliner Sleeper – $3,587



Coast Starlight **

Superliner Coach – $3,134

Superliner Sleeper – $2,818



Capitol Limited

Superliner Coach – $3,048

Superliner Sleeper – $3,243

Texas Eagle

Superliner Coach – $2,238

Superliner Sleeper – $2,603



Sunset Limited

Superliner Coach – $1,972

Superliner Sleeper – $2,545



12 Month Average

Superliner Coach – $3,476

Superliner Sleeper – $3,835



* Auto Train is reported as two separate figures, north and south.

** Coast Starlight figures include long periods of the train not operating due to the mudslides included in this period, and when the train did operate for some of the period, it only operated on part of the route and without sleeping cars.



What do we learn from these figures? On average, sleeping cars generate more revenue than coaches. What do we conclude from these figures? Sleeping car and first class travel are an important part of the future growth of Amtrak and should have equal – if not greater – weight than coach travel when planning for the future and compiling new car orders.



The most important fact to remember when looking at how well the sleeping car business does for Amtrak long distance trains is that sleeping cars are an even greater secret to Amtrak passengers than Amtrak is itself to the traveling public.



Everything Amtrak does overall is aimed at the coach passenger. When calling an Amtrak reservations center, an assumption is automatically made by res agents passengers only want coach, and in most cases, sleeping car accommodations are never mentioned as an option. When booking through Amtrak’s Internet portal, coach tickets are offered first, and sleeping car accommodations are offered only to hawk-eyed ticket buyers as an afterthought.



In reality, just like Amtrak continually ignores long distance trains in its future plans, it even more ignores sleeping car passengers.



6) This always filters back to the same question: Where is Amtrak’s vision for the future? Where is Amtrak’s long term plan? Where will Amtrak be five, 10, or 20 years from now? Based on what we’ve heard so far, probably exactly the same place it is today, constantly begging for money from a government treasury, and ignoring the most lucrative parts of its business.



7) Comments continue to come into TWA about the grossly flawed P.R.I.I.A. Section 226 Gulf Coast Service Plan Report.



A number of people have asked about simply restoring the route of the Floridian between Chicago and Florida, which was discontinued in 1979 during the Carter administration. The quick answer is some of that railroad infrastructure is gone, and other parts of that route have been severely downgraded to “creeping along” track speeds. Many will remember the short-lived Kentucky Cardinal, which operated between Chicago and Louisville, Kentucky. The biggest part of the problem of that route was slow track; the train crept along at speeds not much faster than speed walking.



While a restoration of the Floridian – or any Chicago to Florida route, especially one via Atlanta – is desirable, from an economic standpoint and the ability to quickly restored Chicago to Florida service, the cheapest and best bet is to either extend the City of New Orleans from New Orleans to Florida, or the Capitol Limited from Washington, D.C. to Florida. Restoring the Floridian route or a similar route would require an entire new set of station infrastructure, upgrading hundreds of miles of railroad to acceptable passenger speeds, and have a need for a number of new sidings or double tracking of very congested railroads. Simply extending the City of New Orleans or Capitol Limited would require no new stations, and only additional train sets, not completely new fleets of equipment.



Depending on originating terminal departure times, either the City of New Orleans or the Capitol Limited could make it to Florida by traveling one night, but it would be two very long days on either side of that one night’s travel. By extending existing schedules, two nights of travel are required, but, based on the success of multi-night schedules in the west, this is not an insurmountable problem.



Here are comments from several TWA readers.



[Begin quote]



I look forward to receiving each issue of This Week at Amtrak and appreciate URPA's consistent support for the restoration of rail service east of New Orleans. I am especially pleased to see I am not alone in my analysis of Amtrak's prejudged, fraudulent report concerning the restoration of this missing link in the national rail passenger system.



Back when the Sunset Limited ran through to Florida I was a frequent rider and spent many hours observing Sunset operations and speaking to station agents and train crews. When timekeeping became a major problem for eastbound train No. 2, the station agents and on board crews whom I had come to know collectively came to the conclusion the traveling public would be better served by an extension of the City of New Orleans to Florida. This would reestablish through service between Chicago and Florida and would maintain westbound service to California via a connection at New Orleans. Eastbound passengers from California would likely be required to make an overnight layover in New Orleans before heading to Florida, however, this would be no worse than the present routing via Chicago and Washington in terms of travel time. The net gain would be the ability to operate a timely service with great savings to Amtrak which often had to bus passengers east of New Orleans and/or provide overnight lodging in Jacksonville due to late operations and/or missed connections.



Amazingly, Amtrak never thought of this option on their own despite often having to annul two out of three trips per week of train No. 2 in New Orleans due to excessive lateness. This also necessitated the cancellation the following trip of westbound No. 1. After paying massive amounts of money for the recently released report, Amtrak points out the Chicago option would be the most effective, yet, thanks to fraudulent expenses, this (and all options) appears to be extremely costly.



The report lists expenses for station improvements along the route despite the fact the facilities across North Florida are basically in the same condition as when Amtrak abruptly left the scene after Hurricane Katrina, a move straight out of the playbook of Baltimore Colts owner Robert Irsay who snuck out of town in the dead of the night and moved his team to Indianapolis.



The full service stations in Pensacola and Tallahassee were constructed and/or improved with ADA compliance in mind. Platforms were constructed with the appropriate safety features that had just come into use elsewhere in that day and time. The Tallahassee station, which was actually a remodeled freight station, had ADA compliant ramps added to allow easy access to the off grade waiting room/ticket office. Since Amtrak's pullout, a local group of film buffs has used the waiting room periodically to show movies. The organizer of this group tells me people in wheelchairs often attend. I challenge Amtrak to explain to me why massive amounts of money are needed to rebuild the platform and make other ADA improvements at that station. Likewise, what changes are needed in Pensacola since the station is basically a grade level facility?



There are numerous other inaccuracies in the report such as the time required to train crews and the absurd allocation of money for a new Sanford station. These have been well documented in your newsletter, hence, I will reserve comment.



Thanks again for your leadership in exposing this report. Hopefully, Amtrak will be pressured to restore service at least at the tri-weekly level sooner rather than later, with a goal of making that daily in the near future. To do that, Amtrak needs new leadership who has a vision, a plan to build a large amount of new equipment so that additional routes can be added, and existing trains can be operated with adequate capacity.



[End quote]



[Begin quote]



The Amtrak report on service from New Orleans - Orlando comes as no surprise. It is typical of the work Amtrak puts out. In the 1990's Amtrak produced a report on Chicago–Milwaukee service which concluded that not only should there not be any more intermediate stops, but that ridership would be greatest if the then two existing stops, Sturtevant and Glenview, were eliminated, thereby allowing the service to run non-stop, i.e. faster.



We all said "Huh?". Then I figured out their mathematical model obviously factors in a speed/population combination that the faster the schedule, the more people are likely to turn from driving to the train. Of course this is mostly [junk science]. No speed up of five or 10 minutes between Chicago and Milwaukee is going to attract more passengers, especially since the current 92 minute schedule beats driving, anyway. Common sense and/or real knowledge of the area being served is not important to Amtrak planners.



[End quote]



[Begin quote]



Since I am very much in favor of the return rail passenger between New Orleans, Jacksonville and points south; I desire to post my comments.



The greatest problem is Amtrak is the originator of this report with no auditing agency to review and comment on this report. This report should have been contracted out to a professional consulting firm and submitted back to Congress. Especially when Amtrak – even the CEO Boardman's – bias' have recently been made known regarding the long distance train system and reluctance to turn in a new car order reveal a lack of concern and empathy for the traveling public.



In 1993, when the Sunset started serving the New Orleans, Jacksonville, and Miami segment, I suspected a problem when the word came back we can’t offer daily service since we need more train sets. It seems Amtrak’s Cardinal and Sunset are unwanted step-children, merely tolerated.



I find it interesting Amtrak is willing to take the Texas Eagle to Los Angeles but extend the City Of New Orleans to Florida? no way! Amtrak is willing to run a train from San Antonio to New Orleans, but why not continue that same train to Florida instead of a separate train from New Orleans to Florida? Why not restore the Floridian? Isn’t the real goal here to expand the system? Oh, I almost forgot, Amtrak needs more train sets!



You brought up an excellent point on interconnecting trains! By not restoring the Sunset to the New Orleans-Florida segment, leaving the segment vacant of train service is perhaps an even greater loss for the traveling public.



Thanks for allowing me to share my thoughts!



[End quote]



[Begin quote]



Where is the story on the St. Louis Cardinal's Baseball Team riding passenger trains for the first time in 40 years? It was on yesterday's NPR, that the team was riding Amtrak's Northeast Corridor.



[End quote]



Sorry, not being at all a follower of National Public Radio, and only a very, very casual observer of baseball, we missed that story.



[Begin quote]



Perhaps the good part of the "Sunset Report" is the fact it is the smoking gun of incompetence/lack of vision/dull thinking/passivity/ignorant-arrogance that is the decision making process of the present Board and management of Amtrak. There is no denying it! What to do? I always write my two senators and now have written Ray LaHood but, who is in a position to change the board and direct them to buy out the senior managers and replace them with competent people?



I am uncertain of the line of authority here ... I doubt if Vice President Biden will do anything, and I have gotten no response from Senator Durbin on another Amtrak matter. Perhaps the alternative of just pushing for private – Veolia for instance – companies to bid on new and existing routes would be more productive. Both BNSF and NS executives seem to have some entrepreneurial interest in a role in passenger service, and perhaps they should be encouraged to explore some ownership/management models.



Maybe putting the freight fox in the Amtrak board chicken coop would do something constructive? I am hoping this administration is open to new, collaborative ideas about building a 21st Century world class passenger railroad system which will include some bold moves on the Amtrak problem.



[End quote]



[Begin quote]



Is there any chance Veolia might be interested in taking over Amtrak lock, stock and barrel and then be given free reign? Seems like a WIN-WIN situation to me, for all concerned.



[End quote]



Our thanks to everyone who takes the time to write and share their thoughts and opinions. Regrettably, we are unable to share every e-mail due to space limitations, but we share those which are representative of groups of e-mail.



And, thank you to everyone who reads This Week at Amtrak; we continue to have a rapidly growing subscriber base.





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URPA leadership members are available for speaking engagements.



J. Bruce Richardson

President

United Rail Passenger Alliance, Inc.

1526 University Boulevard, West, PMB 203

Jacksonville, Florida 32217-2006 USA

Telephone 904-636-7739

brucerichardson@unitedrail.org

http://www.unitedrail.org

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Sunday, July 26, 2009

Front Runner South Construction Update

Front Runner in So CalImage by SP8254 via Flickr

Greetings,



Construction is progressing on UTA’s FrontRunner South Provo to Salt Lake Commuter Rail line.

Below is the FrontRunner South construction update for July 23 – 31. To learn more about the FrontRunner South project, click here.






Area 16 — Downtown Salt Lake City to 4500 South (Murray)



Construction Activity:

Crews will install fencing at the 3900 South wall and pothole at 2100 South and 4500 South.



Traffic Impacts:

There will be a lane closure at 4500 South on Monday while crews conduct potholing work.



Salt Lake Central Station:

Station complete.



Area 15 — 4500 South (Murray) to Wasatch Street/8000 South (Midvale)



Construction Activity:

Construction continues on bridges over eastbound I-215 and Center (7800 South) and Wasatch (8000) Streets in Midvale. These bridges will run parallel to existing Union Pacific Railroad main line bridges.



Crews will form and pour one of the piers at the bridge over eastbound I-215 and continue temporary shoring at another. At Center Street, crews will continue wall construction and install permanent pile on the north abutment, and at Wasatch Street, crews will continue abutment wall construction and form and pour another abutment.



Potholing will also take place at Wasatch Street this week.



Traffic Impacts:

Lane and sidewalk closures will take place in conjunction with bridge construction at Center and Wasatch Streets. At Center Street there will be lane closures in each direction with flaggers directing traffic.



Murray Station:

No station construction activities to report.



Area 14 — Wasatch Street/8000 South (Midvale) to 14600 South (Bluffdale)



Construction Activity:

Progress continues behind Salt Lake Community College’s Miller Campus at 9800 South as crews construct a bridge that flies over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. This is the area where FrontRunner will move from the east side to the west side of the tracks.



Wall construction will continue on the northeast side of the bridge and crews will begin excavation for walls on the southwest side of the bridge. Work will also continue on a crash wall at the bridge.



Traffic Impacts:

Flaggers will be stationed at 9400 South in Sandy to direct truck traffic delivering lightweight fill to the site of the flyover bridge. On Thursday, there will be a lane closure at 9400 South for potholing.



The outside northbound lane on South Jordan Gateway at approximately 10400 South will be closed as flaggers direct truck traffic moving lightweight fill.



South Jordan Station:

Lightweight fill for the flyover bridge construction is being stored at the site of the future South Jordan park and ride lot.



Draper/Bluffdale Station:

The location of this future station is to be determined.



Area 13 — 14600 South (Bluffdale) to Thanksgiving Point (Lehi)



Construction Activity:

Crews continue to establish access in the Jordan Narrows north of Lehi.



This week crews continue sub grade stabilization south of 146th South and will bring in a crane and set girders for the Jordan River Bridge. North of Clubhouse Lane in Lehi, crews will continue mass excavation work and begin construction on a wall at Union Pacific’s Mesa Siding.



Traffic Impacts:

There are currently no impacts to motorists in this area.



Area 12 — Thanksgiving Point (Lehi) to Main Street (American Fork)



Construction Activity:

Now that Union Pacific has been cutover temporarily to the UTA main line, work will begin again on the pedestrian tunnel located under the tracks. This week crews will begin excavating the portion of the tunnel under the former Union Pacific track.



Between 900 North and 500 West in Lehi, crews will continue clearing and grubbing work and sub grade stabilization. Utility work will take place at 1500 North, 500 West and Millpond Road.



Traffic Impacts:

There will be flaggers stationed at 900 North in Lehi to direct truck traffic. At Millpond Road flaggers will be directing truck traffic on and assisting with utility work on Tuesday and Wednesday.



Lehi Station:

At the Lehi Station Park and Ride, crews will work on the storm sewer system and drill light pole foundations.



Area 11 — Main Street (American Fork) to University Parkway (Orem)



Construction Activity:

Crews will be splicing cable near 100 East in American Fork and conducting utility work between 400 South and 800 South in Orem.



Traffic Impacts:

There will be truck traffic at Millpond Road on Monday.



American Fork Station:

No station construction activities to report.



Vineyard Station:

Crews will backfill the stem walls at the site of the future station.



Orem Station:

No station construction activities to report.



Area 10 — University Parkway (Orem) to Center Street (Provo)



Construction Activity:

Significant progress has been made in Area 10 along the Union Pacific Railroad corridor between University Parkway in Orem and West Center Street in Provo. Crews have prepared a path for FrontRunner by grading and clearing the right-of-way and relocating water lines. Drainage and irrigation installations are generally complete in this area.



Crews will construct track and place top ballast and conduct drainage work just south of University Parkway in Orem. In Provo from 600 West to just south of University Avenue crews will demo existing track. Utility work will also take place between University Avenue and Freedom Boulevard.



Sub grade stabilization work will take place between I-15 and 820 North and north of the Provo River Bridge crews will be installing permanent fencing and clearing and grubbing. Crews will also be placing sub ballast south of the Provo River Bridge to 900 West at 500 South.



Traffic Impacts:

Flaggers will be stationed in Provo at 820 North, 200 North, 900 West and 500 West to direct truck traffic. Tentatively, flaggers will also be at Freedom Boulevard on Tuesday.



Provo Station:

No station construction activities to report.





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Airport TRAX line construction update

Salt lake airportImage by gte333f via Flickr

Construction progress continues on the Airport TRAX Line. To keep business and traffic impacts to a minimum, this six-mile project has been separated into seven construction “reaches,” or segments. The map below shows each construction reach in a different color, starting with Reach 1 in dark red by the airport and ending with Reach 7 in light green on the east end of the project.

A description of what is happening in each area is listed below. If you need further construction information, please call our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 800-8854.



Reach 1

Reach Description: Reach 1 is the area that extends from Terminal One at the Salt Lake City International Airport on the side of the Airport Access Road to the surplus canal bridge just north of the Wingpointe Golf Course.



Current Construction: Currently, construction is not taking place.



Upcoming Construction: Heavier construction is anticipated Summer 2009.



Traffic Impacts: Currently, there are no traffic impacts.



Reach 2

Reach Description: Reach 2 extends from the surplus canal bridge just north of the Wingpointe Golf Course along the Airport Access Road fence line to 2400 West.



Current Construction: Currently, construction is not taking place.



Upcoming Construction: Heavier construction is anticipated Summer 2009.



Traffic Impacts: Currently, there are no traffic impacts.



Reach 3

Reach Description: Reach 3 extends from 2400 West along North Temple to I-215. This is the reach where TRAX will move from the side of the road to the center of North Temple.



Current Construction: Currently, construction is not taking place.



Upcoming Construction: Heavier construction is anticipated Fall 2009.



Traffic Impacts: Currently, there are no traffic impacts.



Reach 4

Reach Description: ReachUpcoming Construction: Heavier construction is anticipated Spring 2010.



Traffic Impacts: Please see the above listed night detours beginning on July 6th.



Reach 5

Reach Description: Reach 5 extends from just east of Redwood Road on North Temple to the Jordan River. TRAX will be center running and includes a station at 1500 West. Access to the many businesses and office complexes will be maintained.



Current Construction: Currently, construction is not taking place.



Upcoming Construction: Heavier construction is anticipated Spring 2010.



Traffic Impacts: Currently, there are no traffic impacts.



Reach 6

Reach Description: Reach 6 extends from the Jordan River to I-15 along North Temple. TRAX will be center running and will include two stations located at approximately 1100 West and 800 West. Access to the many businesses and the State Fairpark will be maintained.



Current Construction: Currently, construction is not taking place.



Upcoming Construction: Heavier construction is anticipated Spring 2010.



Traffic Impacts: Currently, there are no traffic impacts.



Reach 7

Reach Description: Reach 7 is the area where the Airport Line will connect with the current north/south TRAX Line at the Arena Station. This reach extends from I-15 to 400 West along North Temple and turns south on 400 West proceeding to South Temple. Access to offices and the Gateway will be maintained.



Current Construction: Currently, construction is not taking place.



Upcoming Construction: Heavier construction is anticipated Winter 2010.



Traffic Impacts: Currently, there are no traffic impacts.






General Information



Access during Construction

UTA is committed to maintaining 24-hour access to all of the businesses and residences along the construction corridor. We will coordinate with businesses in cases where access is temporarily limited.



Construction Hours

Construction is permitted to take place between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Additionally, specific activities may require different working hours depending upon the conditions and will be coordinated with city officials.



Construction Tours

If you are interested in learning more about the construction project, please call our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 800-8854.



For More Information

Timely and helpful information is available to assist business and residential communities, as well as commuters and stakeholders.



If you have questions or comments regarding the project, please contact our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 800-8854 or e-mail tcamp@rideuta.com. You can also visit UTA’s Web site at www.rideuta.com.
4 extends from I-215 to just east of Redwood Road on North Temple. TRAX will be center running and will include a station located at approximately 1950 West. Access to the many businesses and governmental organizations will be maintained.



Current Construction: Nighttime construction continues at the Redwood Road and North Temple intersection. During daytime hours, all traffic movements will be maintained; however, from 7 p.m. until 6 a.m., two left-hand turn movements will be restricted and motorists will be required to use the detours listed below.



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West Valley TRAX Construction Update

UTA TRAX and FrontRunner at Night 1Image via Wikipedia

Construction progress continues on the West Valley TRAX Line. To keep business and traffic impacts to a minimum, this five-mile project has been separated into seven construction “reaches,” or segments. The map below shows each construction reach in a different color, starting with Reach 1 in light green on the south end of the project and ending with Reach 7 in dark green on the north end.

A description of what is happening in each area is listed below. If you need further construction information, please call our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 800-8854.


Reach 1

Reach Description: Reach 1 is the area along Constitution Boulevard (2700 South) from West Valley City Hall at 3600 South extending north to 3100 South. This area includes both large and small businesses, as well as many residents. Access to all businesses and residences will be maintained throughout construction.



Current Construction:

· Significant progress continues on 2700 West as crews have prepared the roadway so traffic can be switched on July 23rd, to the east side of Constitution Boulevard.

· Progress continues on the station platform between West Valley City Hall and the Public Safety Building. Work is taking place on the embedded track and the parking lot.

· Third party utility work continues along both sides of Constitution Boulevard, and curb and gutter work is taking place in front of Valley Fair Mall.



Upcoming Construction:

· Work will take place on the tail tracks near the end of the line the last week of July.

· Crews will begin replacing current fencing along the west side of Constitution Boulevard with temporary fencing on July 27th. We will meet with each resident bordering the west side of Constitution Boulevard early next week to talk about this process.



Traffic Impacts: Traffic on 2700 West between 3100 South and 3500 South is operational on the west side of the road. There are also lane restrictions south of 3500 South; however, access is maintained at all times. Please be mindful of construction crews and obey posted speed limits.



Reach 2

Reach Description: Reach 2 is the area along 3100 South from Constitution Boulevard to Decker Lake Drive. The E Center and a few other businesses are located in this reach, as well as residents on either side of 3100 South. When TRAX is completed along 3100 South, it will operate on the south side of the roadway.



Current Construction: Crews continue to build the TRAX bridge approach between Maple Way and I-215. Work also continues on the actual bridge crossing I-215. Utility work continues at the E Center.



Upcoming Construction:

· Nighttime construction is taking place on the TRAX bridge over I-215 on the south side of 3100 South. Work will begin at 7 p.m and last until 5 a.m. Noise impacts are anticipated to be minimal during nighttime work activities. Residents are encouraged to call the 24-hour hotline number at (888) 800-8854 if there are questions or concerns.



Traffic Impacts: Currently there are lane restrictions on 3100 South; however, access is being maintained.



Reach 3

Reach Description: Reach 3 is the area along Decker Lake Drive from 3100 South to Research Way (2770 South) and running east to Redwood Road. This area includes many commercial office buildings with thousands of employees who access this area on a daily basis.



Current Construction: Crews have started work on the storm drain on the east side of the road. Preliminary utility work has also begun on Research Way near Redwood Road.



Upcoming Construction: On July 27th, Decker Lake Drive between 3100 South and Research Way will close for approximately four months for TRAX construction. Access to all businesses will be maintained via posted detours. After consulting with numerous businesses in this area, it was decided to temporarily close this road to lessen the amount of impact and allow this area to be completed in four months instead of ten months. Please feel free to contact any of the following people to find out more: Annie at (801) 808-6018; Kris at (801) 831-5991: or the project hotline at 888-800-8854. Thank you for your patience. Please see detour route below:


A description of what is happening in each area is listed below. If you need further construction information, please call our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 800-8854.







Reach 4

Reach Description: Reach 4 runs through the Chesterfield residential area along 2770 South and proceeds along the Decker Lake Canal and the Crosstowne Trail.



Current Construction: Significant work has been accomplished in the Chesterfield area. Crews are currently preparing the trackway and have placed ties and rail in various areas throughout the reach. Rail has been installed at the Lester Street crossing between Claybourne Avenue and Southgate Avenue.



Upcoming Construction: Light poles are scheduled to be reinstalled at Lester Street in mid-July. Construction on the eastbound track will begin toward the end of July.



Traffic Impacts:

The Crosstowne Trail along 2770 South just east of Redwood Road to the Brighton Canal has been paved but will remain closed until TRAX is completed in this area.





Reach 5

Reach Description: Reach 5 includes construction along 1070 West in the Chesterfield industrial area. This reach will include one bridge structure over the Jordan River and another over 900 West.



Current Construction: Storm drain work is scheduled to be completed toward the end of July. Work will begin on the east side water line on July 21st. Work is also being completed on the Jordan River TRAX bridge. Access is being maintained and we appreciate the businesses’ patience.



Upcoming Construction: After utility work is complete, crews will begin work on the curb, gutter and roadway on the west side of 1070 West, which should last until the end of the summer season. Once the west side of the roadway is completed, crews will then work on the east side of the roadway.



Traffic Impacts: As construction proceeds, there will be lane restrictions, although access will be maintained.





Reach 6

Reach Description: Reach 6 runs through the Union Pacific Railroad’s Roper Yard area. Although there are no businesses and residents, extensive coordination will take place to ensure that freight deliveries and other train travel is maintained. Reach 6 includes plans for an extensive bridging system that will enable TRAX to operate over other train traffic.



Current Construction: Significant progress continues on the TRAX bridge structures over the Roper Yard area near 2200 South and 600 West. Crews are also excavating the TRAX guideway just south of SR 201 between the Jordan River and 900 West.



Upcoming Construction: Coordination will continue with the Union Pacific Railroad to install utilities and bridge structures.



Traffic Impacts: Not applicable.



Reach 7

Reach Description: Reach 7 is the area where the West Valley Line will connect with the current north/south TRAX Line. Construction will take place along Andy Avenue in South Salt Lake. Crews will closely coordinate activities with businesses to ensure access is maintained.



Current Construction: Roadway construction is currently underway along Andy Avenue and is scheduled to be repaved by July 27th. We thank businesses for their support during this phase of construction.



Upcoming Construction: Roadway work will continue on Andy Avenue for the next week. Crews will then move to work on the waterway and slope protection under I-215.



Traffic Impacts: Bearcat at Andy Avenue is now permanently closed. Flaggers are on sight to direct traffic and access will be maintained during construction.




General Information



Access during Construction

UTA is committed to maintaining 24-hour access to all of the businesses and residences along the construction corridor. We will coordinate with businesses in cases where access is temporarily limited.



Construction Hours

Construction on the project is permitted to take place between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Additionally, specific activities may require different working hours depending upon conditions and will be coordinated with city officials.



Construction Tours

If you are interested in learning more about the construction project, please call our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 800-8854.



For More Information

Timely and helpful information is available to assist business and residential communities, as well as commuters and stakeholders.



If you have questions or comments, please contact our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 800-8854 or e-mail tcamp@rideuta.com. You can also visit UTA’s Web site at www.rideuta.com.





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Mid Jordan TRAX line construction update

{{de|Gleis mit Holzschwellen im Schotterbett}}...Image via Wikipedia

Mid-Jordan Light Rail TRAX Construction Update: July 23, 2009*

Please forward this information on to others that would be interested.

*This schedule is subject to change due to weather, materials issues, or unanticipated utility conflicts.



Bangerter Bridge

UPDATED Activity: Crews will be performing work on the Bangerter Highway overpass at approximately 8700 South. Traffic Impacts: Two right southbound lanes of Bangerter Highway will be closed 8/1 (Saturday) and two left northbound lanes will be closed on 8/2 (Sunday) to accommodate handrail installation. The median will remain closed through mid-August.




Sugar Factory Area

Activity: Please be aware that flagging operations will be taking place intermittently through July at 2700 West near the tracks to accommodate construction vehicles; please follow flagger’s instructions.



Activity: Please be aware that flagging operations will be taking place intermittently through July at 3200 West near the tracks to accommodate construction vehicles; please follow flagger’s instructions.




Old Bingham Area

Activity: Work will be taking place on 4000 West at the trackway located near Old Bingham Highway. Traffic Impacts: 4000 West will be closed at the trackway from 7/27 (Monday) to 8/16 (Sunday). Old Bingham Highway will also be closed at 4000 West during these dates. Please use 4800 West or Bangerter Highway as alternate routes.



Activity: Utility work. Traffic Impacts: On Old Bingham Highway just west of the Bangerter Highway overpass, traffic will be restricted to one lane with flagging operations during working hours (7 am to 5 pm) and lane shifts during non-working hours through 7/26 (Sunday).



Activity: Eastbound shoulder closure on Old Bingham Highway west of Bangerter Highway through July.



Activity: Please be aware that flagging operations will be taking place intermittently through 2009 at 4800 West near Old Bingham Highway to accommodate construction vehicles. Please note that left turns are allowed from the through lane; please follow flagger’s instructions.



Activity: Please be aware that flagging operations will be taking place intermittently through 2009 at Wasatch Meadows Drive near Old Bingham Highway to accommodate construction vehicles. Please note that left turns are allowed from the through lane; please follow flagger’s instructions.



Activity: Please be aware that flagging operations will be taking place intermittently through 2009 at 5200 West and the railway to accommodate construction vehicles.



Activity: Utility work is currently ongoing. Traffic Impacts: Shoulder work with possible lane restrictions.




Gardner Village Area

NEW Activity: Bridge work at 7200 South and approximately 600 West. Traffic Impacts: The leftmost lane of 7200 South in each direction will be closed 8/1 (Saturday) and 8/2 (Sunday) to accommodate pile driving work.



UPDATED Activity: Utility and bridge work. Crews will be working at 700 West near approximately 7400 South. Traffic Impacts: The northbound right lane of 700 West will be closed from 8/6 (Thursday) through 8/14 (Friday) to accommodate drainage work. The southbound shoulder of 700 West will be closed in this immediate area through mid-August.



UPDATED Activity: Construction on the Jordan River TRAX bridge. Traffic Impacts: The Jordan River Parkway Trail near approximately 7500 South will be intermittently detoured through August 2009. Please be aware that the detour does cross a live railway track, and as such, the detour will be closed daily from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. when freight is actively running on the track. Please plan accordingly. UPDATE (7/23/09): The trail will be detoured from 7/31 (Friday) through 8/7 (Friday) to accommodate bridge work.



Activity: Access to Gardner Village from the Jordan River Parkway Trail is closed until August 2009.






Cottonwood Area

NEW Activity: Bridge work at 7200 South and approximately 600 West. Traffic Impacts: South sidewalk will be closed in the immediate area through 8/3.



UPDATED Activity: Bridge work on Winchester Street and approximately 400 West. Traffic Impacts: Traffic is also subject to intermittent flagging operations through 7/31 to accommodate construction vehicles. Please plan accordingly and use detour routes as posted.






If you have any construction-related questions or concerns, please call the construction hotline at (888) 550-2211.





If you have any questions or concerns regarding the project, please let me know.

Sarah Loughlin

Community Involvement Specialist

Utah Transit Authority

801-236-4783

sloughlin@rideuta.com


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Friday, July 24, 2009

This Week in Amtrak

CHICAGO - MARCH 13:  Amtrak cars sit in a rail...Image by Getty Images via Daylife

This Week at Amtrak; July 25, 2009



A weekly digest of events, opinions, and forecasts from



United Rail Passenger Alliance, Inc.

America’s foremost passenger rail policy institute



1526 University Boulevard, West, PMB 203 • Jacksonville, Florida 32217-2006 USA

Telephone 904-636-7739, Electronic Mail info@unitedrail.org • http://www.unitedrail.org





Volume 6, Number 24



Founded over three decades ago in 1976, URPA is a nationally known policy institute which focuses on solutions and plans for passenger rail systems in North America. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, URPA has professional associates in Minnesota, California, Arizona, New Mexico, the District of Columbia, Texas, New York, and other cities. For more detailed information, along with a variety of position papers and other documents, visit the URPA web site at http://www.unitedrail.org.



URPA is not a membership organization, and does not accept funding from any outside sources.



1) Response to the last This Week at Amtrak published Monday came fast and furious. The overwhelming sentiment was negative against Amtrak and the P.R.I.I.A. Section 226 Gulf Coast Service Plan Report as discussed in the last issue.



Here are some samples from the TWA mailbag. Every new paragraph represents a new quote by another individual writer.



[Begin quotes]



“Those crooks are so lost in extorting money they have absolutely forgotten their purpose is to operate a ‘national network of rail passenger services’.”



“I have in my possession a published SCL passenger timetable from December 1970. Could I just mail that to Mr. Boardman and say ‘here, can't you replicate this service?’.”



“I am totally incensed by Amtrak's total incompetence from Mr. Boardman down the line to middle management. 20 months to train onboard staff is absurd! What can the average person do to correct the culture of mediocrity?”



“Yeah, I read the report. In typical Am-logic, they establish a conclusion first, and then

‘manufacture’ facts and data to justify it! A new station at Sanford? Why? Good point. ... Yeah, you're right – [Congresswoman] Corrine Brown should request a refund and Boardman should resign. What a disgrace!”



“I was comforted that it wasn't only me that was . . . well . . . flabbergasted . . . at the audacity Amtrak had to issue such a publication. It's filled not only with numerous untruths, but it actually documents their ‘hidden’ agenda, which obviously is to impede and hinder hooking up east of New Orleans. Does this go unseen by those who SHOULD care? Now, if there are so many obstacles over the New Orleans to Florida issue, will Amtrak raise similar objections for restoring the Pioneer and/or the North Coast Limited? To my knowledge, I've not been made aware of Amtrak's viewpoint on this matter. The restoration of The Sunset Limited issues began previous to the Pioneer or NCL proposals; correct me if I'm mistaken.”



“Put two stakes in the ground with yellow tape between them and call it a station until one is built. Not running a train because of one station on the route is nonsense. And 20 months required to train the crews to do what? I worked at an airline and it took way less time to train our crews on the various aircraft they had to fly. Why is Amtrak dragging its feet on this route? It doesn't make sense. I hope they do extend the City of New Orleans ... then I can get on the train in Memphis and make the whole trip to Disney World! You think that Amtrak might try to market that? ... Nah.”



“I don't understand this nonsense about tri-weakly service either (misspelling intended). Then again, the Rio Grande Zephyr was a huge success, in spite of tri-weekly service. Yes, I know the Rockies aren't the Florida panhandle, plus the D&RGW folks ran a first class operation and had a huge amount of pride in their train. Always good to get your weekly newsletter and analysis.”



“Amtrak New Orleans-Orlando passenger service. Designed to fail. Amtrak's record of plans and implementation have been a failure, except for maintaining an inept bureaucracy. America's skeletal passenger train network is a carryover from decades ago, yet, Amtrak's board continues to perpetuate this as their primary purpose. The present Amtrak board has outlived their usefulness in today's world of American transportation. No disrespect to you and any of the advocates, but I cannot even suggest any choice when the inmates are running the asylum. I suggest you review the ‘be careful what you wish for’ quote, and listen to what your subconscious tells you.”



2) And, so the comments went. There was one comment from someone living on the Gulf Coast this space has a lot of respect for, and there were two other major comments, too.



“Amtrak is accomplishing precisely what they hoped to accomplish with their inaccurate, error-prone, agenda-driven, biased report – turn people against restoration of service. Anyone who doesn't understand the importance of the route to the national system, and also understand that Amtrak has intentionally put the worst possible spin on projected ridership will question whether return of Florida service is a wise decision. Amtrak should be ashamed and embarrassed, but they're not. Goal accomplished and business as usual inside Amtrak – protect the money machine, and not waste precious resources on anything as mundane as service to the passenger. Isn't it odd that spending money to run a train between New Orleans and Orlando simply scares them to death, but paying an Amtrak crew to lay around the pool at a New Orleans hotel for three days while the equipment sets idle [waiting for the return trip] seems likes a logical decision. Only at Amtrak would buffoonic moves such as these be made.”



[End quote]



3) For the major comments, first, United Rail Passenger Alliance Vice President of Law and Policy, and President of the Minnesota Association of Railroad Passengers, Andrew Selden of Minneapolis.



[Begin quote]



By Andrew Selden



TWA’s discussion of the intellectual failures of Amtrak's projections of usage of the various service alternatives across the New Orleans-Florida gap missed one of the most compelling bits of evidence: Amtrak's own experience with actual patterns of usage of this service when it existed.



One of the most striking passenger behaviors that evolved almost immediately upon extension of the Sunset Limited to Florida in 1993 was the spontaneous discovery by passengers and travel agents one could change trains in Jacksonville between the Sunset and trains to and from points NORTH of Jacksonville.



This is not a surprising result to anyone who understands networks in transportation systems. Matrix theory in mathematics predicts when a node (or a "hub") is created, traffic will flow through that hub in all possible directions, and the volume is approximately proportional to the square of the potential number of origin-destination pairs in the matrix.



So it didn't matter the one train – the Sunset – turned south at Jacksonville. Amtrak, of course, if they thought about it at all (no evidence exists that they did, before or after service was started), assumed customers would only go where the train went, to points south.



But passengers could read the timetable, and saw if they got off at Jacksonville, lo and behold, before too long a train would come through headed north into the Carolinas and Virginia, and even all the way to the Northeast. So people bought tickets and constructed their own connections, sometimes enduring unreasonably long waits for the connecting train. But through they went, generating "ridership" – and more importantly revenues – and much longer trips (output, measured in revenue passenger miles). United Rail Passenger Alliance founder Austin Coates documented this phenomenon by going into the Jacksonville station, and talking to passengers and ticket agents. They all understood what was happening, but Amtrak didn't: their systems only saw the local tickets to and from Jacksonville, not the fact it was the same folks passing through Jacksonville.



Amtrak's blindness to inter-route through traffic is further exacerbated by its bias – Amtrak sees itself mostly as operating a high-cost transit service in the Northeast Corridor and other short corridors. Many short trains, running discontiguous short routes, accommodating time-insensitive customers, who won't use the service (Amtrak assumes) if they have to change vehicles to reach their own destination.



It is an old shibboleth of urban transit planners that a connection for a journey will cut potential patronage ("ridership") by 50% or more as compared to operating a through train and/or bus or trolley. That notion is false, of course, but Amtrak's planners didn't get the memo. So to them, potential passengers are not likely to use a long distance service which requires a change of trains, and so only a few riders are to be expected to want to change trains at a place like Jacksonville. In Amtrak’s projection, little or no allowance is made for the potential usage or resulting revenue of someone who might choose to use rail to get from Houston to Raleigh, North Carolina or Mobile, Alabama to Boston via Jacksonville, even if that means a short layover at Jacksonville.



But, people are willing to do that. We know that not because of a theory or a forecast, but because of actual historical patterns of usage, of which Amtrak is either ignorant or which it is willing to try to hide, when it really doesn't want to do the work of running the train in the first place.



Our casual analysis suggested the comparatively few passengers who hubbed at Jacksonville between points west and points north of there were generating enough revenue (from their entire trip's fare, not just the fare for the segment taken on the Sunset) to pay all or most of the direct, above-the-rail, cost to operate the Sunset east of New Orleans. Everyone else was gravy. And, of course, all that occurred spontaneously, without benefit of any advertising or promotional support, fare promotions, or any other marketing.



And – at the time – the phenomenon was sharply limited by the lack of capacity on the Silver Star and Silver Meteor, especially in sleepers, to handle any serious growth in traffic. We believe if additional capacity had been available on the Silver trains, especially in first class, there would have been MUCH more connecting traffic at Jacksonville than there was. There is no way to estimate how much revenue Amtrak lost for lack of understanding. And, when the Sunset was discontinued east of New Orleans and the connection lost, ridership and revenue of the Silver trains to and from Florida was diminished accordingly.



Thus, Amtrak's craven failure this year to account properly for inter-route connecting revenue and ridership is really no surprise, either as a methodological failure, or a political scam. But, it is both disappointing and dishonest, and reflects a very serious lost opportunity to serve the public and to make money.



[End quote



Noted rail historian Daniel Carleton of Dunnellon, Florida had this to add, thinking along the lines of last weekend’s 40th anniversary of American man on the moon.



[Begin quote]



Mission Control … What is our mission?



By Daniel Carleton



As a nation we look back with pride to that day 40 years ago when humankind, humankind of American citizenry, set foot on Earth’s first and foremost satellite. It was the pinnacle of our civilization and became the benchmark for all technological leaps… or lack thereof; “We can land a man on the moon but we can’t …”



During these intervening four decades we have seen substantial changes in the size and scope of human enterprise. Due to the evident realities concerning what resources are actually available we have readjusted our views concerning our endeavors. Man has not been back to the moon since 1972. Commercial supersonic flight ended in 2002. And on the ground, intercity rail transportation became the ward of the National Rail Passenger Corporation, or Amtrak, in 1971. In Amtrak’s 38 years we have seen it expand and contract, rise and fall, lauded and condemned. With all the talk these days of “High Speed Rail” one may conclude the future mission of passenger rail is, in NASA parlance, “ago.”



So it was with great dismay that on July 16th of this year Amtrak released its “Gulf Coast Service Plan Report;” ironically on the same day of the states’ deadline for Pre-Applications for High-Speed Passenger Rail Funding. Although appearing comprehensive, the inaccuracy of detail leads one to believe it was conceived by one either not familiar with the area of proposed service or counting on those reading it would not be familiar.



The Report calls for “$10.7 million” for restoration of stations including “$3.2 million for the demolition and reconstruction of the Sanford, Florida station.” This should not be confused with the southern terminus of the Auto Train. The regular passenger station in Sanford is between the active stations in Winter Park and DeLand, and is passed daily by the current pair of New York to Miami trains. However, unlike other now vacant stations in Florida, Sanford was abandoned years ago due to very low passenger loadings. Why should the restoration of Gulf Coast service shoulder the cost of rebuilding a station with low boardings?



Also cited is “$600,000 for improvements at Amtrak’s Sanford maintenance facility where equipment would be maintained.” When the Sunset Limited was running prior to 2005 it was adequately maintained at the Auto-Train terminal in Sanford. Sanford is already in line for $2 million in maintenance area funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act; this does not include the $10 million new Auto Train passenger station. Why should the restoration of Gulf Coast service shoulder the cost of unnecessary improvements?



The least expensive option for restoration of service is the reestablishment of the tri-weekly Sunset Limited. However, the “major issue associated with this option is the route length. The route length (2,763 miles) presented significant operational challenges for the pre-Hurricane Katrina Sunset Limited with respect to equipment servicing, operational performance, crew scheduling and other issues.” This is a curious statement as Amtrak is planning to operate a daily Texas Eagle from Chicago to Los Angeles (2728 miles) as noted in the August 2009 issue of Trains magazine. Does 35 miles make that much of a difference? Or does Amtrak intend to discontinue this train when it is deemed convenient?



As of this early date at least two “advocates” listed in the Report as having been contacted have denied any such correspondence.



This action, or more accurately inaction, on the part of Amtrak is an insult to the people of the State of Florida, the Gulf Coast, and adds insult to injury to those left in New Orleans. What is Amtrak’s mission? Are they or are they not our national passenger railroad? If not, so be it; let us find another medium for rail transportation. If so, then where is our train? At a time when we should be working toward a stable and responsible means of ground transportation we are handed a 78-page report which says, in essence, “no, we can’t.” Remember this point, if New Orleans and the Gulf Coast had been mercifully spared the wrath of Katrina in 2005, would not the Sunset Limited still be running today?



[End quote]



4) Reports like the Gulf Coast Report make it difficult to snuggle up close to Amtrak and make nice. The report showed everyone – politicians, railroaders, passengers, American taxpayers – the worst and most arrogant side of Amtrak. We’ve seen a company with no solid or permanent leadership, no vision for the future, no regard for its basic mission for existence.



Then, we come to the following two press releases. Read them carefully.



[Begin quote]



Veolia Transportation Names Former Amtrak CEO As Chairman of its Rail Division



CHICAGO – June 17, 2009 – Veolia Transportation Inc. announced that Tom Downs has joined the company as chairman of its rail division. Downs will work with Rail Executive Vice President Ron Hartman to continue Veolia Transportation’s growth as the largest private provider of contracted passenger rail services in the U.S.



As chairman, Downs will help guide the company’s strategic planning efforts as well as its expanding roster of public private partnerships, and catalyze the development of its high-speed rail business. He will further develop the company’s relationships and alliances with key organizations in the public and private sectors, including the Federal Railway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, as well as transit authorities and city governments. Downs also will provide assistance with operations, continuing to enhance performance in safety, maintenance, customer service, technology and maintenance of way.



In his distinguished career in transportation, Downs has held several executive roles. As CEO of AMTRAK, Downs was credited with leading the national passenger rail system from insolvency to a $2 billion capital investment fund in 1998. He also has served as commissioner of transportation in New Jersey and as president of the Triborough Bridge & Tunnel Authority. As city administrator of the District of Columbia in the 1980s, Downs oversaw the restoration of Union Station.



From 2003 to 2008, Downs was CEO of the Eno Transportation Foundation, a forum for the discussion of emerging issues and policies in all fields of transportation. Prior to that, he directed the National Center for Smart Growth Education and Research at the University of Maryland.



“Tom brings a powerful combination of strategic depth, integrity and a proven record of successful leadership in rail to Veolia Transportation,” said Mark Joseph, CEO of Veolia Transportation. “The experience he has gained in leading several of the most respected entities in the rail industry will be a tremendous asset to our rapidly growing rail business and to our clients.”



“I am very pleased to be joining Veolia Transportation as I believe they have the competence, capacity for innovation and values that will assure their continued leadership in the industry,” said Downs. “As the company continues to grow over the next 10 years, we will bring groundbreaking advances in commuter and high-speed rail service to cities and transit authorities in North America. Veolia Transportation is committed to setting the standard in safe and sustainable mobility solutions through genuine partnerships with clients and superb execution, and I share these commitments.”



About Veolia Transportation



Veolia Transportation is the largest private-sector operator of multiple modes of transit in North America, including bus, rail, paratransit, shuttle, sedan and taxi services. The company has over 17,000 employees and operates some 150 contracts in multiple modes of transit for cities in North America. The company operates several major commuter rail networks in the U.S., including Boston, San Diego, Austin, Los Angeles and Miami and is an integrated manager and operator, providing a range of rail services to clients.



Veolia Transportation is part of Veolia Transport, the world’s largest private operator of multiple modes of public transit, including bus, rail, paratransit, shuttle, ferry and taxi services. Veolia Transport operates contracts for 5,000 city transit authorities in 27 countries, and transports 2.5 billion passengers per year. The Company operates some of the most sophisticated rail systems in the world in Australia, Germany, The Netherlands, and the UK.



For more information, visit www.veoliatransportation.com



[End quote]



[Begin quote]



Veolia Transportation Names COO of Its Rail Division



CHICAGO – July 20, 2009 – Veolia Transportation announced today that Donald Saunders has been named chief operating officer of the company’s Rail Division. Saunders, who joins Veolia Transportation from Amtrak, will report to Executive Vice President – Rail Ron Hartman and work with the rail management team to advance Veolia Transportation as the largest provider of contracted rail services in the United States.



Saunders joins a management team committed to setting the standard for passenger rail operations in North America. As COO, he will focus on day-to-day operations and operational execution to ensure that Veolia Transportation is continually exceeding the expectations of passengers and clients. He will also participate in the company’s strategic planning efforts.



“Don has extensive experience in many parts of the passenger rail industry and an excellent track record,” said Hartman. While working at Amtrak in the Central Region, Don dramatically improved the operational performance of the trains he managed, including the operation of 60 daily intercity trains and dispatching of 300 Chicago commuter trains.



“Veolia Transportation has a global reputation for being an innovative company that cares about the safety and well-being of customers and employees,” said Saunders. “I look forward to helping them achieve their mission of being best in class through strong partnerships and commitments to clients and employees.”



Prior to joining Veolia Transportation, Saunders had a long career in various executive positions at Amtrak. Most recently, he was assistant vice president of the west region for policy and development. His key responsibilities in this role included business development, including developing and implementing plans for stimulus-related projects, and for new future service possibilities. He successfully negotiated contracts with the Departments of Transportation in three western states.



About Veolia Transportation



Veolia Transportation is the largest private sector operator of multiple modes of transit in North America, including bus, rail, paratransit, shuttle, sedan and taxi services. The company has a workforce of over 20,000 people and operates over 200 transportation contracts in 22 states and two Canadian Provinces. The company manages and operates transportation services in leading U.S. cities, including Las Vegas, San Diego, Phoenix, Denver, Baltimore, Atlanta, San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as several major rail networks, including Boston, San Diego, Los Angeles, Miami and Austin. (www.veolia-transport.com/en)



Veolia Transportation is part of Veolia Transport, the world’s largest private operator of multiple modes of transit, including bus, rail, paratransit, shuttle, ferry and taxi services. Veolia Transport operates contracts for 5,000 city transit authorities in 28 countries, and completes 2.63 billion passenger trips per year. (www.veolia-transport.com/en/)



[End quote]



Ron Hartman, Veolia’s Executive Vice President here in North America has been putting together a blockbuster team of transit and passenger railroaders. Adding Tom Downs is a plum for Veolia (After all, transit is what Mr. Downs does best; not intercity passenger rail.) when dealing with various state governors and city mayors, plus an assortment of other politicians.



Good railroaders like Don Saunders add huge strength to the company.



Ron Hartman is a well-respected former Amtrak executive, with excellent private experience, too. He is earnest and hard working, and he is not someone to be taken lightly; he knows his business.



Now, go back and reread the last two paragraphs of both press releases. French company Veolia is a huge, powerful worldwide player in every field it enters, including transit and passenger rail. This is a company with a lot of clout, a boatload of money, huge political muscle, and an executive cadre not to be messed with. If you don’t believe everything you read in those last two paragraphs of the press releases, visit the company’s web site. You’ll be convinced these people are important – and highly relevant.



Look to the future. Here’s Veolia with all of this money, all of this talent, all of this experience. What if someone wanted to start a regional rail operation ... who better than Veolia to run it? As a private, for-profit company, Veolia is automatically much leaner and more focused than Amtrak, and has a work ethic far, far different from Amtrak, especially after what we have seen in last week’s Gulf Coast Report. What if Veolia had produced that report? Do you think the conclusions would have been the same? No, they would have been radically different, with a dozen different ways to make that service work, instead of three examples and all of the reasons why the service can’t work. (Ron Hartman alone would have made sure of that, even without the other new guys.)



Every city, town, and hamlet in America is clamoring for high speed rail. A puny $8 billion to be distributed this year goes against so far over $100 billion in requests by states. Everything is up for grabs. Even Amtrak? Well, possibly so.



What if Veolia gets in the operations door for high speed rail? There is no mandate for Amtrak to have those contracts automatically. (Indeed, the Gulf Coast Report makes a huge argument for Amtrak to be pushed as far away as possible from those contracts.)



So, think outside the box, because that’s what everyone but Amtrak is trying to do today. Let’s say Veolia (or one of its competitors other than Amtrak) gets one or two high speed routes to operate. Well, to make the contract complete, how about putting some of the existing connecting long distance or regional or short distance Amtrak routes into that contract, to make a nice, efficient, connected bundle? A couple of votes from Congress and that could happen. Amtrak may currently have a monopoly on passenger rail in this country, but it does not have a monopoly on political clout.

Imagine for a moment you’re a planning executive at one of the major freight railroads. We just saw earlier this month Norfolk Southern’s CEO is willing to talk about passenger rail. If one is talking about it, mostly likely others at competing railroads are, too. Suppose you see an opportunity in passenger rail, but your passenger department has been long gone for nearly four decades. Where do you go to find and populate a new passenger department?



Why go anywhere further than Veolia? Don’t hire individual passenger department employees, just sign a contract with Veolia to handle the whole thing for you. No muss, no fuss, and you’ve got instant professionals handling things to your specifications. If things don’t work out, well, don’t renew the contract, and don’t worry about having to get rid of a huge pool of employees. They all belong to Veolia, not you.



Ron Hartman’s Veolia has become the 800 pound gorilla in the room when it comes to transit and regional passenger rail. The desire is there, the financial muscle is there, the deep bench of talent is there, the vision (Amtrak, are you paying attention?) is there. Veolia through its normal lines of business wants to grow and expand, not contract or merely maintain, as Amtrak is, because it is always depending on someone else’s good graces or funding and does not have the will to accept normal growth.



If you were Amtrak and you had a lick of sense, would you be looking over your corporate shoulder?



5) Oh, and look at the date. Five months from today is Christmas Day!







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J. Bruce Richardson

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United Rail Passenger Alliance, Inc.

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