^Northbound would be heading to Chicago, and I'd guess more than a few people would board that. Heading south into St. Louis is probably a lot fewer when there's easier ways to get into town, though a one way ticket ALN to STL is four bucks, the trip is an hour, and service is (relatively) frequent, so you could almost get away with using it as a commuter train if you wanted, if you can make your schedule work with it.
The new schedules started yesterday. Good to see! Took way too long to get here.
The 305 was
5 mins early at SPI
15 mins early at CRV
3 mins early at ALN
12 mins early at STL
35 mins faster than the schedule.
The other CHI_STL didn't do as well
301 1hr49mins late at STL
319 43mins late to STL
307 15 mins late to STL
STL_CHI did well
300 6 mins early to ALN
300 8 mins early to JOL
300 2 mins early to CHI
302 8 mins late at CHI
318 14 mins early at CHI
306 3 mins early at CHI
The 305 was
5 mins early at SPI
15 mins early at CRV
3 mins early at ALN
12 mins early at STL
35 mins faster than the schedule.
The other CHI_STL didn't do as well
301 1hr49mins late at STL
319 43mins late to STL
307 15 mins late to STL
STL_CHI did well
300 6 mins early to ALN
300 8 mins early to JOL
300 2 mins early to CHI
302 8 mins late at CHI
318 14 mins early at CHI
306 3 mins early at CHI
Any idea how the upgrades would impact heat speed restrictions? I suppose we'll find out later this week.
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How much is the travel time between union station to union station?quincunx wrote: ↑Jun 27, 2023The new schedules started yesterday. Good to see! Took way too long to get here.
The 305 was
5 mins early at SPI
15 mins early at CRV
3 mins early at ALN
12 mins early at SLT
35 mins faster than the schedule.
The other CHI_STL didn't do as well
301 1hr49mins late at STL
319 43mins late to STL
307 15 mins late to STL
STL_CHI did well
300 6 mins early to ALN
300 8 mins early to JOL
300 2 mins early to CHI
302 8 mins late at CHI
318 14 mins early at CHI
306 3 mins early at CHI
Something happened between CHI and JOL. Probably a freight train in the way.Tim wrote: ↑Jun 27, 20232 hours late! Sheesh.
The 301 did better today, 4 mins late at STL.
Believe their is a bridge issue around Joliet that has not been kind to rail service but a much needed fix, new alignment and Joliet platform as well as Chicago Union Station access improvement that have been proposed but Amtrak is waiting to see if it will be funded under Infrastructure grants. Link to the Chicago Hub Improvement Program
https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/proj ... rogram.pdf
https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/proj ... rogram.pdf
The fact that there are no late morning/early afternoon departures is bizarre.
Yeah I think Illinois' next priority really should be adding 2-3 more trains to this route.
Can anything be added or do freight trains prevent more mid day Amtrak runs?
A year after deadly derailment, Missouri launches ‘historic’ railroad crossing safety plan
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/gov ... -top-story
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/gov ... -top-story
Among the proposed closures is one in Centertown west of Jefferson City that has seen chronic backups due to trains stopping and blocking the roadway for lengthy periods of time. On the Texas Eagle route, MoDOT is calling for a handful of closures in Butler County near the Arkansas border.
Four crossings would be closed in Chariton County where the Southwest Chief runs, including the scene of last year’s collision near Mendon. In St. Louis, gates and lights will be installed on Dock Street near the riverfront north of downtown. On nearby Buchanan Street, only flashing lights will be installed.
Interesting opinion piece:
Note to Amtrak, FRA – Chicago is NOT the center of the passenger train world; start thinking about new night trains
https://corridorrail.com/u-s-note-to-am ... cVG3Dr1aXM
Note to Amtrak, FRA – Chicago is NOT the center of the passenger train world; start thinking about new night trains
https://corridorrail.com/u-s-note-to-am ... cVG3Dr1aXM
^ Thanks for the link to the article,
Low hanging fruit to me is reincarnation or new version of KC/St Louis/Memphis. I also think additional Chicago to New Orleans service via St. Louis is a no brainer. Heck follow Texas Eagle route into St. louis, down into Arkansas and then cut over to Memphis on its way to New Orleans. In other words, to me KC/St Louis gaining connectivity to Memphis & New Orleans should be given in Amtrak's Connectivity plan but has seem to fallen on deaf ears.
A KC/St Louis/Indy opens a new truly East West corridor that also conveniently gives Amtrak another Texas Eagle connection in St. Louis and further connections in KC (kinda like a Southwest flight network). Unfortunately, in my opinion and ironically you got two red states that have no real desire to expand/improve corridor rail service and a third blue state that wants everything to go through Chicago first. So where as you got a real push in the south to get East West service between Atlanta and Dallas/Fort Worth (I20 corridor believe) as well as push to at reinstate some gulf service to at least Mobile from New Orleans between mostly red states & a purple state it is a non starter in the mid section of country
So back to the article. I think the notion that Chicago has to be the center of passenger train world is truly impacting long term needs for mid section of the country. How many 2-3 million metro areas relatively close and well suited for 90 mph passenger rail service between them as an alternate transportation method missing out?
Low hanging fruit to me is reincarnation or new version of KC/St Louis/Memphis. I also think additional Chicago to New Orleans service via St. Louis is a no brainer. Heck follow Texas Eagle route into St. louis, down into Arkansas and then cut over to Memphis on its way to New Orleans. In other words, to me KC/St Louis gaining connectivity to Memphis & New Orleans should be given in Amtrak's Connectivity plan but has seem to fallen on deaf ears.
A KC/St Louis/Indy opens a new truly East West corridor that also conveniently gives Amtrak another Texas Eagle connection in St. Louis and further connections in KC (kinda like a Southwest flight network). Unfortunately, in my opinion and ironically you got two red states that have no real desire to expand/improve corridor rail service and a third blue state that wants everything to go through Chicago first. So where as you got a real push in the south to get East West service between Atlanta and Dallas/Fort Worth (I20 corridor believe) as well as push to at reinstate some gulf service to at least Mobile from New Orleans between mostly red states & a purple state it is a non starter in the mid section of country
So back to the article. I think the notion that Chicago has to be the center of passenger train world is truly impacting long term needs for mid section of the country. How many 2-3 million metro areas relatively close and well suited for 90 mph passenger rail service between them as an alternate transportation method missing out?
Amtrak adding new stop in De Soto, Missouri
https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/amtra ... agS9Jqaiqc
https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/amtra ... agS9Jqaiqc
I’m starting to wonder if you can even trust the editors at outlets like Fox2…
De Soto clears hurdle in quest for Amtrak stop
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/met ... the-latest
De Soto clears hurdle in quest for Amtrak stop
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/met ... the-latest
Melkus said although the stop is "far from a done deal," the Amtrak letter gives the city the ability to move forward on the proposal.
Backers of the project hope to add twice-daily De Soto stops to Amtrak's Texas Eagle line, which links Chicago to St. Louis and San Antonio, Texas.
Well, this is rich.
STLToday is a ‘liberal rag,’ purveyor of ‘doom and gloom,’ so that’s on brand.
FOX is a ‘conservative shill’ whose base is opposed to bigger government, subsidies (Amtrak) and public transportation. So that’s off brand.
My guess is this in the 75% positive range.
STLToday is a ‘liberal rag,’ purveyor of ‘doom and gloom,’ so that’s on brand.
FOX is a ‘conservative shill’ whose base is opposed to bigger government, subsidies (Amtrak) and public transportation. So that’s off brand.
My guess is this in the 75% positive range.
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I don't think the FOX affiliates are necessarily conservative in the sense that FOX News is. Actually ABC is the local channel owned by the conservative Sinclair Broadcasting Group. FOX2 is owned by Nexstar, which is not actively political as far as I'm aware (assume they are pro-capitalist rich people but I don't think they are in the business of overtly pushing right-wing culture in the way Sinclair or FOX News are).
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Not sure how practical it is visavis current rail line options but i think Nashville/Atlanta would be popular the route would be my top suggestion all other things being equal.dredger wrote: ↑Aug 18, 2023^ Thanks for the link to the article,
Low hanging fruit to me is reincarnation or new version of KC/St Louis/Memphis. I also think additional Chicago to New Orleans service via St. Louis is a no brainer. Heck follow Texas Eagle route into St. louis, down into Arkansas and then cut over to Memphis on its way to New Orleans. In other words, to me KC/St Louis gaining connectivity to Memphis & New Orleans should be given in Amtrak's Connectivity plan but has seem to fallen on deaf ears.
A KC/St Louis/Indy opens a new truly East West corridor that also conveniently gives Amtrak another Texas Eagle connection in St. Louis and further connections in KC (kinda like a Southwest flight network). Unfortunately, in my opinion and ironically you got two red states that have no real desire to expand/improve corridor rail service and a third blue state that wants everything to go through Chicago first. So where as you got a real push in the south to get East West service between Atlanta and Dallas/Fort Worth (I20 corridor believe) as well as push to at reinstate some gulf service to at least Mobile from New Orleans between mostly red states & a purple state it is a non starter in the mid section of country
So back to the article. I think the notion that Chicago has to be the center of passenger train world is truly impacting long term needs for mid section of the country. How many 2-3 million metro areas relatively close and well suited for 90 mph passenger rail service between them as an alternate transportation method missing out?
^^ I can’t figure out the political angle here. Nor how the PD article was “doom and gloom” lol. The PD seemed to report the facts. Additional local money needs to be raised, UP needs to make track improvements on either side of the proposed station to accommodate for longer dwell times, etc.
Fox2 basically just said “new station coming to Missouri!” with none of the additional detail.
Seems less to do with politics and more to do with lazy, uninterested TV journalists.
Fox2 basically just said “new station coming to Missouri!” with none of the additional detail.
Seems less to do with politics and more to do with lazy, uninterested TV journalists.
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I second Nashville/Atlanta route!STLEnginerd wrote: ↑Aug 24, 2023Not sure how practical it is visavis current rail line options but i think Nashville/Atlanta would be popular the route would be my top suggestion all other things being equal.dredger wrote: ↑Aug 18, 2023^ Thanks for the link to the article,
Low hanging fruit to me is reincarnation or new version of KC/St Louis/Memphis. I also think additional Chicago to New Orleans service via St. Louis is a no brainer. Heck follow Texas Eagle route into St. louis, down into Arkansas and then cut over to Memphis on its way to New Orleans. In other words, to me KC/St Louis gaining connectivity to Memphis & New Orleans should be given in Amtrak's Connectivity plan but has seem to fallen on deaf ears.
A KC/St Louis/Indy opens a new truly East West corridor that also conveniently gives Amtrak another Texas Eagle connection in St. Louis and further connections in KC (kinda like a Southwest flight network). Unfortunately, in my opinion and ironically you got two red states that have no real desire to expand/improve corridor rail service and a third blue state that wants everything to go through Chicago first. So where as you got a real push in the south to get East West service between Atlanta and Dallas/Fort Worth (I20 corridor believe) as well as push to at reinstate some gulf service to at least Mobile from New Orleans between mostly red states & a purple state it is a non starter in the mid section of country
So back to the article. I think the notion that Chicago has to be the center of passenger train world is truly impacting long term needs for mid section of the country. How many 2-3 million metro areas relatively close and well suited for 90 mph passenger rail service between them as an alternate transportation method missing out?
St. Louis-Nashville-Atlanta-Nashville-St. Louis-Nashville-Atlanta
Manifesting.
Manifesting.
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^It's on my NIMBY radar, but I've got a few other routes to build first.
I'll be trying out the new and improved Lincoln service next week.
Also Accela and some long distance stuff in between. Going on a bit of vay-cay with the wife in the lap of Amtrak luxury. Dinner in the diner, nothing could be finer, than to have your ham and eggs in West Virginia.
Anyway, we need more and faster service stat!
I'll be trying out the new and improved Lincoln service next week.
Also Accela and some long distance stuff in between. Going on a bit of vay-cay with the wife in the lap of Amtrak luxury. Dinner in the diner, nothing could be finer, than to have your ham and eggs in West Virginia.Anyway, we need more and faster service stat!
If you're in Philly and need recommendations, hit me up.symphonicpoet wrote: ↑Aug 25, 2023^It's on my NIMBY radar, but I've got a few other routes to build first.
I'll be trying out the new and improved Lincoln service next week.
Anyway, we need more and faster service stat!
As for the "New Station Coming To Missouri" headline. News sites report uncertain development news like that all the time. How many building announcements are reported with no skepticism that we here know have little chance of actually getting built?
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^We will be, actually. We'll be there a day and a half. Figuring on hitting the usual brick buildings downtown and walking around some. Might try to ride the subway some . . . for reasons. I'll PM you the details. 