urbanSTL

^The speed limits are different if you have grade crossings and if you don't. Right now the speed limit probably isn't any higher than maybe 25 at best inside Springfield's core. With grade separation you can have your 110 to whatever the braking distance for the station stop would be. With a mile, more or less. Probably a little less, as passenger trains are light and can stop more quickly than 6000' of coal gons. So it saves you real time. The railroads love grade separation. A lot. Saves you the trauma and paperwork of running over idiots too. Train crews don't actually enjoy having run people down. Even foolish people. I don't particularly like accidentally running over squirrels. I can only imagine the trauma of crushing a passenger vehicle.  And management doesn't like the paperwork. (There's always paperwork. Did the signals work? Was the crew following the speed limit and using proper whistle signals? Were the lights working? Paperwork. Not to mention fixing the damage, should it surpass scratched paint and bent railings.)

As to the conflict south of town, you mean Iles junction? I'd say this makes that simpler, since you'll be reducing congestion on the UP line. And if the whole thing becomes a joint line you can cross trains over anywhere in town rather than just at Iles. It sounds like they're not really planning a joint line, but two dedicated, grade separated double track mains will still be an improvement over what's there now. If you clear the junction quicker things flow more smoothly. And the Hannibal sub isn't that busy, so I can't imagine it's a big problem for UP/Alton train speeds anyway.

Ahem . . . Downtown STL to Alton . . . grumble . . . ahem . . . too slow . . . grumble . . . the real problem . . . ahem . . .  grumble . . . grumble . . .  

I understand the advantages of grade separation.
I don't like the station being moved from its current prime location. I'll try to dig it up and maybe I'm misremembering, but it seemed like when the alternatives were being weighed years ago a good portion of the impetus to move to 10th was not about what's best for passengers, good railroading, or bang for buck.

I’m amazed at how popular this topic is. The subject, high-speed rail, moves at a pace similar to a tortoise if it moves at all. Nothing has changed in 10 years except an increase of a few miles per hour to Chicago. Yet, people here keep this topic at the top of the board. Unbelievable.

^ nobody cares that you're not interested.

Whhhhhaaaaahhhhhhhh

The boarding procedure at the bigger stations, like STL and Chicago drives me nuts. How early do you guys arrive? That alone seems to negate any 15-minute speed savings. I feel like I'm chancing it by arriving any later than 15-20 minutes before arrival, and this is on foot, so no chance of traffic delays.

That plus the terrible schedule are the two things Amtrak needs to address. Those Chicago departures of 4:30a, 6:40a, 3p and 5:40p would be far more useful if spaced out more. As a non-morning person, the two early-AM ones are both ungodly early hours.

More than once I've driven to Effingham to catch the train to Chicago to allow myself to both sleep a little more and to avoid the terrible STL boarding. It's frequently cheaper as well. The travel time is similar. It'd be an even more attractive option if I had to park at STL, since you can park right there at EFG for free. That route would be even better if not for the back-up move approaching Union Station that seems to squander 30 minutes each direction.

^ the boarding process at airports drives me way more nuts and takes just as long (probably longer per person, actually) than train boarding. everything about airports is just miserable.

urban_dilettante wrote: ↑

Jan 09, 2022

^ the boarding process at airports drives me way more nuts and takes just as long (probably longer per person, actually) than train boarding. everything about airports is just miserable.

This is true. I just don't think Amtrak's goal should be slightly better boarding than at the airport while far worse than train boarding in every other country.

^ is it far worse? i rode the train a few times in Europe (Spain, France, England, and Scotland) and India but it's been a while... i don't recall the boarding experience being significantly smoother in those places but maybe it just didn't register because it was so seamless.

No different? In Europe you walk onto the platform and onto your train whenever you want, none of this herding behind barriers and then being released the way Amtrak does.

^ not that anyone said "no different," but the only station where i had to wait in a line behind a barrier was chicago. in Charlottesville and DC i just walked on. and at Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and all the smaller stations along the way i didn't see anybody waiting behind barriers. even so, i guess i just don't see it as a big deal if i have to wait for the go-ahead to start boarding.

danke0 wrote: ↑

Jan 10, 2022

No different? In Europe you walk onto the platform and onto your train whenever you want, none of this herding behind barriers and then being released the way Amtrak does.

In December 2019 I waited behind a barrier to my platform in Gare du Nord before having my ticket checked to board a train for Amsterdam.

ok an over-generalization based on my limited experience, just that I've never seen the barriers in Europe and never not seen them here. One thing about boarding in StL, if you get business class you can wait in the business lounge with free water, "private" restrooms, etc. and the agents come in to tell you when it's time to board, so you don't have to stand in that hallway leaning against the wall. Eases the annoyance of the procedure somewhat.

The new cars are operational!

They look a little cold and sterile if you ask me, but hopefully they're comfortable. The windows look pretty good and the upholstery looks nice even if I'd have preferred warmer colors. And the aisle looks to be four miles wide. Hard to argue with that!

I wonder if they're in service completely right now or will be phased in. Might be worth taking a shirt trip to see how they are. 

What Went Wrong With California's High-Speed Railway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p__teJLmY3k

Any indication when the new cars will be on all STL-CHI runs?

Unrelated, but this seems like an ungodly number of cancellations for a service that should be fairly snow-proof. STL-KC is nixed on Friday, even. Anybody know why?

On Wednesday, February 2 the following service is cancelled:
• Cardinal Train 51 (operating between New York and Chicago)
• Capitol Limited Train 29 (operating between Washington, D.C., and Chicago)
• Pere Marquette Train 370 (operating between Chicago and Grand Rapids, Mich.)
• Wolverine Service Trains 354 & 355 (operating between Chicago and Pontiac, Mich.)
• Illini/Saluki Train 393 (operating between Chicago and Carbondale, Ill.)
• Lincoln Service Trains 305 & 307 (operating between Chicago and St. Louis)
• Missouri River Runner Train 313 (operating between St. Louis and Kansas City)
• City of New Orleans Trains 58 & 59 (operating between New Orleans and Chicago)
• Heartland Flyer Train 822 (operating between Ft. Worth and Oklahoma City)

On Thursday, February 3 the following service is cancelled:
• Cardinal Train 50 (operating between New York and Chicago)
• Capitol Limited Train 30 (operating between Washington, D.C., and Chicago)
• Illini/Saluki Train 390 (operating between Carbondale, Ill., and Chicago)
• Lincoln Service Trains 300 & 302 (operating between St. Louis and Chicago)
• Pere Marquette Train 371 (operating between Grand Rapids, Mich., and Chicago)
• Wolverine Service Trains 350 & 351, 352 & 354 and 353 & 355 (operating between Chicago and Pontiac, Mich.)
• Blue Water Trains 364 & 365 (operating between Chicago and Port Huron, Mich.)
• Missouri River Runner Trains 314 & 313 (operating between Kansas City and St. Louis)
• City of New Orleans Trains 58 & 59 (operating between New Orleans and Chicago
• Heartland Flyer Train 821 (operating between Oklahoma City, Okla. and Ft. Worth, Tx.)
On Thursday, February 3 the following service will operate on a modified schedule:
• Vermonter Trains 56 & 55 (operating between Washington, D.C. and St. Albans, Vt.) will terminate and originate at New Haven, Conn.

On Friday, February 4 the following service is cancelled:
• Missouri River Runner Trains 314 (operating between Kansas City and St. Louis)

Crew availability?

Trains .com article with a lot more information about the new rolling stock: https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews ... or-amtrak/

Bastian says the plan is to equip all Lincoln Service trains first, then move on to other Midwest routes at the rate of eight cars per month, “if Siemens can support getting the coaches ready.” A total of 42 cars are being retrofitted in Chicago.

aprice wrote: ↑

Feb 02, 2022

Trains .com article with a lot more information about the new rolling stock: https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews ... or-amtrak/

Bastian says the plan is to equip all Lincoln Service trains first, then move on to other Midwest routes at the rate of eight cars per month, “if Siemens can support getting the coaches ready.” A total of 42 cars are being retrofitted in Chicago.

I wondered if there would be a new cafe/business car. Seems this story answered my question...

“We’re planning an official grand opening in mid-February,” explains Jennifer Bastian, the Illinois Department of Transportation’s section chief of passenger rail rolling stock. “The first ‘married pair’ of a coach-cafe and business-class car is leaving Siemens in Sacramento this week, and we have to determine when it will fit into the next consist that we release.” Until all arrive, a standard Horizon or Amfleet I cafe with a business class section will fill in, as was the case on this train.

StlToday - Rail advocates urge state to restore funding for twice-daily Missouri River Runner service

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/gov ... 3a28d.html

Time for an urban stl lobbying day in the capital where we all gather outside and chant AMTRAK AMTRAK AMTRAK as loud as we can.

Ebsy wrote: ↑

Feb 04, 2022

Time for an urban stl lobbying day in the capital where we all gather outside and chant AMTRAK AMTRAK AMTRAK as loud as we can.

I’m down.