New Amtrak Poll Question

[Jeff Smith]

After a brief respite for the 4th of July, we're back. I will try to rotate by region or agency, so it's not all Amtrak.

Which Amtrak route do you think would benefit from additional frequencies?

Vote here: https://www.facebook.com/RailroadNet

Here are the choices:

Adirondack
Capitol or Lake Shore LImited
Crescent
Sunset Limited
City of New Orleans
Cardinal/Hoosier State

Feel free to add your own choice.

[D.Carleton]

I generally stay away from operations opinions (at least on railroad.net) but the Florida Service is GROSSLY under equiped. Amtrak could double capacity and still not make a dent in real demand. Just two cents from the boots on the ground.

[Oldsmoboi]

Capitol is now regularly sold out in both directions out of Pittsburgh.
I would really appreciate additional Pennsylvanian runs as well. It would make the train "take it all the time" instead of "take it when I can make my schedule fit the trip"

[Greg Moore]

I don't do facebook, so here's my answers for what they're worth.

"All of them".

Ok, seriously:
See my old thread on the 21st Century Limited. I'd basically split the LSL into separate two trains, so there was essentially two sleepers west of ALB.

And I'd extend a train to Atlanta (most likely not past there though at this time).

Florida definitely could use more service, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

[andre]

The Adirondack would benefit from more frequent service, and possibly the addition of a diner and sleeper since the train does stop at niagra falls they could tap into the wedding and honeymooner market

[hi55us]

The Adirondack would benefit from more frequent service, and possibly the addition of a diner and sleeper since the train does stop at niagra falls they could tap into the wedding and honeymooner market

The Maple Leaf goes through NFL and there is already two empire trains a day up there however I would not be opposed to a NYP-BUF-NFL overnight train.

[Greg Moore]

The Adirondack would benefit from more frequent service, and possibly the addition of a diner and sleeper since the train does stop at niagra falls they could tap into the wedding and honeymooner market

I think you're confusing the Adirondack with the Maple Leaf.

Adirondack goes up past Lake Champlain.

[andre]

The Adirondack would benefit from more frequent service, and possibly the addition of a diner and sleeper since the train does stop at niagra falls they could tap into the wedding and honeymooner market

I think you're confusing the Adirondack with the Maple Leaf.

Adirondack goes up past Lake Champlain.

your correct i did confuse the two trains, (both end up on canada )

[Greg Moore]

The Adirondack would benefit from more frequent service, and possibly the addition of a diner and sleeper since the train does stop at niagra falls they could tap into the wedding and honeymooner market

I think you're confusing the Adirondack with the Maple Leaf.

Adirondack goes up past Lake Champlain.

your correct i did confuse the two trains, (both end up on canada )

True, but if you start speaking French when you get off of one, they look at you funny.
If you get off the other and start speaking French, they'll look at you funny and tell you your French is lousy. (I know of at least one case where someone was snotily criticized for their French and asked where they learned it. The answer was Paris.

[M&Eman]

True, but if you start speaking French when you get off of one, they look at you funny.
If you get off the other and start speaking French, they'll look at you funny and tell you your French is lousy. (I know of at least one case where someone was snotily criticized for their French and asked where they learned it. The answer was Paris.

This is funny because the French think Canadian French sounds very strange, nasal, and ugly. They call them derisively les canardiens (canard means duck in French).

[Jeff Smith]

Anyone remember that Steve Martin routine? "What happened, what happened???!!!" "He spoke French!"

I'll post an update to answers next week; this one's not getting that much activity.

Any suggestions for the next question?

[westriverrr]

More Florida frequencies from the Northeast are urgently needed. It is impossible to conveniently connect with a Florida train when you live in New England. Back in the days of the Montrealer it was possible for northern New Englanders to have easy connections to Florida.

[neroden]

Yow. I voted for the Capitol / Lakeshore because I think Ohio daytime service would be massive, but really.... all of them.

Adirondack
-- least attractive of the choices
Capitol or Lake Shore Limited
-- Both need second frequencies 8-12 hours off. At least. To serve Ohio.
Pennsylvanian
-- Needs at least one more frequency and needs to provide better westbound connections.
(On top of those, while we're on the topic of trains between the East and Midwest, a connection from Detroit to Toledo is long overdue.)
Crescent
-- the Lynchburg train seems to be great for it. I'd love to know which parts of this route are most heavily used. I feel sure it could support either an additional full-length frequency or more corridor overlaps or both.
Sunset Limited
-- needs to be daily!!!
City of New Orleans
-- the Carbondale trains are already on this route. But if there's enough demand south of Illinois, then another frequency would do well.
Cardinal/Hoosier State
-- needs to be daily all the way. Though the priority here should be getting a more plausible speed out of the Hoosier State, which is too slow.

I already indicated my support for the idea of bringing *every* route up to minimum two-a-day frequencies, so that gives you an idea where I'm coming from!

[mr. mick]

From other posts it appears that you need to schedule a trip on the LSL far in advance; either more cars, or more frequency - would seem to be the answer ( maybe more cars initially, to get an idea if more frequency would be supported.)
Mr. Mick

[Suburban Station]

my own addition would be the pennsylvanian. would like to take it more often but the schedule never fits my needs.
of the choices you have, if they move the border crossing process to montreal (eliminating two hours) then that's be my first pick. easiest to do and probably the biggest benefit. for daytime OH service I'd extend the Pennsylvanian (with two Pennsylvanian frequencies one could leave first thing in the morning from ny)