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  • Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.
Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.

Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, mtuandrew, Tadman

 #1535358  by Greg Moore
 
Pensyfan19 wrote: Sat Feb 29, 2020 2:26 pm Amtrak considering expanding this route to Colorado Springs!

https://gazette.com/news/state-receives ... 853e8.html
Based on the scanty article, I'm guessing something like the Empire Builder/LSL in terms of splitting the train.
Seems rather silly.
I think Amtrak and Colorado would be better off with a train from Denver to Albuquerque and expanding their network with more connections, not more stubs.
 #1535359  by Backshophoss
 
While CoDOT wants passenger service on the Joint line,UP wiil say NO! unless the state builds a new line in Eastern Co.
Basicly no passenger service North of Pueblo.
An El Paso-ABQ-Trinidad-Walsenburg-Pueblo-C Springs-Palmer Lake-Castle Rock -Englewood -Denver Union was a dream of then
gov Richardson of NM years back
 #1535362  by gokeefe
 
They might want to say "no" or impose requirements for capital upgrades but the rub in this case is that the state Department of Transportation is involved and the proposed route is all in one state.

I don't know exactly why that's such a potent combination but it is. I can also say that UP can be a willing negotiator when pressed the right way. The best example of this is probably the Capitol Corridor on California.
 #1535364  by John_Perkowski
 
gokeefe wrote: Sat Feb 29, 2020 6:02 pm Should be interesting to see how this goes. Seems to follow the approach taken with the Heartland Flyer. Connect service via a relatively short state sponsored corridor to the national network.

I would imagine this will initially be proposed as "once a day each way".
“One A Day” (tm) is a vitamin, not an approach to supporting transportation requirements.
 #1535365  by John_Perkowski
 
gokeefe wrote: Sat Feb 29, 2020 10:53 pm They might want to say "no" or impose requirements for capital upgrades but the rub in this case is that the state Department of Transportation is involved and the proposed route is all in one state.

I don't know exactly why that's such a potent combination but it is. I can also say that UP can be a willing negotiator when pressed the right way. The best example of this is probably the Capitol Corridor on California.
Six words:

Show UP and BNSF the money.

Disclaimer: Long IRA position in UNP, Long position in Berkshire Hathaway B.
 #1535396  by gokeefe
 
John_Perkowski wrote: Sat Feb 29, 2020 11:04 pmShow UP and BNSF the money.
Absolutely but the question is how much? Will they take the position that they want a billion dollars or will it be more reasonable?
 #1535411  by Backshophoss
 
Again,UP wants the state to build a new line in eastern Co to replace the joint line from Kit Carson to Lamar.
Connnecting the "KP" to the BNSF La junta sub,possibly a wye track at Las Animas Jct to allow access
to the Boise City sub to Amarillo tx,or the "Cotton Rock" route to El Paso.
 #1535877  by John_Perkowski
 
I work a 1600-0030 job now.

As I leave work, I cross over the Kansas City Terminal Railroad, and look at Union Station.

To my surprise, there was a Superliner train on the track. OK, maybe 3 is a couple hours down coming out of Chicago.

NO.

I go down to the KC Freight House (Jack Stack BBQ is a grand place to train watch in the summer) parking lot, and lo and behold...

THIS IS 4(3)!!!!!

4 is being led by a BNSF GE C-C diesel. It's 17 hours off the advertised!

WTF, over?
 #1535897  by Tadman
 
Woof that’s bad. How do you lose 17 hours? My record is somewhere between 6 and 8, both due to crossing deaths.
 #1535898  by Backshophoss
 
#4(3) lost a P42 at Raton,unit was set out at Raton,BNSF relief unit came off a coal train at Trinidad(FW&D side),had a slow go
at the interchange track due to lack of use. Relief unit had to back up to #4 at Raton then couple on. :wink:

1 P42 at Raton is bad news due to grade,would have been easier if Raton still had Helper power laid up in the yard for
the unit coal trains out of York Canyon.
 #1535903  by Tadman
 
Wait a minute. They had an 8 car train and waited half a day for backup power rather than run slowly with one engine? That’s nuts.
 #1535908  by Backshophoss
 
You going to risk 1 unit heading up Raton,most of the P42's are worn out already,Raton is still below freezing cold this time of year.
you don't want a HEP crap out now.
Should hear the "rest of the story" in a few days time.
 #1535926  by John_Perkowski
 
What amazes me is it took 16 hours for two train masters (Amtrak/BNSF) to get a unit from La Junta, Denver or Belen, get it to Raton, get an Amtrak and a BNSF engineer (and a full train crew from La Junta) qualified on Raton to La Junta, and get the train moving again.

This isn't rocket science. This should have been a no more than six hours from the time the engineer called his dispatcher to report problems. With this kind of delay, not one but two crews died on the law.

BTW, I hop Amtrak had two extra meals in the diner for the sleeper passengers.
 #1535929  by John_Perkowski
 
Oh. 4(3) didn't drop its dead unit at Raton. There were two Genesis behind the BNSF unit. OR, were they running 3 units over Raton?
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