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Well, one encouraging development is that there appears to be some local, state and even U.S. politicians who are beginning to push back against Anderson's ideas. Which will happen first? Will Anderson bring Amtrak down or will passenger train supporters bring Anderson down? I guess we'll...

Group, I would like to share a message that I posted on another group. I hope I don't step on any toes here. What follows is my idea for replacing Amtrak but first I have to make it clear that it WOULD require Congress to pass new legislation. The first part of that legislation would be to...

I find it hard to believe that he wants to see it fail. Far more likely he just doesn't know what he's doing. Kinda like Thomas Downs. Regards, Fred M. Cain

You know, I don't understand *WHY* some of these new services have to be so darned expensive. It makes it really hard to expand service to anywhere. I have a couple of cases in point: A few years ago Congress passed legislation mandating Amtrak to at least study the restoration of rail...

Mike, This, I believe is probably true. I think you're right about this. Regards, Fred M. Cain

So, to reiterate and reflect back over and summarize this topic, will Amtrak ever return to Phoenix? I would like to review what I think we know, what we clearly don’t know and what I personally happen to know. First of all, based on the testimony of a Mr. Stanley Jefferson from Litchfield...

"Is the street running in Michigan City gone completely yet (I can't remember anymore)?" I live in northeastern Indiana and ride the South Shore line from time to time. There has been a lot of on again, off again, on again discussion about bypassing the street running in Michigan City (MC) but...

Now here's a possibly stupid question: How complicated and problematic would it be for the GCR to secure trackage rights over the BNSF "Peavine" from Williams to Williams Jct.? There is only one, maybe two road freights a day in each direction along there so surely there's capacity. I don't...

Karl, Here is what I just posted on another forum. I am reposting it here 'cause it kinda touches on what you're saying. Regarding your comments on Congress, that is kinda what NARP has been saying for years. "I think what you might be getting at here and, if so, I’d agree with...

Hmmn. Well, I dunno. You might be right about that. All I knew was that funding had been scrounged up to bring Amtrak "back to the Gulf Coast" (with great fanfare) then in the latest budget it got pulled again. I'd assumed it was the Sunset but maybe I misunderstood that.

Actually, I guess I have to question the distances involved here. The greater Phoenix metropolitan area is a huge sprawling complex today. From Black Canyon City near the farthest northerly reaches of "The Valley" to Maricopa is actually 80.1 miles and one hour and 21 minutes according to...

KmH, Thanks for your description. That was a good explanation as to how this works. As an aside, back in the old steam days, steam locomotives didn't have dynamic braking which was one reason (among many) that railroads don't use them anymore. Earlier in the summer we took a ride on the...

Oh, I agree! That really is a bummer. It's also, in my opinion, unacceptable. (Although I don't know where you live) Why is it you can't go by train directly from Indianapolis to either St. Louis or Columbus, OH? In fact, you can't go by train to Columbus at all. Unfortunately, the whole...

be I've never heard of a "counter breaking system". Does anyone know what that is? As for terminology, I wonder if maybe the dynamic breaks failed. The conductor assumed (probably erroneously) that you wouldn't know what that was so he called it a "counter breaking system". Then maybe the...

What exactly does this mean? I've had some pretty crazy train riding experiences myself but I never encounter this. What is a "Counter balance breaking system"?

What is it about those towns, really? Isn't it just that they were vocal and outspoken? My suspicion is that too many people and businesses in the Salt River Valley are indifferent to bringing the Sunset Limited back to Phoenix. The similarities between the Southwest Chief route and the...

Actually, The Southern Pacific that built these lines ALWAYS favored the Gila route for transcontinental traffic. The Phoenix subdivision (Picacho-Phoenix-Welton) was built in the 1920s to allow cross-country passenger trains to call at Phoenix. In pre-1950 days, the SP did a thriving business...

I have had many, many long-distance, cross country trips over the years and I can also say from experience that what you're saying it completely TRUE ! Just see if you can find sleeping car space between Memorial Day and Labor Day or in November or December ! The "slow months" are only slightly...

Karl, In the late 1990s, I took it upon myself to write to the UP in Omaha urging them to keep the West Phoenix line and I cited four justifications for keeping it in place and improving it. One of my points was that it could be used in a directional running scheme with all westbounds moving...

Yes, I've thought about that too. But they might also be concerned about potential liability of sending passengers over the line - especially through such a remote area. Amtrak, on the other hand, seems to be content with the status quo of stopping in Maricopa. To me this is unacceptable...