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Trains are much safer than cars, but planes are safer yet. 2 onboard fatalities on US regular schedule passenger airlines between 2010 and 2020. 6 to 7 billion passenger miles each year with Amtrak, but several hundred billion on the airlines.

Amtrak plans for substantial speed upgrades on the NICTD from Michigan City as far as Hegewisch. Lengthy stretches of 90 to 110 MPH. Probably raised speeds east of Michigan City as well, I haven't come across any detailed plan for that yet. Even if Amtrak relaid the NYC from Englewood to...

I took another look at the plan and noticed that Amtrak would utilize "track typically used by commuters" (thick black lines, not thin ones) between Kensington and the Airline. As I mentioned before I'm not at liberty to reproduce the original, but I replicated as best as I could in Paint the...

I would imagine that the Amtrak engineering department has studied the South Shore geometry thoroughly and approved it for its purposes. A shorter distance on the ex-PRR and NYC doesn't matter when you still end up stopping for freight traffic, regardless of if some new parallel tracks are built.

Are you assuming that Amtrak isn't contemplating re-double tracking the Air Line? There are 3 bridges (Michigan, Wabash, State) on the Air Line that had the second track span removed, and the right of way is still there on the whole line to reinstall the second track. Hardly a deal breaker. In...

It just seems that if Amtrak has the opportunity to move onto the South Shore tracks, it would be simpler than building new trackage by the NS that still would leave substantial freight conflicts. The South Shore isn't 100% free of freight interference but the issues are more minor than along...

I can't tell for sure from the plan which tracks would be used between Kensington and the St. Charles Airline connection. It only depicts two tracks, and the only details given between those points is a planned 45 MPH crossover at 39th St, and a maximum speed of 79 on the whole stretch. It does...

Because without hugely expensive flyovers there'd still be freight interference. NS would still have to cross any new Amtrak tracks to get to the intermodal yard on the north side of the right of way at 63rd St. There's a freight connection from the north that ties into NS/Amtrak just east of...

There's also no redundancy built into the current exclusive use of the NS west of Porter. Unfortunately it will be all that Amtrak can manage to do to secure use of the NICTD; there's no extra money lying around to also build and/or relay a parallel alternate route.

That's a very cool idea! The Monon RoW parallels the east/south side of the Michigan Line in Michigan City. The Michigan Line is strictly ex-MC from Porter to West Detroit, except for the CN segment in Battle Creek.

I have a copy of the "Michigan Line Corridor Plan- Operational Schematic" showing current and long-term configurations, prepared by Amtrak Corporate Planning and dated 5/18/20. It shows not only Michigan trains but also eastern long-distance ones using the NICTD to 16th St.- Chicago and into a...

"Human suffering"? I can think of some stuff in the news now to show you actual suffering. Expecting a free trip on top of a refund for the difference is very unrealistic. You willingly subjected yourself to all that potential inconvenience when you accepted the Terms and Conditions upon buying...

"But highway funding is a job creating investment! Few people ride trains!" Naturally, when the option isn't even given.

That's child's play, son! Try five billion instead. Image is from Feb. '21. Rail funding is apparently all contained in the little bucket on the end.

Those look awful as well.

45 years probably. It's pretty sad when Greyhound buses have seats comfier than these. Did the seats get designed by people (Germans) who didn't grasp that these would be running on routes of over 300 miles, over 6 hours and thought a "transit" design would be adequate? And did the states just...

Just travel back in time! The last passenger train run between Saginaw and Flint was C&O's "Valley Queen" on 10/28/50. The last passenger train between Saginaw and Durand was a GTW mixed, discontinued on 1/1/58.

No. Amtrak has already been splitting up and pitting against each other its business units. Northeast, Midwest, California, long distance. Just makes it easier to give preference to the NEC and force the states to pay for everything else. It's the *National* Railroad Passenger Corporation.

It's hard to believe much will change until Amtrak gets a legitimate board. Why hasn't "Amtrak Joe" even nominated anyone? Where is Buttigieg on this?

The Michigan City MC depot will likely be destroyed for a condo project. I imagine the hassle of adjusting/moving the platform and shelter for that isn't worthwhile for Amtrak. This is the latest news I found, over a year old. Paywall but you get a glimpse of a rendering which shows the condo...