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    Cross-border checked baggage service for eastern routes

    Many years ago, the Adirondack train had checked baggage service, including to/from Montreal. Did checked bags have to be offloaded and reloaded at the border crossing back then? Also, under current conditions (assuming that sufficient baggage cars/crews exist), how feasible would it be to...
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    Non-existent trackage on NARP/RPA's Vision Map?

    When I looked at the Vision map from NARP/RPA containing their proposed expansion routes and compared them to existing trackage from Google Maps and/or state track maps, it seems to me that one particular segment in the map - the route from Tampa south to Naples via St. Petersburg, Sarasota...
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    New train (40-41 Floridian) between Miami and Chicago via Washington DC

    I logged on to Amtrak and attempted to look for tickets from Alexandria to a place on this route west of WAS, and surely enough, the system did not give me the direct option - instead, the only options it gave me all involved connecting trains. I'm not entirely sure what the thinking is behind...
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    Amtrak Siemens Charger Locomotive (SC44, ALC42, ALC42E) (2Q 2024)

    In terms of this change not being applied to night trains, is the reasoning something along the lines of the following? "30 minutes is nothing in a journey totaling 20+ hours, so let's not bother."
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    Amtrak Siemens Charger Locomotive (SC44, ALC42, ALC42E) (2Q 2024)

    Based on what I've read about the new Siemens Charger locomotives, it seems that the practice of changing between diesel and electric locomotives in places like Albany, New Haven, Philadelphia, and Washington DC will be eliminated for daytime trains but retained for night trains (i.e. Cardinal...
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    Platform height requirements for new stations

    I recently read a detailed study of Berkshire rail service and it noted that in order to add a stop in Chatham, NY (presumably at the existing Union Station), a new platform would have to be constructed to meet ADA requirements, which is a major reason why this stop hasn't been added to Amtrak's...
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    CZ CHI to EMY

    I haven't taken this train yet, but a cursory examination of the route on a map would reveal that the train makes a reverse move at Denver: it turns around at a nearby wye and backs into the station (the tracks dead end at the station) before pulling out of the station again after a crew change...
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    Closest Stations

    When it comes to adding/removing stops to/from existing routes, would distance between stations be a deciding factor in most cases? For example, one station stop I would like to see added to the Empire Builder is Chinook, MT (in order to serve Blaine County, which is currently skipped over...
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    Amtrak Siemens Charger locomotive (SC44, ALC42, ALC42E) (2015 - 1Q 2024)

    Back when Amtrak introduced GE Genesis locomotives to replace their EMD F40PH locomotives in the 1990s, it retained F40PHs for the Maple Leaf because that train was operated by VIA Rail crews in Canada, and since VIA Rail didn't have their own GE Genesis locomotives before 2001, their crews...
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    Butte & Helena rail lines

    Back when the North Coast Hiawatha last ran, it ran through Deer Lodge and Butte between Missoula and Bozeman. Since then, however, a part of that route (between Butte and Spire Rock) has gone dormant and would currently require extensive rehabilitation to reactivate for any kind of train...
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    Upstate NY Counties Bypassed by Amtrak

    I have noticed that in upstate NY, some counties contains tracks which Amtrak trains use but have no Amtrak stops along these tracks. Here's a list of such counties I've been able to gather: Putnam County Herkimer County Madison County Cayuga County Wayne County Genesee County Chautauqua...
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    Phoenix AZ?

    n terms of political will, I think there may be light at the end of the tunnel here: AZ is trending Democratic in recent elections, and if this trend continues, soon pro-rail officials could be elected to state and federal offices in AZ. That would probably increase the likelihood of funding...
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    Local Traffic Restrictions

    Based on information I can gather from VIA's current timetables, no local traffic is permitted between the following stations: Toronto-Guildwood Ottawa-Fallowfield Montreal-Dorval & Saint-Lambert Quebec City-Charny & Sainte-Foy Now, with GO Transit expanding service to Niagara Falls within...
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    Phoenix AZ?

    I personally would like to see that like west of Phoenix reactivated. I think all it takes for this to happen is sufficient political will. In terms of costs, I've seen different figures from different sources. For example, a 2005 study conducted by the Southwest Rail Corridor Coalition stated...
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    Cross-border Food Service

    So, if my guess is correct, the International train (Chicago-Toronto) also had a cross-border food swap back when it was in operation?
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    Cross-border Food Service

    I recently took the Maple Leaf on a trip to Canada, and I discovered that they use the American Amtrak menu while in the US, but the Canadian VIA Rail menu while in Canada. My best guess is that this is done to avoid potential issues with food crossing the border. What happens on food service...
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    Future of Hartford Union Station

    Based on recent news reports, it seems that there is no hope for Amtrak continuing to use the existing Union Station building upon 84 being lowered, if I'm understanding it correctly...
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    Concern about government shutdown on May 1

    Just think back to the shutdowns under the Clinton and Obama administrations: did those shutdowns cause Amtrak to stop running completely during the shutdown periods? NO! Hence, there is no need to panic about the idea of a government shutdown bring Amtrak to a complete standstill.
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    Future of Hartford Union Station

    Based on what I've heard, it seems like the plan for Interstate 84 in Hartford is to replace the viaduct with a depressed highway, which involves relocating the railroad tracks near Hartford's Union Station. The proposed plan involves constructing new platforms for the relocated tracks, so does...
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    Improving the Pennsylvanian's calling times in Pittsburgh

    Currently, train 42 departs Pittsburgh at 07:30, while 43 arrives at 20:05. Both times are outside the hours of operation for nearby car rental agencies (except the ones at the airport), which forces arriving passengers to wait at least one day for a rental and departing passengers to return...
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