Route change for SWC?

[Durham57]

Is there any new information about the proposed route change for the Southwest Chief? We would like to take at least one more trip while it still stops at Lamy, N.M.

 

[Ryan]

If there were, I'm sure that someone would have posted about it.

 

[printman2000]

I have heard from a email list someone who claims Amtrak would more likely cancel the whole train than reroute it. I don't believe that, but I heard it from someone.

 

[Gfoley4]

By reroute, do you mean via Amarillo on the transcon?

 

[guest]

Amtrak is NOT thinking of canceling the SWC!! The reroute is a very likely thing, and fairly soon. Track speeds over Raton Pass have been downgraded, and more downgrades are on the way if no one is able to step up to buy and maintain the right of way. I work for Amtrak.

 

[printman2000]

By reroute, do you mean via Amarillo on the transcon?

That is what I was talking about. I assume everyone else was as well.

 

[printman2000]

Amtrak is NOT thinking of canceling the SWC!! The reroute is a very likely thing, and fairly soon. Track speeds over Raton Pass have been downgraded, and more downgrades are on the way if no one is able to step up to buy and maintain the right of way. I work for Amtrak.

Like I said, I was not convinced that what he said is true. Of course, it is difficult to believe what you are saying either since we don't really know who you are. Personally, I would like to believe you since I live in Amarillo and really like the idea of this town having its first ever Amtrak service.

Course, the only way any of us can really know, is when/if Amtrak makes it official.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I didn't noticed downgraded track speeds for the SWc, it arrives into LAX early a lot. Amtrak will definately not cancel it, but a reroute might happen. However, if someone could post hard evidence, that would been useful.

 

[railiner]

I assume that Amtrak has already been over the route with either a 'proving' test train, or at least an actual reroute due to some service disruption, that gave some insight to scheduling, etc. So if it's going to happen, perhaps the next harbinger would be signs of Amtrak looking for depot locations along the reroute, using existing facilities if available, or looking for new locations and places for depots. Then would be crews learning the territory...

I don't know if they would announce plans prior to looking for real estate, or not. Would have a major effect on the price probably....

 

[printman2000]

They would have to post 180 day notices at all the stations that would lose service. I think we would see that before anything else.

 

[guest]

They would have to post 180 day notices at all the stations that would lose service. I think we would see that before anything else.

If any significant damage happened to the right of way (burned bridge, significant washout, laying down a rail), they wouldn't have to post any such notice. And BNSF is perfectly happy to let Amtrak run on the Transcon...

 

[printman2000]

They would have to post 180 day notices at all the stations that would lose service. I think we would see that before anything else.

If any significant damage happened to the right of way (burned bridge, significant washout, laying down a rail), they wouldn't have to post any such notice. And BNSF is perfectly happy to let Amtrak run on the Transcon...

I assume you are talking about doing the same bing they did with the Sunset Limited. Since the problems you refered to are not near as severe and can be fixed relatively quickly, I doubt they would get away with changing without the notices.

 

[AlanB]

They would have to post 180 day notices at all the stations that would lose service. I think we would see that before anything else.

If any significant damage happened to the right of way (burned bridge, significant washout, laying down a rail), they wouldn't have to post any such notice. And BNSF is perfectly happy to let Amtrak run on the Transcon...

I assume you are talking about doing the same bing they did with the Sunset Limited. Since the problems you refered to are not near as severe and can be fixed relatively quickly, I doubt they would get away with changing without the notices.

Nope, even in the case of a major problem Amtrak would have to post 180 day notices or suspend the service like they did with the Sunset. They cannot reroute it permanently without the 180 day notices. A temporary reroute would be permitted, but not a permanent one. And the cities & states along the SWC route will be far more vocal if Amtrak were to try to pull a Sunset Limited on them.

Amtrak also has far less motivation to try and pull a Sunset with the SWC.

 

[afigg]

I assume you are talking about doing the same bing they did with the Sunset Limited. Since the problems you refered to are not near as severe and can be fixed relatively quickly, I doubt they would get away with changing without the notices.

Replacing a bridge or major track washout could cost money that Amtrak does not have readily available if BNSF decides not to repair the track or stalls on the repair. However, a re-route will also cost Amtrak money because they would have to build ADA compliant stations. From what I have read, Amtrak's upper management does not want to do the re-route, but funding to maintain and repair the tracks through Colorado and NM is going to have to be located.

 

[sechs]

By ADA compliant, you mean slabs with shelters? I'm sure most of the stations would either be owned by BNSF or the local municipality.

I wouldn't worry too much about the line as far as Trinidad. BNSF has use for it. It's from Trinidad down to the NMRX territory that we must worry. And, the way it's looking right now, even in the NMRX territory.

 

[MikefromCrete]

They would have to post 180 day notices at all the stations that would lose service. I think we would see that before anything else.

If any significant damage happened to the right of way (burned bridge, significant washout, laying down a rail), they wouldn't have to post any such notice. And BNSF is perfectly happy to let Amtrak run on the Transcon...

I assume you are talking about doing the same bing they did with the Sunset Limited. Since the problems you refered to are not near as severe and can be fixed relatively quickly, I doubt they would get away with changing without the notices.

Nope, even in the case of a major problem Amtrak would have to post 180 day notices or suspend the service like they did with the Sunset. They cannot reroute it permanently without the 180 day notices. A temporary reroute would be permitted, but not a permanent one. And the cities & states along the SWC route will be far more vocal if Amtrak were to try to pull a Sunset Limited on them.

Amtrak also has far less motivation to try and pull a Sunset with the SWC.

The communities along the SWC route really want and appreciate the train, unlike the Sunset East where nobody along that line seems to miss.

 

[printman2000]

By ADA compliant, you mean slabs with shelters? I'm sure most of the stations would either be owned by BNSF or the local municipality.

I wouldn't worry too much about the line as far as Trinidad. BNSF has use for it. It's from Trinidad down to the NMRX territory that we must worry. And, the way it's looking right now, even in the NMRX territory.

If I were Amtrak and were rerouting, I would tell all the towns that if you want us to stop there, build/provide a station.

 

[Blue Marble Travel]

Amtrak is on record as opposing the re-route. There is relatively little freight train interference on the existing line, the track geometry is good (if not the track condition), and the SWC does good business across southern Colorado.

However, they can't run a train where there are no tracks, and that is becoming a problem. Nor can they afford to maintain a track that isn't even theirs for 2 trains a day.

There is no significant time penalty to using the route via Amarillo: I was rerouted that way a few winters back (Raton Pass blocked with snow), and we lost no time from Albuquerque to Kansas City, except to wait for a crew at one point. There is greater population on that line, though there is also better alternate service, so less "need" for the train.

 

[BNSFboy]

Amtrak is on record as opposing the re-route. There is relatively little freight train interference on the existing line, the track geometry is good (if not the track condition), and the SWC does good business across southern Colorado.

However, they can't run a train where there are no tracks, and that is becoming a problem. Nor can they afford to maintain a track that isn't even theirs for 2 trains a day.

There is no significant time penalty to using the route via Amarillo: I was rerouted that way a few winters back (Raton Pass blocked with snow), and we lost no time from Albuquerque to Kansas City, except to wait for a crew at one point. There is greater population on that line, though there is also better alternate service, so less "need" for the train.

Actually we could benefit a lot by getting Amtrak in Amarillo. You cant get a direct flight to major destinations except Dallas and Las Vegas. Greyhound is out of the question and I know a lot of people who would ride Amtrak if it ran through Amarillo.

 

[alanh]

Unfortunately, I think a reroute is inevitable. Amtrak can't afford to maintain the track from Lamy-Tridad by itself, and BNSF doesn't want to do it. The deal for NM buying the track seems to be dead. It's the same issue with Phoenix and SP/UP all over again.

Now that Abo Canyon east of Belen is double-tracked, BNSF is much more amenable to Amtrak running through there. As mentioned, there's not much of a time penalty going via Amarillo because it's on the 90mph double-tracked mainline.

 

[bretton88]

While Colorado is actually a supportive state of trains and transit in general. They are not going to use their precious resources on a once a day LD train running through eastern and southern Colorado, when they can focus those resources on a much more needed corridor train for the front range. So money for this will not be forthcoming from Colorado. And we can forget about Kansas, they don't really pretend to even be supportive at the state level.

 

[BNSFboy]

Unfortunately, I think a reroute is inevitable. Amtrak can't afford to maintain the track from Lamy-Tridad by itself, and BNSF doesn't want to do it. The deal for NM buying the track seems to be dead. It's the same issue with Phoenix and SP/UP all over again.

Now that Abo Canyon east of Belen is double-tracked, BNSF is much more amenable to Amtrak running through there. As mentioned, there's not much of a time penalty going via Amarillo because it's on the 90mph double-tracked mainline.

Well it isnt exactly 90mph running but with the installment of PTC it could be very capable of speeds of 90.

 

[sechs]

While they haven't been removing it wholesale, where ATS is in the way of work, it doesn't come back. I hope that PTC will will allow the faster running on the whole line.