St. Paul, Milwaukee, Chicago Corridor service H2 2024 - 2025

[railiner]

Welcome to the world of government funding. There are more worthy projects than there are funds to make them happen. The funding also depends on the political will of the state government involved. Wisconsin has divided government and a lot of people who think that more passenger train service is not a high priority. Thus, in order to convince the paymasters at both the state and the Federal level that a project is worth spending tax dollars, one has to go through a rather long and involved process to show that the project is practicable and is a good value proposition. That's what the paperwork is for. And even if that's so, the project is competing with other projects in other states. And this all has to be done more or less transparently, with plenty of opportunity for opponents of the project to publicly weigh in. This is not like some private-sector operation where some zillionaire or cabal of corporate overlords can meet in semi-secret and make decisions quickly.

I would love to know approximately how much has been spent on “studies” for proposed new services, that never got beyond the studies, since Amtrak’s inception…

To be fair, I suppose I should balance that knowledge, with how much has been spent on studies that eventually reached fruition…

 

[thefirewarde]

The freedom to make fast changes also includes the freedom to make bad changes. The slow process has undoubtedly given advocates time to save some routes that would otherwise have been dropped. This sword cuts both ways.

 

[NES28]

The reality is that Amtrak won't have enough spare cars available to initiate any new routes until Airo trains start getting delivered in 2026. Might as well do some good planning in the meantime!

 

[west point]

The reality is that Amtrak won't have enough spare cars available to initiate any new routes until Airo trains start getting delivered in 2026. Might as well do some good planning in the meantime!

That only if Amtrak does not try to prematurely try to retire some equipment

 

[WWW]

That only if Amtrak does not try to prematurely try to retire some equipment

That Beech Grove (etal) retirement equipment does not have to be run at 80 mph track speed -
the track/rails of which will need to be upgraded anyway.
The best premier equipment does not have to used.
YES it would nice for the start up equipment to be all polish and luster.
Use what is available - gear it up.
This is the USA - "IT CAN BE DONE" !
And get the negative naysayers on a speeder to a dead-end !
TRAIN HORN ### - get out of the way !

 

[diesteldorf]

Just wanted to share a couple things:

Minnesota's Rep. Betty McCollum was instrumental in securing funding to keep the Borealis operational for at least the next 6 years.

https://www.startribune.com/amtraks...o-ensure-service-for-next-six-years/601204293

Last year, around this time of year, the Empire Builder experienced cancelations due to equipment and/or cold weather, causing a personal disruption when I went to Chicago for a weekend away.

This year, at least for 1/17-1/20, the Empire Builder is canceled due to cold weather, but, with the Borealis, at least those living between MSP and Chicago have options.

I completely understand why a long distance train may be canceled in inclement weather, especially if Amtrak doesn't want to risk equipment breakdowns and keep passengers safe, but I am also curious to know if Amtrak has discussed contingency plans when operating the Borealis this winter. Will they run buses or, like the EB, cancel service.

Is the threshhold to cancel the Borealis much higher than the EB, considering it travels a much shorter distance?