St. Paul, Milwaukee, Chicago (TCMC) second daily service

[MARC Rider]

The upper Midwest and Great Plains would like a share of this consolation prize. Here we're stuck with our one daily train not running for multiple days in a row.

At least the AGR credit card still works in the cold!

Maybe that second CHI - MSP frequency that's been rumored about will have business class.

 

[jis]

Maybe that second CHI - MSP frequency that's been rumored about will have business class.

It is very likely that it will have the same consist as a Hiawatha.

 

[PVD]

Maybe that second CHI - MSP frequency that's been rumored about will have business class.

There is business class where states feel like paying for it. NEC has BC as well, but there is almost no BC on LD trains.

 

[jebr]

It is very likely that it will have the same consist as a Hiawatha.

Maybe I missed something along the way, but while it appears that it'll be treated between Chicago and Milwaukee like a Hiawatha train, I haven't seen anything indicating that they would use a Hiawatha consist "as-is." Given the run time I'd be shocked if they ran it without at least a café car or equivalent - a roughly 6-8 hour trip would need some sort of food service that could suffice for a meal at minimum, at least if they want it to be successful. Whether that includes business class as well is unknown, though I'd be a bit surprised if they didn't include it given the run time.

 

[jis]

Maybe I missed something along the way, but while it appears that it'll be treated between Chicago and Milwaukee like a Hiawatha train, I haven't seen anything indicating that they would use a Hiawatha consist "as-is." Given the run time I'd be shocked if they ran it without at least a café car or equivalent - a roughly 6-8 hour trip would need some sort of food service that could suffice for a meal at minimum, at least if they want it to be successful. Whether that includes business class as well is unknown, though I'd be a bit surprised if they didn't include it given the run time.

I won't argue with you on what is the right thing to do at all.

 

[Bob Dylan]

It is very likely that it will have the same consist as a Hiawatha.

Wonder if the Horizons will be able to survive the Cold up that way?

 

[SarahZ]

Wonder if the Horizons will be able to survive the Cold up that way?

Minnesota's weather is similar to Michigan's and Wisconsin's. It'll be fine.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Minnesota's weather is similar to Michigan's and Wisconsin's. It'll be fine.

Thanks Sarah, I always heard that Horizions don't do well in the Cold but those of you who live up North know!

 

[SarahZ]

Thanks Sarah, I always heard that Horizions don't do well in the Cold but those of you who live up North know!

They don't, but it has to be SUPER cold. The last time I heard of them having issues, we'd had negative temps for a while. They tend to fail when we're deep in a Polar Vortex.

 

[jis]

Wonder if the Horizons will be able to survive the Cold up that way?

Everyone hopes that the State Ventures will be in service by the time the second frequency to MSP starts. It will likely need one additional 6 car consist over and above those allocated for upto ten Hiawatha RTs per day.

 

[jis]

Moderator's Notes: All the posts above this one were moved to this new thread from the thread on Amtrak Credit Card thread at:

https://www.amtraktrains.com/thread...g-credit-card-portfolio-away-from-bofa.80387/

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Do we have an actual ETA on this service starting? I remember (I think anyways - everything in the before times is a fuzzy memory) that it was supposed to have started in 20 or 21, but something got in the way.

As an aside on the weather, my parents quit taking Amtrak after having frozen toilets on the LSL to Albany.

 

[jis]

Do we have an actual ETA on this service starting? I remember (I think anyways - everything in the before times is a fuzzy memory) that it was supposed to have started in 20 or 21, but something got in the way.

Best guess is early 2023 as things stand now. But that could of course change.

 

[BlackDiamond]

Maybe I missed something along the way, but while it appears that it'll be treated between Chicago and Milwaukee like a Hiawatha train, I haven't seen anything indicating that they would use a Hiawatha consist "as-is." Given the run time I'd be shocked if they ran it without at least a café car or equivalent - a roughly 6-8 hour trip would need some sort of food service that could suffice for a meal at minimum, at least if they want it to be successful. Whether that includes business class as well is unknown, though I'd be a bit surprised if they didn't include it given the run time.

If they add a cafe it would be simple to add BC in half of the cafe as is done on the Downeaster and the Boston section of the LSL.

 

[jis]

Moderator's Notes: Several posts on New Illinois Service moved to its own new thread from here:

https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/new-illinois-service.80813/

 

[jpakala]

A number of years ago we were surprised that Superliner equipment was being used when we took the late-afternoon/evening train from KC to St. Louis (way south of MN). The reason given was that the usual cars did not handle the cold as well.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

A number of years ago we were surprised that Superliner equipment was being used when we took the late-afternoon/evening train from KC to St. Louis (way south of MN). The reason given was that the usual cars did not handle the cold as well.

That was the excuse, and it was a winter only thing. Superliner are now used year round for regionals out of Chicago.

 

[TamarackTom]

I'm looking forward to the second trip out of St Paul. The consist possibilities are very intriguing but I'm hoping for the better connection with other trains. The EB misses connections with all but LSL and CL. A business class service coming out of Chicago makes sense, leaving early morning, but I imagine service out of St Paul leaving late evening and needing a sleeper car.

 

[MikefromCrete]

I'm looking forward to the second trip out of St Paul. The consist possibilities are very intriguing but I'm hoping for the better connection with other trains. The EB misses connections with all but LSL and CL. A business class service coming out of Chicago makes sense, leaving early morning, but I imagine service out of St Paul leaving late evening and needing a sleeper car.

the trip from St. Paul to Chicago will not be an overnight run. No one-way sleeper will be needed. It will probably leave St. Paul in the late morning or early afternoon.

 

[TamarackTom]

the trip from St. Paul to Chicago will not be an overnight run. No one-way sleeper will be needed. It will probably leave St. Paul in the late morning or early afternoon.

Under that scenario, when does the St Paul bound train leave Chicago?

 

[Eric S]

The current planning assumes two trainsets, not making a same-day turn at St. Paul. Schedules are far from certain at this point but the thinking has been a Chicago departure around 9-10am and a St. Paul departure around 12-2pm.

More info from MnDOT and WisDOT can be found here:
Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago Intercity Passenger Rail Service - MnDOT
https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/multimodal/tcmc.aspx

 

[Deni]

That was the excuse, and it was a winter only thing. Superliner are now used year round for regionals out of Chicago.

I know the Illini/Saluki trains use Superliners but I'm not aware of any other corridor trains out of Chicago that use them regularly.

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

I know the Illini/Saluki trains use Superliners but I'm not aware of any other corridor trains out of Chicago that use them regularly.

The Pere Marquette also uses Superliners.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

I know the Illini/Saluki trains use Superliners but I'm not aware of any other corridor trains out of Chicago that use them regularly.

There seem to be more than one set of Superliners in use out of Chicago for regional traffic. However I am not based there so can’t be sure. I am also sure they float around on assignment.

 

[jis]

Funding is now in place for starting the second frequency between Chicago and the Twin Cities.

https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2022/03/10/transportation-tcmc-train-poised-for-2024-start/