St. Paul Union Station (SPUD)
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I agree with jebr - I don't think the change in stations had much if anything to do with ridership changes at MSP. Passenger traffic at MSP started falling well before Amtrak changed from Midway Station to Union Depot in mid-2014. If anything, traffic has stopped dropping and held steady since the move.
Ridership on the Empire Builder overall has fallen from 5-10 years ago when the massive service disruptions on the line really started. Just looking at traffic at MSP without comparing it to overall Empire Builder traffic doesn't exactly paint a complete picture.
Ridership on the Empire Builder overall has fallen from 5-10 years ago when the massive service disruptions on the line really started. Just looking at traffic at MSP without comparing it to overall Empire Builder traffic doesn't exactly paint a complete picture.
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The disproportionate decline at MSP compared to the ridership change with the Empire Builder took place before the move to St. Paul Union Depot. The move to SPUD does not seem to have impacted ridership at MSP.
Amtrak moved to SPUD on May 7, 2014 (midway through FY2014). From FY2006 to FY2013, Empire Builder ridership grew 7.9% (from 497,020 to 536,391, with a high of 554,226 in FY2008). In that same period, ridership (boardings and alightings) at MSP dropped 14.7% (from 137,227 to 116,991, with a high of 147,791 in FY2008). While the EB gained nearly 40,000 riders, the count at MSP dropped by over 20,000.
From FY2013 (last full year at MSP Midway) to FY2016, the relative change in ridership between the EB and MSP has been pretty close to proportionate. The EB has dropped 15.2% to 454,525, and MSP has dropped 17.5% to 96,539.
Amtrak moved to SPUD on May 7, 2014 (midway through FY2014). From FY2006 to FY2013, Empire Builder ridership grew 7.9% (from 497,020 to 536,391, with a high of 554,226 in FY2008). In that same period, ridership (boardings and alightings) at MSP dropped 14.7% (from 137,227 to 116,991, with a high of 147,791 in FY2008). While the EB gained nearly 40,000 riders, the count at MSP dropped by over 20,000.
From FY2013 (last full year at MSP Midway) to FY2016, the relative change in ridership between the EB and MSP has been pretty close to proportionate. The EB has dropped 15.2% to 454,525, and MSP has dropped 17.5% to 96,539.
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I think PRR60 shows that the parking issue has relatively little to do with it. I'd generally agree - while I'm sure a few customers have either decided to get on at St. Cloud or Red Wing because of the free parking, it's unlikely to be the cause of a major ridership drop. Parking in the far lot at SPUD is $6/day weekdays, $4/day weekends. For city parking that's pretty reasonable.
I would speculate that the abnormal drop at MSP is a mix of inexpensive bus service offering a cheap ground alternative to Amtrak, especially eastbound, and the MSP - Chicago market becoming extremely competitive on the airline side, causing airfares to become rather inexpensive. It's not uncommon to find airfares even cheaper than Amtrak's Saver fare from MSP - Chicago even on Southwest or the legacy carriers. That certainly doesn't help Amtrak out.
west point
Engineer
If we take the difference of 2016 SPUD ridership from 2006 Midway it is 41,688 add that to 2016's 454,625 = 506,313 which is more than Builder's total ridership in 2006 of 497,020. So maybe we can conclude that SPUD alone contributed to the Empire's total decline in ridership ? Now to further muddy the waters does those figures include both loadings and unloading's ? Then it would 1/2 of 41.688 = 20,844 or 454,625 = 471,469 which is somewhat less than 2006.
It may be actual figures some where in between ?
Isn't statistical math fuzzy ?,
Now if any of you thinks this poster believes any of this ------ I have this bridge
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Yes. And their source is http://miprc.org/Portals/7/pdfs/MINNESOTA06.pdf
NorthShore
Conductor
In Chicago, we add an 's to everything!
NorthShore
Conductor
Mamajuice!
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