Wendover Productions on Amtrak's Rail Priority

[jebr]

Wendover Productions released a video today discussing the issues with passenger rail in America - in particular, the issues with Amtrak's supposed track priority on freight rail infrastructure. Nothing particularly new to those of us in the weeds already, but I found it a good primer regardless.

 

[fengshui]

It is very good, and even doesn't fall into the usual trap of assuming that forcing priority will help. The problem is the disinvestment in the rail networks ability to run fast trains, and the use of trains that can't fit into sidings trumping the priority. Amtrack may have priority on a track line, but if a passenger train misses its window and a freight train starts down a run of single-track that it's going to take an hour to cross at slower speeds, no amount of official priority can get the freight train out of the way, Amtrak just has to wait.

He hints at the ultimate solution at the end: more double-track rail in passenger corridors, so that passenger rail always has an option to pass slower freight traffic, and where freight can only use the passenger track in a failure situation, or when it can be known that it will clear the track before a passenger train needs to use it.

 

[GDRRiley]

where freight can only use the passenger track in a failure situation, or when it can be known that it will clear the track before a passenger train needs to use it.

its just more track, it doesn't matter who owns it or uses it as long as dispatching is done right. theres a lack in may key areas

 

[IAlam]

It makes me wonder, could Amtrak take over derelict train lines to start up new passenger services without the interference of freight services?

 

[Paniolo Man]

It makes me wonder, could Amtrak take over derelict train lines to start up new passenger services without the interference of freight services?

I believe a decent start to that could be the Capitol Corridor between Denver and Salt Lake City. That line's life blood is the dying coal industry. Combine that with the inevitable decline in oil and that line will see freight traffic drop substantially. I believe UP plans to keep it open to avoid having to give BNSF rights on the Overland. That line would be a decent demonstration of the concept. Passenger service to Moab could run several times daily from both Denver and Salt Lake City. Freight trains could still run, but they would be at the will of dispatchers that actually prioritize passenger trains.

 

[Alexandria Nick]

It makes me wonder, could Amtrak take over derelict train lines to start up new passenger services without the interference of freight services?

Couple issues there.

They likely don't connect the proper Point A and Point E, through the appropriate B, C, and D. That's why they're derelict in the first place.

After that, they're unlikely to be direct enough even if they do connect the proper locations, which is another reason why they were left to go fallow. That's just going to result in poor travel times that may cost you as much as if you'd just eaten the delays elsewhere.

The quality of the track and ROW is likely poor at best, so you're going to be spending huge amounts of money for minimal to no gain.

It also assumes that they exist in the first place. For instance, if you wanted to extend the Keystones all the way to Pittsburgh, there's no secondary line that you can use because one has never existed.

 

[user 13416]

It's mostly an opinion piece. A well-researched one, but it does ignore some things.

But there's one thing he's absolutely right about: imperfect first steps. If Virginia hadn't taken a very important and very imperfect first step, we wouldn't have Amtrak service in Norfolk. For decades all we had was a Thruway bus leaving the old Greyhound station (with no parking anywhere nearby) to connect to the Newport News train. When the state decided to bring trains back to Norfolk, we had to start with a single 4:50am departure from a baseball parking lot as proof-of-concept to show the politicians in Richmond how much Norfolk was clamoring for service. Passenger numbers grew despite the stupid-early departure time, so Richmond opened up the purse and got rail improvements done so Amtrak could run at closer-to-normal speeds to allow a 6:15am departure time. Once that happened, ridership grew so quickly that we now have three daily departures (two on Sunday). We wouldn't be where we are if we had waited for perfect conditions.

Unfortunately, most politicians insist on "perfect or not at all" because it gets them re-elected. And that's just not realistic when it comes to infrastructure.

 

[jiml]

It's mostly an opinion piece. A well-researched one, but it does ignore some things.

But there's one thing he's absolutely right about: imperfect first steps. If Virginia hadn't taken a very important and very imperfect first step, we wouldn't have Amtrak service in Norfolk. For decades all we had was a Thruway bus leaving the old Greyhound station (with no parking anywhere nearby) to connect to the Newport News train. When the state decided to bring trains back to Norfolk, we had to start with a single 4:50am departure from a baseball parking lot as proof-of-concept to show the politicians in Richmond how much Norfolk was clamoring for service. Passenger numbers grew despite the stupid-early departure time, so Richmond opened up the purse and got rail improvements done so Amtrak could run at closer-to-normal speeds to allow a 6:15am departure time. Once that happened, ridership grew so quickly that we now have three daily departures (two on Sunday). We wouldn't be where we are if we had waited for perfect conditions.

Unfortunately, most politicians insist on "perfect or not at all" because it gets them re-elected. And that's just not realistic when it comes to infrastructure.

Like it or not, this is the formula in a lot of places.

 

[Tlcooper44]

It's mostly an opinion piece. A well-researched one, but it does ignore some things.

But there's one thing he's absolutely right about: imperfect first steps. If Virginia hadn't taken a very important and very imperfect first step, we wouldn't have Amtrak service in Norfolk. For decades all we had was a Thruway bus leaving the old Greyhound station (with no parking anywhere nearby) to connect to the Newport News train. When the state decided to bring trains back to Norfolk, we had to start with a single 4:50am departure from a baseball parking lot as proof-of-concept to show the politicians in Richmond how much Norfolk was clamoring for service. Passenger numbers grew despite the stupid-early departure time, so Richmond opened up the purse and got rail improvements done so Amtrak could run at closer-to-normal speeds to allow a 6:15am departure time. Once that happened, ridership grew so quickly that we now have three daily departures (two on Sunday). We wouldn't be where we are if we had waited for perfect conditions.

Unfortunately, most politicians insist on "perfect or not at all" because it gets them re-elected. And that's just not realistic when it comes to infrastructure.

I am curious what part of this video is purely an "opinion piece."

Agreed on imperfect first steps. I am definitely not the first on this forum to say "don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good."

I think the most lacking part of this video is the failure to dive into the fact that the vast majority of this country is built and zoned for cars. Railways, which thrive on walk-ability and centrally located stations, fail in part because passengers live further and further from said stations, now making a trip in the very same car they may be trying to avoid necessary. This isn't Amtrak's fault. Any rail company, no matter how on time, fast, or comfortable the trains are, be it JR or SNCF, would struggle in America because of the way this country was restructured in the 50's 60's and 70's.

 

[Willbridge]

I am curious what part of this video is purely an "opinion piece."

Agreed on imperfect first steps. I am definitely not the first on this forum to say "don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good."

I think the most lacking part of this video is the failure to dive into the fact that the vast majority of this country is built and zoned for cars. Railways, which thrive on walk-ability and centrally located stations, fail in part because passengers live further and further from said stations, now making a trip in the very same car they may be trying to avoid necessary. This isn't Amtrak's fault. Any rail company, no matter how on time, fast, or comfortable the trains are, be it JR or SNCF, would struggle in America because of the way this country was restructured in the 50's 60's and 70's.

One advantage that rail offers is the ability to add selected suburban stations with little additional travel time. Of course, that requires study and infrastructure costs, but it doesn't create near the problems that getting a bus on and off the Interstate does - or catching a plane on the other side of the metro area.

 

[Rover]

The Wall Street Journal has this about Amtrak vs. the Freight railroads:

 

[GDRRiley]

The Wall Street Journal has this about Amtrak vs. the Freight railroads:

ah taking AAR statements at face value bad move on their part.
20B sounds like a lot till you realize how much money they made and then handed to wallstreet as customers were screaming about bad service
even if they spent 50B a year they'd still be making tons of money and have a lower operating ratio than most railroads in history. Most of whom were high 70s low 80s and did just fine.