Wish List for Amtrak/Train Service Expansions

[CCC1007]

Albuquerque-Denver-Cheyenne-Billings-Spokane.

Interesting. That could connect the western trains. Albuquerque-Denver sounds a lot like Front Range? What would the tracks be for those routes (who owns them?) Seems like a lot of miles to me (over 1000).

bnsf from Billings south, mrl from Billings West.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[CraigDK]

Albuquerque-Denver-Cheyenne-Billings-Spokane.

Interesting. That could connect the western trains. Albuquerque-Denver sounds a lot like Front Range? What would the tracks be for those routes (who owns them?) Seems like a lot of miles to me (over 1000).

Well if we are talking Denver, I had the thought of making it a hub for a couple of routes; Denver-Dallas(or Ft Worth), Denver-Seattle (via SLC & Boise), Denver-Los Angeles (via SLC & Las Vegas), and possibly a second Denver-Chicago train (on a different schedule). I suppose Denver-Albuquerque could be added.

Of course that is highly unlikely, but in my head it sounds good. A daily Cardinal and Sunset Limited alone would make me content for awhile.

 

[railiner]

Albuquerque to Denver would be over the BNSF, with UP over the Joint Line segment from Pueblo to Denver...Denver to Cheyenne via either UP or BNSF, Cheyenne to Laurel on BNSF, and then on to Spokane on BN via Shelby, or Montana Rail Link via Missoula...

For the track condition on those non passenger routes, you would have to look at each states DOT RR maps....

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

Albuquerque-Denver-Cheyenne-Billings-Spokane.

Interesting. That could connect the western trains. Albuquerque-Denver sounds a lot like Front Range? What would the tracks be for those routes (who owns them?) Seems like a lot of miles to me (over 1000).

Well if we are talking Denver, I had the thought of making it a hub for a couple of routes; Denver-Dallas(or Ft Worth), Denver-Seattle (via SLC & Boise), Denver-Los Angeles (via SLC & Las Vegas), and possibly a second Denver-Chicago train (on a different schedule). I suppose Denver-Albuquerque could be added.

Of course that is highly unlikely, but in my head it sounds good. A daily Cardinal and Sunset Limited alone would make me content for awhile.

We certainly could use more service to Denver. Desert Wind (DEN-SLC-Vegas-LAX) and Pioneer ran during the Amtrak era in the 90's. I don't think DEN-DAL ever existed during the Amtrak era. I found the Texas Zephyr at Streamliner Schedules (http://www.streamlinerschedules.com/concourse/track9/texzephyr196009.html). It doesn't seem like there are really any big cities between the two (Amarillo, TX and Pueblo, CO?)

 

[CraigDK]

Albuquerque-Denver-Cheyenne-Billings-Spokane.

Interesting. That could connect the western trains. Albuquerque-Denver sounds a lot like Front Range? What would the tracks be for those routes (who owns them?) Seems like a lot of miles to me (over 1000).

Well if we are talking Denver, I had the thought of making it a hub for a couple of routes; Denver-Dallas(or Ft Worth), Denver-Seattle (via SLC & Boise), Denver-Los Angeles (via SLC & Las Vegas), and possibly a second Denver-Chicago train (on a different schedule). I suppose Denver-Albuquerque could be added.

Of course that is highly unlikely, but in my head it sounds good. A daily Cardinal and Sunset Limited alone would make me content for awhile.

We certainly could use more service to Denver. Desert Wind (DEN-SLC-Vegas-LAX) and Pioneer ran during the Amtrak era in the 90's. I don't think DEN-DAL ever existed during the Amtrak era. I found the Texas Zephyr at Streamliner Schedules (http://www.streamlinerschedules.com/concourse/track9/texzephyr196009.html). It doesn't seem like there are really any big cities between the two (Amarillo, TX and Pueblo, CO?)

I think you are right about Denver to Dallas. It is a route that made sense in my mind.

 

[Anthony V]

Albuquerque-Denver-Cheyenne-Billings-Spokane.

Interesting. That could connect the western trains. Albuquerque-Denver sounds a lot like Front Range? What would the tracks be for those routes (who owns them?) Seems like a lot of miles to me (over 1000).

Well if we are talking Denver, I had the thought of making it a hub for a couple of routes; Denver-Dallas(or Ft Worth), Denver-Seattle (via SLC & Boise), Denver-Los Angeles (via SLC & Las Vegas), and possibly a second Denver-Chicago train (on a different schedule). I suppose Denver-Albuquerque could be added.

Of course that is highly unlikely, but in my head it sounds good. A daily Cardinal and Sunset Limited alone would make me content for awhile.

We certainly could use more service to Denver. Desert Wind (DEN-SLC-Vegas-LAX) and Pioneer ran during the Amtrak era in the 90's. I don't think DEN-DAL ever existed during the Amtrak era. I found the Texas Zephyr at Streamliner Schedules (http://www.streamlinerschedules.com/concourse/track9/texzephyr196009.html). It doesn't seem like there are really any big cities between the two (Amarillo, TX and Pueblo, CO?)

I think you are right about Denver to Dallas. It is a route that made sense in my mind.

Denver to Dallas was proposed as the Caprock Xpress or Caprock Chief in the early 2000s, but the proposal never went anywhere due to high costs and its circuitous routing. TxARP insisted that the train serve Abilene and Lubbock, instead of the most direct routing straight northwest through Amarillo. The former Texas Zephyr route is the only feasible routing for DFW-DEN service.