geezer From United States of America, joined Aug 2010, 715 posts, RR: 1 Reply 3, posted (3 months 2 weeks 6 days ago) and read 939 times:
Whadaya mean, "no need for one" ? We already HAVE one.......it's called Amtrac ! You can ride it from NYC to California; isn't that cross country enough ?
As for "not needing it".............you'd have a hard time convincing the thousands who already ride it; every time I take Miss A to the station in Crawfordsville to take it to Chicago, the train is always 80 to 90% full; everyone seems to like it just fine.
She can fly to Midway non-rev, then take a $50 cab ride (and risk your life) out to Lisle, or take the Amtrac round trip for $35, with a short ride on the Metra, ($6 RT), and be there just as quick; (and she likes the Amtrac better ! )
ktrick45 From United States of America, joined Mar 2008, 62 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 916 times:
Quoting geezer (Reply 3): Whadaya mean, "no need for one" ? We already HAVE one.......it's called Amtrac ! You can ride it from NYC to California; isn't that cross country enough ?
That's kinda the point. We already have several transcon rail lines. They seem to be sufficient to handle the traffic. There's unused capacity on the existing routes. Some could have tracks added. Any new route would have to serve a market that's currently unserved or under-served, and right now, I can't think of one that couldn't be served with some improvement to the tracks in the existing route structure.
rfields5421 From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 4871 posts, RR: 21 Reply 5, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 914 times:
The only talk I've seen was for new high speed rail for passenger service.
But that would only be in certain corridors between large cities relatively close together.
A transcontinental high speed rail network would be a huge waste of money. 20-24 hours New York to Los Angeles vs the current approx 5-6 hours on an airplane - for more money for rail in most cases - won't work, and much less capacity than the current air system.
57AZ From United States of America, joined Nov 2004, 2548 posts, RR: 2 Reply 6, posted (3 months 2 weeks 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 767 times:
Not to mention that two of the transcontinental routes have been abandoned-the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad and the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. If the UP and BNSF routes become too saturated with traffic, either of these two routes could be restored for far less than constructing a brand new route. However, passenger rail travel over longer distances is not as efficient as freight usage.
"When a man runs on railroads over half of his lifetime he is fit for nothing else-and at times he don't know that."
PanHAM From Germany, joined May 2005, 6513 posts, RR: 25 Reply 7, posted (3 months 2 weeks 4 days 1 hour ago) and read 699 times:
The Rock Island never went transcon, it had a route as far as south of Tucumcari NM where it met the SP. This is now totally under UP control and they build it up to a transcon in compettition with the BNSF.
The Milwaukee Road transcon is in most parts dismantled, bike path or whatever. Capacity shoratages of the existining BNSF and UP can be overcome by third or fourth rails in congested areas. BNSF just more or less completed the Ajo Canyon second rail which makes it a 2 lane super rail hzighway from Chicago to LA.
Whereby, transcon really means as far east as Chicago and St. louis. Today there are through running trains which are handed over usually at Chicago to CSX or NS.
Airstud From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 1474 posts, RR: 1 Reply 8, posted (3 months 2 weeks 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 679 times:
I done been across these United States by rail, and I've done it three times.
In late 1991, I took the Benjamin Franklin (oh, for the days when different runs on the same Northeast Corridor route had different route names!! ) from Boston to New York; hung out with my NYU chums for a few days, then took the (now-discontinued) Broadway Limited from NY to Chicago (meh - non-scenic); and the Southwest Chief from Chicago to Los Angeles. Totally awesome!!
After not finding steady work in L.A., took the Sunset Limited to New Orleans (the train left L.A. at night, we got to take in the beautiful Arizona xeriscape yes XERISCAPE during breakfast) and then the Crescent from Nawlins to Philly (Mayflower, train #174, onward to Boston thanks for asking).
September 1993, took the Lake Shore Limited from Boston to Chi-town and then the California Zephyr out to Oakland. We went through the Rockies during the first snowfall, and along the bottom of Glenwood Canyon - this is saying NOTHING of the American River valley along the Nevada California border. The scenery on the California Zephyr is such that...as soon as you're sure you're never going to see a more gorgeous sight in your life...bam.
None of you shall be forgiven if you fail to take the California Zephyr at some point in your lives.
747400sp From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 3183 posts, RR: 3 Reply 10, posted (3 months 2 weeks 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 661 times:
Quoting Airstud (Reply 8): I done been across these United States by rail, and I've done it three times.
In late 1991, I took the Benjamin Franklin (oh, for the days when different runs on the same Northeast Corridor route had different route names!! ) from Boston to New York; hung out with my NYU chums for a few days, then took the (now-discontinued) Broadway Limited from NY to Chicago (meh - non-scenic); and the Southwest Chief from Chicago to Los Angeles. Totally awesome!!
After not finding steady work in L.A., took the Sunset Limited to New Orleans (the train left L.A. at night, we got to take in the beautiful Arizona xeriscape yes XERISCAPE during breakfast) and then the Crescent from Nawlins to Philly (Mayflower, train #174, onward to Boston thanks for asking).
September 1993, took the Lake Shore Limited from Boston to Chi-town and then the California Zephyr out to Oakland. We went through the Rockies during the first snowfall, and along the bottom of Glenwood Canyon - this is saying NOTHING of the American River valley along the Nevada California border. The scenery on the California Zephyr is such that...as soon as you're sure you're never going to see a more gorgeous sight in your life...bam.
None of you shall be forgiven if you fail to take the California Zephyr at some point in your lives.
I was wondering, was these trains you was riding, pulled by an EMD F40ph or GE Genesis? I know Amtrak was transitioning from F40phs to Genesis as their flagship prime mover at the time.
Airstud From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 1474 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (3 months 2 weeks 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 581 times:
Quoting David L (Reply 9): I'd love to but, as a smoker, I fear my days of long railway journeys are over.
There are frequent stops during the trip, plenty of them long enough for folks to step outside and have a smoke before continuing their journey. (I won't say anything preachy to you about smoking since I can't say anything you haven't already heard, but once you've quit successfully you can reward yourself with a nice trip!!)
Quoting 747400sp (Reply 10): I was wondering, was these trains you was riding, pulled by an EMD F40ph or GE Genesis? I know Amtrak was transitioning from F40phs to Genesis as their flagship prime mover at the time.
It appears someone knows more about Amtrak than I do...I absolutely could not answer that. I hope it was the non-GE one, 'cause I signed a petition one day swearing that I would not buy GE products ever again. Something about a corrupt Defense Department contract or something. This was in Copley Square, Boston, circa 1986. The girl had a halter top on.
So, I cannot speak for Amtrak, but when I'm buying locomotives for myself...
4holer From United States of America, joined Feb 2002, 2708 posts, RR: 12 Reply 12, posted (3 months 2 weeks 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 549 times:
Quoting Airstud (Reply 11): I hope it was the non-GE one, 'cause I signed a petition one day swearing that I would not buy GE products ever again. Something about a corrupt Defense Department contract or something. This was in Copley Square, Boston, circa 1986. The girl had a halter top on.
747400sp From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 3183 posts, RR: 3 Reply 14, posted (3 months 2 weeks 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 430 times:
Quoting Airstud (Reply 11): I hope it was the non-GE one, 'cause I signed a petition one day swearing that I would not buy GE products ever again. Something about a corrupt Defense Department contract or something. This was in Copley Square, Boston, circa 1986. The girl had a halter top on.
Well you may not want ride Amtrak for a while, or you may not want to ride on a Boeing 777.
Airstud From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 1474 posts, RR: 1 Reply 15, posted (3 months 2 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 406 times:
Quoting geezer (Reply 13): So, Airstud, are you saying that when a young girl in a halter top comes along, you'll "sign" anything ?
Well, before signing anything, I always scan it for mention of damnation or anything of that ilk. But hey, I've no love for GE products anyway. If I am to buy a TV set, it won't be from a company that also makes locomotives and washing machines. (Just like I don't think I would ever buy a Sony locomotive).
Quoting 747400sp (Reply 14): Well you may not want ride Amtrak for a while, or you may not want to ride on a Boeing 777.
Yeah, I'm not too happy when I see big transportation companies buying GE apparatus. Pratt & Whitney or Rolls Royce are better engines. I know this because they're not GE.
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From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 3183 posts, 
From Germany, joined May 2005, 6513 posts, 
) from Boston to New York; hung out with my NYU chums for a few days, then took the (now-discontinued) Broadway Limited from NY to Chicago (meh - non-scenic); and the Southwest Chief from Chicago to Los Angeles. Totally awesome!!
From United Kingdom, joined May 1999, 8994 posts, 
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