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Thursday, August 17, 2006

One of the little known and often understood facets of rail travel in the US is the importance of passengers who transfer between trains. A few recent examples highlight the impact of transfers.

• The Southwest Chief departing Los Angeles on July 24 had 199 passengers onboard. 102 of these, or 51%, transferred to the Chief from other Amtrak trains. When it rolled into Chicago two days later there were 266 passengers on the train. 147 of them, or 55%, got onto other trains leaving Chicago later that day.

• The Capitol Limited left Washington on July 25 with 203 passengers. 88 of them, or 43% of the passenger load, had come into Washington on other trains durng the day. Arriving at Chicago the next morning, there were 242 passengers onboard. 119, or 49%, transferred to other outbound trains to continue their journey.

• The Empire Builder arriving at Chicago on August 2 had 368 passengers, and 153 of them transferred to other trains.

• The Coast Starlight left Los Angeles on August 1 with 238 passengers. 107 were transfers from other trains.

• The Texas Eagle leaving Chicago on August 7 carried a total of 175 passengers. 96 transfers accounted for over half the passenger count.

Every day, impressive rates of transfer between Amtrak’s long distance and regional trains are repeated across the nation. From the Empire Builder to the Coast Starlight at Portland. Off the Coast Starlight to California’s San Joaquin trains at both Sacramento and Martinez. From the Crescent to New York’s Empire Service trains at New York City. And between all of the trains entering and leaving Chicago.

The ability of passengers to connect from train to train in Portland, Fort Worth, Sacramento, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Seattle, Philadelphia, Albany, Washington—and elsewhere—allows them to travel between hundreds of smaller stations throughout the U.S. Connecting travel on Amtrak unites Amtrak’s busiest stations—New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. More significantly, it pulls together communities like Whitefish and White River Junction, Grand Junction and Grand Rapids, Mineola and Minot, Palm Beach and Palm Springs, Albany OR and Albany NY, and Alpine and Alliance. Amtrak’s significance to these smaller communities is crucial, because most of them lack convenient or affordable air service.

Amtrak’s “long distance” train routes range from 764 miles between Washington to Chicago (a simple overnight trip), to 2,728 miles between Los Angeles to Chicago via the Texas Eagle, requiring three nights of travel. Because they stop at a multitude of stations along their routes, they both serve short and long trips. And, because many of them connect with each other, they enable even longer trips that span two, or even three trains. With only a couple of exceptions, these national network trains offer both coach and first class sleeping car accommodations. All the trains have food and beverage service, ranging from snack bar service to complete meals served in a dining car.

This summer, Amtrak trains are setting new ridership records. Many trains are “sold out” well in advance. The counts would grow exponentially if there were more trains, more coaches and sleepers, and particularly important – more connection opportunities. The connection numbers given above demonstrate that Amtrak is fulfilling a role as part of a vital national transportation network. Hopefully, someday in the future, additional parts of the nation will be connected – places like Boise, Las Vegas, Billings, Amarillo, Tulsa, Green Bay, Nashville, Chattanooga, Columbus, and Binghampton.

—Robert Glover
NARP Board Member and Treasurer

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More Gas Jitters

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Yesterday’s news that BP will be shutting down a major pipeline in Alaska, cutting off about 8% of our daily oil consumption, is bad news at the gas pump. Many people are turning to mass transit. In a previous blog entry, I talked about my commute to work versus my girlfriend’s commute.

I have a 12 minute walk to the Laurel train station, followed by a 28 minute ride on a MARC Camden Line express train to Union Station (the NARP office is adjacent to Union Station). Just by my non-scientific observations, I can see an increase in passenger counts on the trains I ride. We are standing room only out of Muirkirk some mornings, and leaving Union Station in the evening. I don’t experience “gas pains” at all. The $125 monthly fare I pay is far lower than what gas plus parking would be.

In contrast to my commute, Amanda feels gas pains: the only way for her to travel to her suburban Baltimore job is by single-occupant automobile. There is no public transportation option, so she puts at least 80 miles a day on her car. Despite the fact that we bought a new Honda Civic a little more than a month ago (at 39-40 mpg on the highway), we’re at the gas station twice a week for a fill-up. As any good boyfriend would do (well, one that doesn’t want to sleep on the couch), I buy a tank for her every now and then. Then, I experience “gas pains” myself.

The silence from Congress and the Administration on a sustainable transportation policy is deafening. The Senate may act on S.1516, the bi-partisan Amtrak reauthorization, after the August recess. But the fact is that prospects look dim in the House, despite the efforts of strong Amtrak supporters like Steve LaTourette (R-OH) and Jim Oberstar (D-MN). The results of the November mid-term election will likely dictate where our national transportation policy heads…or does not head.

—Dave Johnson

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What are our priorities?

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Every so often, one read a brief passage that is so “on target” it needs quoting and repeating at every opportunity. One such passage is the first paragraph of NARP Director John Dawson’s write-up of the NARP board meeting for The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger (newsletter of the Delaware Valley Association of Railroad Passengers. Here it is:

“With gasoline prices topping $3 per gallon and the President urging the nation to reduce its dependence on imported oil, one might expect that Amtrak would be asked to play an increasing role in our country’s transportation system. But instead, Amtrak is experiencing added pressure to cut expenses and to increase revenues, rather than to raise ridership.”

Well said, John!

-Ross Capon

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