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New Virginia Train Shows What’s Possible With Cooperation

Thursday, October 01, 2009

Yesterday’s Washington-Lynchburg inaugural special, in advance of revenue service starting today, follows 2-1/2 years of hard work and cooperation by state, local, Norfolk Southern and Amtrak officials. Gov. Tim Kaine (D) gets a huge share of the credit, another reminder of the critical importance of having a governor who believes in passenger trains. Hailing Forbes’ ranking of Virginia as “Best State to do Business” for the fourth consecutive year, Kaine said “the expanded service will support economic growth and benefit the environment by taking more cars off the road, improving air quality, and saving fuel.”

Kaine spoke at Charlottesville and Lynchburg [video]. At both stations he followed his father-in-law—former Governor (and former Amtrak Board Member) Linwood Holton (R), the man who 2-1/2 years ago told the Virginia Transportation Board, “You can do this.” Virigina Transportation Secretary Pierce Homer spoke at the earlier stations. There were impressive crowds at all six Virginia stations.

Reflecting the increasingly positive relationship between Amtrak and host railroads, NS Chairman & President Wick Moorman and Amtrak President & CEO Joe Boardman spoke at all the stations.  Moorman said, “We’re delighted to partner with Amtrak and their fine team.  Amtrak and NS have conversations, we have some tough conversations, but we recognize at the end of the day that it’s a partnership. Norfolk Southern is proud to have worked closely with the Commonwealth and Amtrak to provide this new service.”

Boardman spoke in a similar vein, complimenting NS on a dramatic improvement in their dispatching of Amtrak trains.

The new service is strongly supported by on-line chambers of commerce which long have been working together to create travel products based on train travel. The train is viewed by many as the first step in extension of service to Roanoke and Bristol, the “Trans-Dominion Express,” something that the governor referred to.

The train also should help Amtrak’s Crescent as many shorter distance travelers shift to the new train, freeing up space for more longer trips on the Crescent. The platform was lengthened at Lynchburg which means Crescent won’t have to double-stop there anymore. Lynchburg station costs now are shared among two trains rather than shouldered by Crescent alone, and Crescent’s share of costs at the other jointly served stations will decline. And Crescent should benefit from the added flexibility that makes train travel more practical for more people, and the greater visibility that Crescent gets from people drawn to the stations by the new train. As for example, “Oh, a trip to Atlanta by train? Maybe I’ll try that next time.”

Click “Read More” to see photos of the inaugural run.

—Ross Capon

» read more...

Posted by NARP

Tags: amtrak, charlottesville, inaugural, joseph boardman, lynchburg, new train, northeast regional, passenger train, tim kaine, virginia, wick moorman,

Flag Stops: Informed Decisionmaking (Or Lack Thereof)

Friday, January 15, 2010

Many reasons cited for car ownership drop, a way to show that conventional intercity trains actually do make money, Schwarzenegger’s missteps, and more.

  • The number of cars owned by Americans dropped by 4 million in 2009, even given the less-than-ideal state of alternative transportation. The recession and the “cash for clunkers” program contributed to the trend, but weren’t the only factors. “Increased urbanization, gas prices, traffic and congestion, automobile saturation and even concerns regarding climate change” were also cited in an Earth Policy Institute report. The benefits of less driving will grow as intra- and intercity rail, in particular, become more attractive.

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  • A privately-commissioned financial impact study finds that the proposed Northern Flyer train, which would connect Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer with the Southwest Chief by running between Oklahoma City and Newton, Kansas, would generate $3.20 in regional economic benefit for every $1.00 of capital and operations cost. The train’s backers are taking the laudable approach of quantifying all its external benefits in dollar terms and adding them to the overall calculus, producing a much truer reflection of its economic impact than a mere comparison of revenue from passenger fares to both capital and operating costs.

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  • An air-travel-weary young guest newspaper columnist from Eugene, Oregon, tries taking the train to Colorado. “When I fly, I tend to lose things: my bags, my wallet, my temper, my dignity, etc,” he writes. “Traveling with Amtrak is all about gains—friendships and experiences, mostly.” His trip would have been a lot more direct if the Pioneer was back in service.

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  • If you were the governor of a state facing a record budget gap and a worsening transportation problem compounded by a booming population, would you be quick to recommend cutting gas taxes that pay for public transportation? Well, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to do just that [PDF]. Luckily, voters may get a chance to preserve transit funding in November.

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  • Amtrak is offering 100 bonus points (the equivalent of frequent flier miles) to current Amtrak Guest Rewards (AGR) members who are Facebook “fans” of the railroad—and 750 bonus points to non-AGR members who join AGR. Go to Amtrak’s Facebook page and scroll down for the link.

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  • LCL: CNN Tech shows how worldwide recognition of train’s lower environmental footprint is a key factor in the mode’s resurgence—particularly in China and Europe, but also in the US. * * * A new military complex in the Washington suburbs won’t be transit accessible—giving traffic planners headaches that could have been avoided with forethought. * * * A Yale history professor ponders how modernizing the US passenger rail network would enhance our global competitiveness.

    • —Malcolm Kenton

    Posted by Malcolm Kenton

    Tags: amtrak, automobiles, budget, california, car ownership, cars, congestion, energy, financial, green, passenger train, profitability, recession, traffic, train,

    Columnists Laud Amtrak Experience

    Tuesday, February 23, 2010

    Three newspaper columns this week are singing the praises of American intercity passenger trains, enumerating their many advantages over driving and flying.

    The Boston Globe’s Rebecca Ostriker tried the Lake Shore Limited from Boston to Chicago, and made a video to complement her article. She waxes poetic about the journey:

    Tucking yourself into a bunk next to your own picture window, the landscape unfurling a wordless bedtime story, is a marvelous sensation. You hear the rumbling rails, the bells ding-dinging at train crossings, an occasional faint, distant whistle. As night falls, there are no more announcements over the loudspeaker, just the train rocking quietly. You linger on the views, even if all you can see are the black shadows of trees slipping away, silhouetted under the moon and stars.

    She continues, describing the spontaneous camaraderie that is unique to dining and lounge cars:

    You’ll surely find some kindred spirits. But it’s a funny thing, presenting yourselves to a new set of companions, one meal after another. How do you tell your own story? While you digest how others come across, you may ultimately find yourself reflecting on the show you’ve just put on. Who were we just now, for couples one, two, and three?

    Mike and Liz Busch of Vancouver, British Columbia, write:

    From the start the rails exposed us to the forests and mountains of the Northwest, dreamy waterfront vistas of Puget Sound, interspersed with grimy industrial back lots, sleepy little towns and a fascinating peek in to America’s back yard.

    Looking back, we found the entire rail trip to be an inexpensive yet civilized mode of travel especially suited to those not rushing to the next meeting or bound by a stopwatch existence.

    McClatchy’s Roger Rapoport explains why he chose Amtrak over flying:
    Airlines make a big deal out of the fact that they waive some cancellation penalties when it’s their fault. But they are quick to add a hefty up charge when passengers have a change of plans. Amtrak’s change and cancellation fees are either minuscule or nonexistent.

    I’ll be the first to admit that Amtrak isn’t perfect. But on the whole train service appears to be improving. During my regular weekly trips over the past two months only one of my trains was delayed a mere 45 minutes, though several others were early.

    For a long time, many frequent riders considered Amtrak to be the best-kept secret in American travel. Now, happily, it seems that the cat is out of the bag.

    —Malcolm Kenton

    Posted by Malcolm Kenton

    Tags: amtrak, columnists, driving, enjoyable, flying, intercity, journey, long-distance, newspaper, passenger train, relaxing, sleeping car, travel,

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