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Release #05-29—September 2, 2005
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The Department of Homeland Security, in a news release today, reported that “Amtrak will be sending a train to New Orleans today to assist in the evacuation of citizens to safe areas.”
Amtrak is moving to restore some service that was curtailed this week due to the hurricane tragedy. Amtrak will extend its City of New Orleans and Crescent trains as explained below.
The City of New Orleans, now running only Chicago-Memphis, will be extended to Jackson starting with the Chicago departure on Labor Day, and the Jackson departure Tuesday, September 6. The following week, service will be extended further south to Hammond, Louisiana, starting with departures from Chicago on Monday, September 12 and from Hammond on Wednesday, September 14.
The Crescent, now running New York-Atlanta only, will be extended to Meridian, MS starting with departures from New York on Monday, September 12, and from Meridian on Wednesday, September 14.
The tri-weekly Sunset Limited continues to run only between San Antonio and Los Angeles (carrying Texas Eagle through cars to and from Chicago, St. Louis, Little Rock, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin and intermediate points). Thus, the only regular Amtrak service at Houston is a Thruway bus connection to the Texas Eagle at Longview (for travel to and from the Midwest).
Amtrak ridership was strong this summer even before the late-July start of major gasoline price increases. In July, most routes had double-digit percentage ridership growth compared with July, 2004, levels. The handful of exceptions were explained by severe on-time performance issues, or reductions in capacity.
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