Hotline #127-A - February 28, 2000

Amtrak today released the first part of its "Network Growth Strategy," the first results to be released from the Market-Based Network Analysis that Amtrak has been working on for 18 months (and continues to work on). The announcement came a day earlier than expected due to the widespread coverage of the story by wire services over the preceding weekend. Amtrak President George Warrington said the Analysis is Amtrak's first-ever attempt to evaluate passenger demand, mail and express potential, and equipment needs over the entire network (as opposed to just on individual routes).

The Network Growth Strategy is a vision of what the system could look like in 2003, not a detailed implementation plan. Service changes require negotiations with the host freight railroads and others (talks that are already in progress). The plan would expand service in 21 states using existing capital resources. While much of the equipment would come from refurbishing 50-60 newer cars now in storage (such as for light wreck damage), NARP has expressed concern that some other equipment would come from existing trains that are already capacity-constrained. Amtrak does plan later this year to identify its long-term equipment needs, both for corridors and long-distance routes.

Still, service increases on such a skeletal national network are welcome. Also welcome is Amtrak's recognition that -- unlike what we saw in the 1990's with the infamous "Mercer Management" cuts -- Amtrak cannot cut its way to prosperity. Warrington told reporters today that "the historical approach of eliminating individual, weak trains weakens the entire network. The revenues you lose are far in excess of the costs you save."

Some places without service will get it, some will get more service, some will lose all service. San Antonio would lose direct east-west service due to a reroute of the Sunset Limited through a new intercity-train hub at Dallas-Fort Worth (but San Antonio would have daily service to Chicago, a new train to Mexico, and better, indirect access to Atlanta and the east; see below). Lansing, Flint, and Port Huron would lose their service as the International is rerouted to provide a fourth daily Chicago-Dearborn frequency (unless Michigan aggress to resume paying for Lansing service -- Amtrak has not yet given the required six month's notice to drop this service).

Here are the main proposals (more detail to follow in the newsletter, also more at Amtrak's web site):

• Kentucky Cardinal to Jeffersonville, Ind. (already started December 17, 1999).
• New Manhattan Limited, New York-Pittsburgh-Cleveland-Chicago (overnight on east end, daytime on west end).
• Twilight Limited (now Chicago-Pontiac) extended from Dearborn to Buffalo and combined with an Empire Corridor train to New York.
• One Chicago-Pontiac train rerouted from Dearborn to Toledo.
• International rerouted from Battle Creek to Dearborn, London, and Toronto.
• New overnight Chicago-Savanna-Des Moines train.
• Extension of one Hiawatha from Milwaukee to Fond du Lac.
• New Chicago-Walworth-Janesville train.
• Extend Silver Meteor north from New York to Springfield and Boston.
• Restore splitting of Silver trains in Florida to serve both Tampa and Miami better (including along coast south of Jacksonville).
• New section of Crescent, Meridian-Jackson-Shreveport-Dallas-Fort Worth.
• Daily Texas Eagle Chicago-San Antonio.
• Sunset Limited rerouted Houston-Dallas-Fort Worth-Odessa-El Paso.
• New San Antonio-Laredo-Monterrey train.