A True National NETWORK

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