Passenger Trains > And now, with Amtrak's Michigan takeover...

Along with its takeover of former Norfolk Southern east of Battle Creek, MI, Amtrak is
proceeding with the initiative to make the Wolverines a run-through with the Lincoln
Service, Chicago-Pontiac.

As a result, Amtrak Operating Practices CHI has scheduled classes in Operating
Practices (rules) for CSX, Norfolk Southern and NORAC next month for train and
engine crews.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/17 22:56 by GenePoon.

Run through with the Lincoln Service, Chicago - Pontiac...isn't Lincoln service Chicago - St. Louis?  So does Amtrak now own the entire Michigan corridor...Chicago -Kalamazoo - Detroit - Pontiac?

Michigan trains often run late. Adding an additional route will only make the situation worse.

GenePoon Wrote:
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> Along with its takeover of former Norfolk Southern
> east of Battle Creek, MI, Amtrak is
> proceeding with the initiative to make the
> Wolverines a run-through with the Lincoln
> Service, Chicago-Pontiac.
>
> As a result, Amtrak Operating Practices CHI has
> scheduled classes in Operating
> Practices (rules) for CSX, Norfolk Southern and
> NORAC next month for train and
> engine crews


So is sounds like these classes are for current CHI-STL crews 
to become qualified east of CHI?

Which Pontiac are we talking about:  Michigan or Illinois?

When I was working Englewood tower it happened quite often that
an unscheduled stop occured at the tower to transfer someone between Michigan
trains back to CUS because they were destined to Jackson, Miss. or Pontiac, Ill.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/20/17 08:30 by Englewood.

Do they still have 60MPH speed restrictions, or other issues, delaying St Louis trains ? Delays on one service will magnify onto another.
We had some Chicago run-thrus back in the 1970's with the Turboliners.

These run throughs will be more like "bump throughs" since the trains will enter and exit Chicago Union Station on the same South side.

Jishnu Wrote:
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> These run throughs will be more like "bump
> throughs" since the trains will enter and exit
> Chicago Union Station on the same South side.

​Don't see how this is going to work unless they back in / out  to Union Tower on the BNSF to go the other way.

Another ray of sunshine.

andersonb109 Wrote:
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> Michigan trains often run late. Adding an
> additional route will only make the situation
> worse.

It seems the T&E crews getting qualified across the state of MI allows Amtrak to consolidate crew bases between all three routes; Wolverine, Blue Water and Pere Marquette. That's Zone 4 work. Chicago West including Illinois is all Zone 8 work and I don't see a Chicago run-thru coming...

However, on the equipment front.. You can damn sure expect maintenance to be bypassed to outlying terminals.. Car repair in St. L and Pontiac (some by contract employees) sounds like the card Amtrak would play. Divide and conquer is a reoccurring theme. Why fix Chicago when you can just stave them into submission.

I have wondered about the maintenance for the new Siemens engines coming on-line.  Maybe they will have the maintenance base in Pontiac or St. Louis.  

sums007 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jishnu Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > These run throughs will be more like "bump
> > throughs" since the trains will enter and exit
> > Chicago Union Station on the same South side.
>
> ​Don't see how this is going to work unless they
> back in / out  to Union Tower on the BNSF to go
> the other way.

Units on both ends ... pull in ... pull out ...

Did Michigan go in with Illinois on new equipment? Once the Locos arrive and if the bilevels ever get completed Illinois won't want their equipment going out of state.

Posted from iPhone

I think it is a multi-state consortium. (Wisconsin and Indiana are not a part of it). Not sure about Missouri.

howeld Wrote:
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> Did Michigan go in with Illinois on new equipment?
> Once the Locos arrive and if the bilevels ever
> get completed Illinois won't want their equipment
> going out of state.
>
> Posted from iPhone

NY state provides a proportion of the train equipment used by NJ Transit in its Hoboken to Port Jervis and Spring Valley service. It's MetroNorth equipment, with that agency's name on it.  But it regularly turns up in places like Morristown. Just like NJT equipment shows up in Spring Valley and Port Jervis.  There's a process to true up mileage and settle costs.

 

Out_Of_Service Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> sums007 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Jishnu Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > These run throughs will be more like "bump
> > > throughs" since the trains will enter and
> exit
> > > Chicago Union Station on the same South side.
> >
> > ​Don't see how this is going to work unless
> they
> > back in / out  to Union Tower on the BNSF to
> go
> > the other way.
>
> Units on both ends ... pull in ... pull out ...

​Forgot about that.  That brings up the problem of riding backwards. 

PC1974 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> However, on the equipment front.. You can damn
> sure expect maintenance to be bypassed to outlying
> terminals.. Car repair in St. L and Pontiac (some
> by contract employees) sounds like the card Amtrak
> would play. Divide and conquer is a reoccurring
> theme. Why fix Chicago when you can just stave
> them into submission.

No room in St. Louis for car maintenance or repair.

> > Units on both ends ... pull in ... pull out ...
>
> ​Forgot about that.  That brings up the problem
> of riding backwards. 

Don't Michigan trains already run with all the seats facing the center of the car anyway. Half the seats are always backwards.