Passenger Trains > ChiTrib: "Amtrak: Delays up, ridership down in Illinois

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-amtrak-ridership-late-trains-met-1028-20141028-story.html

When did the Great Dome make it's appearance on the Lake Shore? Photo in the article shows Amtrak's only dome car "running between South Bend and Chicago." Or did they just print the first nice photo they found thinking no one would know the difference?
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andersonb109 Wrote:
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> When did the Great Dome make it's appearance on
> the Lake Shore? Photo in the article shows
> Amtrak's only dome car "running between South Bend
> and Chicago." Or did they just print the first
> nice photo they found thinking no one would know
> the difference?
> .
I would expect that's how it gets back to Chicago after it's fall assignment on the Adirondack. Nice to see it open to passengers rather than being locked up while deadheading.

Dave

Most of the drop probably accounted for by the fact that Lincoln Service trains have been bustituted for most of the year, particularly south of Springfield in recent weeks. Down 3-5% just on that route, which accounts for most of the raw numbers ridership vis-à-vis other routes in Illinois.

People who normally ride Amtrak do so often because they do not want to ride a bus, and also prefer a train over flying. While it is certainly possible to fly between Chicago and St. Louis, it is difficult if not impossible to do so at a reasonable cost when intermediate points such as Springfield and Bloomington are involved.

It appears that the most recent bussing has ended as of this past weekend, although there is still a service disruption notice on the Amtrak website calling for more possible delays through November 15 on the Lincoln Service route.

<i> I would expect that's how it gets back to Chicago after it's fall assignment on the Adirondack. Nice to see it open to passengers rather than being locked up while deadheading. </i>

Well, it won't fit through any of the tunnels in New York or under the wire at several locations on the NEC, so going back west on the Late Shore is about the only way to do it. Still, I believe it was probably dead-headed and this is a stock shot the newspaper dug up somewhere.

3rd_Raton Wrote:
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> I would expect that's how it gets back to Chicago
> after it's fall assignment on the Adirondack. Nice
> to see it open to passengers rather than being
> locked up while deadheading.
>
> Well, it won't fit through any of the tunnels in
> New York or under the wire at several locations on
> the NEC, so going back west on the Late Shore is
> about the only way to do it. Still, I believe it
> was probably dead-headed and this is a stock shot
> the newspaper dug up somewhere.

The Great Dome doesn't normally travel south of Renssalaer NY, so a westbound trip on the Lake Shore is likely how it will move west.

It would be wonderful to see a charter on the D&H south out of Albany, through Binghamton, and down to Harrisburg. But I wouldn't hold my breath on that.

I just had a friend round trip on the Saluki Monday and Tuesday so we researched the train status reports over recent days and knew what she was getting into. Typically an hour late every day both ways. Incredible CN is allowed to get away with such poor train handling. And yes, I know Amtrak has a complaint in process.

filmteknik Wrote:
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> I just had a friend round trip on the Saluki
> Monday and Tuesday so we researched the train
> status reports over recent days and knew what she
> was getting into. Typically an hour late every
> day both ways. Incredible CN is allowed to get
> away with such poor train handling. And yes, I
> know Amtrak has a complaint in process.

Maybe the CN heeds some of the goodies that UP is getting.