Passenger Trains > Restoring service San Antonio-Laredo, TX

Are there any large towns in between? Somewhere I read that Texas wants this on their wish list.

Suggest you look at highway map and see for yourself.

The thrice weekly Inter-American, operated by Amtrak, made no stops between San Antonio and Laredo.

Years back rode Missouri Pacific through sleeper St Louis - Mexico City on the route between San Antonio and loreado. O not recall any intermediate stops.

Posted from Android

Amtrak is not interested in expanding their operations.

States seldom move beyond the "talking" phase when they think about expanding service. Look how long they've been "talking" about service between Oklahoma City and Newton, New Orleans and Jacksonville, or Jacksonville and Miami on the FEC.

When they DO move beyond the "talking" phase, sometimes they'll run an inspection train over the proposed route, for dignitaries and invited guests only. The most important feature of these trains is a lounge car stocked with a large amount of alcohol. Basically, it's an excuse for a big party. They might even throw in a sleeping car with private bedrooms, depending on what level they want the frivolity to attain.

In short, shelve your fantasy. That would be my recommendation.

There are several towns between San Antonio and Laredo, none of them very large. There has been a significant amount of growth in the energy exploration business in the area and there are folks who drive between San Antonio and Laredo daily for work.

I think capacity would be as big an obstacle as anything else. This is a heavy intermodal and automotive route. I'd guess UP would want siding extensions, crossovers and some double track to even entertain a passenger service.

NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY PIE-IN-THE-SKY AMTRAK SERVICE IDEA between San Antonio
and Laredo...but directly concerning the route:


Scheduled Bridge Work to Impact Operations Between San Antonio and Laredo
Announcement Number: CN2018-1
1-11-2018

To Our Customers,

The Medina River bridge south of San Antonio, Texas will be out of service
for 36 hours beginning Thursday, January 18 for scheduled bridge maintenance.
We will begin holding trains between San Antonio and Laredo while the work is
completed.

Southbound international interchange trains will be held north of the
bridge and northbound international interchange trains will be received
and held on our line south of the bridge. Customers can expect delays
of 36 to 72 hours once crews begin work on the bridge.

We will resume rail operations once repairs are complete, beginning with
northbound trains. Customers may continue to see delays as we return to
normal operations in this corridor.

We apologize for any inconvenience these delays may cause. Please contact
Customer Care & Support or your Union Pacific representative with any
questions.

I would think there would be many other routes more worthy of passenger service than the one mentioned by the poster. And yes, maps are helpful.

Pearsall, Texas is the largest city between San Antonio and Laredo. Its population just shy of 10,000. A stop could be justified here, many existing small town Amtrak stops have smaller populations. Devine and Cotulla are the only other towns with populations greater that 3,000 (except maybe for San Antonio suburbs cities) on this route.

But what do you do when you get to Laredo? Turn around and go back? There is already frequent bus service by several operators.

I lived in SAT during the later years of the InterAmerican. There were numerous problems. Customs ? Where to do that, SAT or LRD ? With no stops, the train could be considered 'sealed'. Back in the day, the Laredo Sub had little traffic, but was dark territory. That didn't change until NAFTA. And finally, there was no across the platform change to NdeM or Amtrak. The stations are miles apart with an international bridge in between.

I recall the last test train Amtrak ran to LRD. Somewhere I have pix. It was a drizzly rain. And the train sat at the International Bridge for HOURS. I gave up and drove home. And that was that. I don't know it it ever made it across the bridge.

From SAT to the interior of Mexico, you have good air service-numerous flights per day. No change of planes. No bag drag. No highway bandits. And 600 mph in the Airbus 321. What's not to like?

I believed discussion of high speed rail in this corridor

Posted from iPhone

I travelled on the Interamerican from San Antonio to Chicago in September 1978.

When I boarded in San Antonio, there were 9 passengers on board from Laredo.

reindeerflame Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I travelled on the Interamerican from San Antonio to Chicago in September 1978. When I boarded in San Antonio, there were 9 passengers on board from Laredo.

That must have been right after the Border Patrol did a sweep of the train. :)

It would make a lot more sense to return service to Brownsville, Harlingen and McAllen. Amtrak never had service to that area, but it seems that there is a lot more potential traffic to that area.

Posted from Android

mp109 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It would make a lot more sense to return service
> to Brownsville, Harlingen and McAllen. Amtrak
> never had service to that area, but it seems that
> there is a lot more potential traffic to that
> area.
>
> Posted from Android


Unfortunately it's not happening.

Amtrak is in shrinkage mode, not in expansion mode. They can hang on for another 10 years, but will likely fall victim to equipment issues over time. We're unlikely to see any new car order except for state services and the NEC.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/18 13:47 by reindeerflame.

mp109 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It would make a lot more sense to return service
> to Brownsville, Harlingen and McAllen. Amtrak
> never had service to that area, but it seems that
> there is a lot more potential traffic to that
> area.
>
> Posted from Android

True, except the people responsible for transportation in the area--especially in Brownsville--seem not to have a clue about what's going on vis-a-vis passenger rail. For example, when the UP started using its new bridge across the Rio Grande a few years ago, this took trains out of Brownsville and Matamoros, MX. Rails were promptly pulled up--about 7-8 mmiles of it-- and the former ROW which went to downtown will become a rail trail. This, in spite of the fact that the state rail plan calls for a return to service to Brownsville. IOW, the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

Amtrak can not fund any runs under 700 miles remember. If Texas wants service,finds the equipment and pays to operate, Amtrak might be interested.

Sure no need to extend the present Eagle to Laredo for so few passengers. No trains to ride south of Laredo, only bus. The long distance travel would be done by Air.

I saw an on-line map by NARP or someone that Texas wants Amtrak to extend the Eagle and restore to Laredo. So, it would not be a new train. Its just restoring the order.

mundo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Amtrak can not fund any runs under 700 miles
> remember. If Texas wants service,finds the
> equipment and pays to operate, Amtrak might be
> interested.
>
> Sure no need to extend the present Eagle to Laredo
> for so few passengers. No trains to ride south of
> Laredo, only bus. The long distance travel would
> be done by Air.

Wait a minute. Passenger rail service has been extended recently. The Northern New England Passenger Rail group extended the
Downeaster service recently from Portland to Brunswick and will, next summer, extend it to Rockland. Amtrak is the contract
operator.