Passenger Trains > Let's bring back The Sportsman

Since the state of Indiana is not too terribly interested in The Hoosier and already has a couple of daily Amtrak routes besides the tri-weekly Cardinal making multiple stops in the state, I would say just discontinue the Cardinal. That would allow Indiana to do some soul searching about what it really needs for serving Indianapolis.

As a matter of equity, the states of Kentucky and West Virginia deserve a daily service which makes more than one stop in the state. I think that at Ashland KY, in lieu of the Cardinal, the west end of the old C&O's Sportsman route should be recreated and run as a daily train between DC and Detroit. You would lose Cincinnati and Indianapolis, but you would pick up Columbus, Toledo, and Detroit. At Toledo, connections could be made with the Capitol Limited to and from Chicago, so you actually would have better service to Chicago.

 

LOL!

Better improved the timekeeping of the Capital for Toledo Connections.
 

mundo Wrote:
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> Better improved the timekeeping of the Capital for
> Toledo Connections.

You could use the LSL as an alternative if the Capitol service is disrupted. 

Initially you would probably originate/terminate the train at Toledo with bus connection to/from Detroit.

If we have any hope for LDTs to survive, we need to develop a network with reliable connections so that a greater percent of the population can see the train as a travel possibility.

  

Restoring service that hasn't existed for decades is usually very difficult, if not impossible. Even adding frequencies to existing routes can be.

Class I's generally demand a ransom, ADA compliant stations have to be built, curves super elevated for 79 MPH, grade crossing circuits recalibrated. In this case, all to give the middle finger to Indiana, and who would pay for all that ?

 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/19 05:44 by joemvcnj.

The current political majority in Columbus isn't likely to throw any state support toward this idea, either.
 

I do think Amtrak should relocate Beech Grove shops to either Michigan or Illinois, and give its workers a very attractive relo package and offers they can't refuse to prevent a further brain drain. 

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> I do think Amtrak should relocate Beech Grove
> shops to either Michigan or Illinois, and give its
> workers a very attractive relo package and offers
> they can't refuse to prevent a further brain
> drain. 


With a Solari board and linen tablecloths.

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> Restoring service that hasn't existed for decades
> is usually very difficult, if not impossible. Even
> adding frequencies to existing routes can be.
>
> Class I's generally demand a ransom, ADA compliant
> stations have to be built, curves super elevated
> for 79 MPH, grade crossing circuits recalibrated.
> In this case, all to give the middle finger to
> Indiana, and who would pay for all that ?

Who says you have to run 79 mph? If the connections work out and the schedule is useful, the top speed is not as important.

If a locality wants service, let them pay for the ADA compliant stations.

I suspect the host railroads would be more reasonable, if what was asked of them was reasonable. Assuming that Indiana drops The Hoosier, this alternative would reduce the amount of route miles that CSX hosts Amtrak by over 130 miles going all of the way to Detroit or more than 200 miles just going to Toledo. Maybe CSX would be interested.

Giving the finger to Indiana? I am talking about an improvement to the network which Indiana does not seem to be capable of helping out with. The existing piss-poor service is getting in the way of Indiana figuring out what it really needs. 

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/19 08:58 by ts1457.

toledopatch Wrote:
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> The current political majority in Columbus isn't
> likely to throw any state support toward this
> idea, either.

If the train qualifies as a LDT, the state does not need to cough up much.

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I do think Amtrak should relocate Beech Grove
> shops to either Michigan or Illinois, and give its
> workers a very attractive relo package and offers
> they can't refuse to prevent a further brain
> drain. 

Talk about giving the state of Indiana the finger!