Passenger Trains > Sunset Limited

What is the status of the Sunset Limited to go beyond New Orleans to Orlando in the future?

Zero chance. There was going to be a corridor from NO to Mobile last year funding was secured in LA and MS but the governor of AL said no. Her one vote blew the corridor train out of the water. Lost the feds matching funds. Insert Gardner corridor jokes here___________.

https://www.nola.com/traffic/2018/06/alabama_train_amtrak_new_orlea.html

https://www.fox10tv.com/news/gov-ivey-rejects-funding-amtrak-s-return-to-mobile/article_8b691f85-ad4d-5c8a-ad86-e12dde0553f5.html



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/15/19 14:31 by Flyer92122.

Yikes don't we wish that there were more positive news to be brought in this area. Efforts to see it restored are still alive, but practically speaking there is a lot that needs to happen. Probably one of the most major things that could be hoped for is a complete shake-up at the top of Amtrak. 

PRSL-recall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yikes don't we wish that there were more positive
> news to be brought in this area. Efforts to see it
> restored are still alive, but practically speaking
> there is a lot that needs to happen. Probably one
> of the most major things that could be hoped for
> is a complete shake-up at the top of Amtrak. 

Ironically, the easiest way forward is for Amtrak to restore the Sunset Limited service to Orlando. It's a national network train, so no troublesome state funding would be required ! :-)

Flyer92122 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Zero chance. There was going to be a corridor from
> NO to Mobile last year funding was secured in LA
> and MS but the governor of AL said no. Her one
> vote blew the corridor train out of the water.
> Lost the feds matching funds. Insert Gardner
> corridor jokes here___________.
>
> https://www.nola.com/traffic/2018/06/alabama_train
> _amtrak_new_orlea.html
>
> https://www.fox10tv.com/news/gov-ivey-rejects-fund
> ing-amtrak-s-return-to-mobile/article_8b691f85-ad4
> d-5c8a-ad86-e12dde0553f5.html

Unless I am mistaken, the governor of Mississippi, also voted against funding the New Orleans to Mobile service.

The articles including the first one I linked say LA and MS agreed to it but you may very well be right. It was made to seem if governor Ivy of AL signed on service would start immediately even though it was probably 2 years away with her signature. A lot could have gone wrong even if she agreed to it.

SanDiegan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> PRSL-recall Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Yikes don't we wish that there were more
> positive
> > news to be brought in this area. Efforts to see
> it
> > restored are still alive, but practically
> speaking
> > there is a lot that needs to happen. Probably
> one
> > of the most major things that could be hoped
> for
> > is a complete shake-up at the top of Amtrak. 
>
> Ironically, the easiest way forward is for Amtrak
> to restore the Sunset Limited service to Orlando.
> It's a national network train, so no troublesome
> state funding would be required ! :-)

That would require Amtrak to actually be serious about expanding service beyond the NEC. 

chrsjrcj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SanDiegan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > PRSL-recall Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Yikes don't we wish that there were more
> > positive
> > > news to be brought in this area. Efforts to
> see
> > it
> > > restored are still alive, but practically
> > speaking
> > > there is a lot that needs to happen. Probably
> > one
> > > of the most major things that could be hoped
> > for
> > > is a complete shake-up at the top of
> Amtrak. 
> >
> > Ironically, the easiest way forward is for
> Amtrak
> > to restore the Sunset Limited service to
> Orlando.
> > It's a national network train, so no
> troublesome
> > state funding would be required ! :-)
>
> That would require Amtrak to actually be serious
> about expanding service beyond the NEC. 

Amtrak can be serious about expanding service beyond the NEC, as long as someone else pays for it.

If there were to be another New Orleans - Florida service, it definitely would not be the Sunset Ltd. 

Trackage east of Mobile across Florida has been spun off to short line operators, and is being downgraded/partially abandoned.
There might be a possible circuitous route through Birmingham, such as was used by the long-discontinued Mobile section of the Crescent.
But the costs of convincing host railroads to do it would be outrageous.
And even asking NS or CSX at this point is politically incorrect.

79mph Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Trackage east of Mobile across Florida has been
> spun off to short line operators, and is being
> downgraded/partially abandoned.

I believe that sale fell through, but I think we can assume CSX's intentions.

ts1457 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 79mph Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Trackage east of Mobile across Florida has been
> > spun off to short line operators, and is being
> > downgraded/partially abandoned.
>
> I believe that sale fell through, but I think we
> can assume CSX's intentions.

Sale back on. It will soon be short line

Posted from iPhone

scraphauler Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sale back on. It will soon be short line

Thanks, missed that.

Flyer92122 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Zero chance. There was going to be a corridor from
> NO to Mobile last year funding was secured in LA
> and MS but the governor of AL said no. Her one
> vote blew the corridor train out of the water.
> Lost the feds matching funds. Insert Gardner
> corridor jokes here___________.
>
> https://www.nola.com/traffic/2018/06/alabama_train
> _amtrak_new_orlea.html
>
> https://www.fox10tv.com/news/gov-ivey-rejects-fund
> ing-amtrak-s-return-to-mobile/article_8b691f85-ad4
> d-5c8a-ad86-e12dde0553f5.html


What were the (realistic) ridership forecasts for that corridor? Less than 100 per day?