Passenger Trains > Gulf Coast Rail Route Grant approved, funds half, Alabama refuses

Meanwhile the State of Alabama and the Mobile Port Authority are, for now, refusing to participate and are holding the entire project hostage. 

https://www.wicker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=4A17175F-AD08-485C-856F-C76528261F79

https://www.nola.com/news/2019/06/amtrak-plans-to-return-train-service-to-the-gulf-coast.html

Edit to add a 2017 story interviewing the Alabama Port CEO regarding passenger rail service. Bottom line seems to be not no, but hell no. 

https://www.al.com/news/mobile/2017/07/alabama_port_ceo_passenger_tra.html



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/09/19 09:04 by jcoons.

"Dozens of trains daily at the Port of Mobile"

Is that correct?

Posted from Android

Some one had posted info about this under the non-descriptive title of "Fake News?":

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,4807361

Thanks you for using a descriptive title. Maybe more people will get in on the discussion this time around.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/09/19 08:34 by ts1457.

Alabama is a disgrace, their problems go way beyond rail. If it will benefit constituents or be for the public good you can count on it being blocked by Governor Ivy.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/09/19 11:46 by Flyer92122.

Flyer92122 Wrote:
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> AL is a disgrace and I’m not even talking about
> rail.

I'm not getting into that, but a short piece of passenger rail is not that important to them. I wonder if Alabama would have more interest if the route turned up toward Montgomery and continued on to Atlanta (or Birmingham)?

I hate being contrary, but at this point i feel like anything spent on this project is money down the drain.

If Virgin Trains is successful  in Florida (yet to be determined), I could see a circumstance where it could expand along the Gulf Coast Route.

 

The Mobile section of the Crescent (Gulf Breeze) came off because of Alabama ? Or was it Mississippi ?  I forgot how it was routed.  

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> The Mobile section of the Crescent (Gulf Breeze)
> came off because of Alabama ? Or was it
> Mississippi ?  I forgot how it was routed.  

Came off of the Crescent at Birmingham and down through Montgomery.

I can’t see many people using this train that would have a top speed of probably 39 mph over a short line railroad through a swamp for 550 miles when you can drive it in less than 8 hours.

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> The Mobile section of the Crescent (Gulf Breeze)
> came off because of Alabama ? Or was it
> Mississippi ?  I forgot how it was routed.  

It was partially state funded train that "came off" because Tom Downs killed it. Alabama didn't kill it, Amtrak did. In fact, Montgomery had built a new station.

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/09/19 10:25 by Dcmcrider.

steamloco Wrote:
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> I can’t see many people using this train that
> would have a top speed of probably 39 mph over a
> short line railroad through a swamp for 550 miles
> when you can drive it in less than 8 hours.

CSX is a short line railroad? That's news to me. 

CSX has leased or sold some of the route recently, seach for it, as I am not familar

Dcmcrider Wrote:
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> It was partially state funded train that "came
> off" because Tom Downs killed it. Alabama didn't
> kill it, Amtrak did. In fact, Montgomery had built
> a new station.

Oh yes, now I remember. I think Montgomery even had an image of the station on the front of their phone book.
Another masterful job by Amtrak with a state. 

dan Wrote:
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> CSX has leased or sold some of the route recently,
> seach for it, as I am not familar

As far as I know, that doesn't include the Mobile to New Orleans section which is the topic of discussion. 

oh i thought the were talking about as part  sunset route  re-extension



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/09/19 11:10 by dan.

Does this line have PTC?

Posted from Android

ts1457 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Some one had posted info about this under the
> non-descriptive title of "Fake News?":
>
> https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,
> 4807361
>
> Thanks you for using a descriptive title. Maybe
> more people will get in on the discussion this
> time around.

Sure thing!

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> Does this line have PTC?

Yes.

Gordon

steamloco Wrote:
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> I can’t see many people using this train that
> would have a top speed of probably 39 mph over a
> short line railroad through a swamp for 550 miles
> when you can drive it in less than 8 hours.

Why do you assume that a shortline owning or leasing the tracks means a 39 mph limit?
Are we guessing?

There is shortline precedent with the Buckingham Branch in Virginia (another CSX spin off).
But from time to time Amtrak management tosses out the idea that it will abandon any route with "shortline" elements, such as those that use the terminal railroad in St. Louis.

CSX is an example of a corporation that is in the process of offloading itself out of existence.  The elements are worth more in their parts, as they ever were as a total.  Another classic case of arbitrage by "activist" investers and CEO's who care only about their own bonus payments, and not about the future of the company, its customers, or its employees.

Isn't  that how the Susquehanna owned CNS&M (North Shore Line) got put out of business ? Liquidation value was better for ROI than continued operation.