Passenger Trains > Amtrak loses Metrolink contract

Recently, Amtrak lost the contract to run Metrolink for the second time. T&E and management will be able to bid out to other crew bases, in addition to Los Angeles. Herzog currently in the running to become the new operator.

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,4934657

Hate to see Amtrak lose revenue -- especially now that they are beginning to have enough
money to make improvements.

Will this be a big financial loss for Amtrak?

Herzog also runs Tri-Rail in Florida.

Posted from Android

Wouldn't it be more accurate to say Amtrak "bowed out" of the Metrolink contract? It's hard to win when you choose not to play.

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA

Dcmcrider Wrote:
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> Wouldn't it be more accurate to say Amtrak "bowed
> out" of the Metrolink contract? It's hard to win
> when you choose not to play.

Please do not confuse the OP with facts. Then people like him would not be able to spin things the way they want it to be.

Amtrak did not bid in the preliminary rounds. Same thing as bowing out.

Amtrak did not participate in the initial conferences with Metrolink management and was thus excluded.

Herzog also operates the Altamont Corridor Express and if the San Joaquin JPB chooses to look for an operator besides Amtrak, must be considered a strong contender.

What commuter contracts remain in the country today with Amtrak ?

Amtrak did in fact participate in the RFP. Metrolink currently has separate contracts for T&E, Maintenance of Equipment, and Maintenance of Way. Metrolink is combining all three of the work streams into one contract. Amtrak submitted a proposal in conjunction with Fluor Enterprises. Presumably, Amtrak would have provided T&E services, possibly mechanical, while Fluor provided MOW. They were recently notified that their bid would not receive and further consideration. This generally means one of two things, the bid was not compliant or that they have narrowed the field to a short list who will be asked to submit best and final offers. My guess is the latter, this was a highly competitive competition which is good for rail.

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> What commuter contracts remain in the country
> today with Amtrak ?

Amtrak still has the MARC Penn Line (which is the line that runs on the NEC) for the Maryland Transit Administration as well as Shore Line East for Connecticut DOT. Also the state supported New Haven - Springfield service line (which includes the former Amtrak Shuttles - now Hartford Line - and the Springfield, MA through Regionals) carries commuter passengers for CTDOT as part of the schedule for the CTrail Hartford Line service. Another operator TASI operates the dedicated CTrail commuter trains which fill in the schedule for the service and they are also responsible for customer service, ticketing, and maintaining and servicing the new CTDOT constructed stations on the line (Amtrak lost the bid for this) so technically that service has two operators.



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/20 11:26 by lordsigma.

Lame brain question, does this Herzog company have CALTRAIN? Are they the same outfit that cleaned up derailments?

Posted from iPhone

Caltrain is opperated by TASI (Transit America) which is the parent company of Herzog or vise versa.  

I'm not surprised that Metrolink wants to separate from Amtrak given all the controversy swirling with the Mgmt & Mr. Anderson.  My understanding that Metrolink contracted Amtrak in the aftermath of Chatsworth.  Now perhaps Metrolink feels confident enough to try a new contract operator, who knows.

kingwestinghouse Wrote:
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> Lame brain question, does this Herzog company have
> CALTRAIN? Are they the same outfit that cleaned up
> derailments?
>

As someone else said, CalTrain is TASI, which is owned by Herzog.  The derailment guys are Hulcher.

Amtrak784 Wrote:
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> I'm not surprised that Metrolink wants to separate
> from Amtrak given all the controversy swirling
> with the Mgmt & Mr. Anderson.  

Was Metrolink afraid that Amtrak was going to take away their dining cars?

Amtrak was disqualified from further consideration.  March 15, the Metrolink board will vote to award the contract to a new operator, or disqualify the remaining bidders and start over.  Amtrak has written bid proposals to Metrolink for decades.  They know how.  As the story goes, Amtrak hired a consulting firm and and something went wrong with the bid.

Since almost everyone on here thinks Amtrak is horrible at just about everything, this must be a good thing for Metrolink 

Metrolink won't make or break Amtrak's budget, just sayin...

Its not over, until its over.  Now looking at the contract details, that may not just work.

Amtrak was disqualified under some wording.