Passenger Trains > Tardy Amtrak Service

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/oakland/2020/02/24/amtrak-blames-freight-trains-passenger-del.ays-getting-worse/4851468002/?utm_source=freep-Daily%20Briefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_briefing&utm_term=list_article_headline

Does anyone have an idea why Amtrak trains are so often delayed on their Michigan routes?  The state owns the former Michigan Central line from
Dearborn to K-Zoo and Amtrak owns the line from K-Zoo to Porter.  When will Mr. Anderson get the Amtrak service in good order in Michigan.
There is potential for conisderable growth.

354 departing CHI this evening over an hour late made it over the bridge at 21st street and went belly up! Still technically on Amtrak property just south of the bridge...

From the Michigan Legislature:

“If you look at what the state is spending for Amtrak, what the Michigan taxpayers are spending to subsidize Amtrak, that number would probably make your head spin,” said Rep. Matt Maddock, R-Milford, who chairs the House transportation budget subcommittee. “So we’re looking at all the options we can in order to save Michigan taxpayers a little money here and there.”

I wonder if termination of Amtrak as operator is an option?

UPDATE: Wheels turning again on 354 and service is just peachy!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/20 17:46 by PC1974.

PC1974 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I wonder if termination of Amtrak as operator is
> an option?

Since Amtrak owns the 98 mile Porter IN - Kalamazoo MI segment, termination might be tricky.

Bennett Levin wants Septa to take over the Harrisburg line, and in an article earlier this month he pointed out that Amtrak doesn't own it. According to Levin, USDOT owns it. Is it the same situation in Michigan??

PC1974 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bennett Levin wants Septa to take over the
> Harrisburg line, and in an article earlier this
> month he pointed out that Amtrak doesn't own it.
> According to Levin, USDOT owns it. Is it the same
> situation in Michigan??

I've seen claims by Amtrak that it owns the Harrisburg line. I need someone who knows more than me as to what part the USDOT plays in all of this.

Amtrak carries over $15 Billion on its balance sheet for ROW and other properties, so I have to go with Amtrak on this one. 
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/20 19:27 by ts1457.

Amtrak's Michigan trains have never been great timekeepers in the past 40 year's I've been riding them. Michigan can spend all the money it want's but until NS gets their act together, the section from Porter to Chicago will always be a bottleneck. 

From what I have read over the years, the Michigan line's problems are not just NS west of Porter. CN is troublesome in the Battle Creek area, and the Amtrak/MichDOT portion isn't a Swiss watch operation either. 

Is there any freight traffic on any portions of the line segments owned by Amtrak and Michigan?

Related note: 355 annulled this morning, account "equipment issue." Bus provided.

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA

ts1457 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> PC1974 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Bennett Levin wants Septa to take over the
> > Harrisburg line, and in an article earlier this
> > month he pointed out that Amtrak doesn't own
> it.
> > According to Levin, USDOT owns it. Is it the
> same
> > situation in Michigan??
>
> I've seen claims by Amtrak that it owns the
> Harrisburg line. I need someone who knows more
> than me as to what part the USDOT plays in all of
> this.
>
> Amtrak carries over $15 Billion on its balance
> sheet for ROW and other properties, so I have to
> go with Amtrak on this one. 
>  

DOT holds a 999-year mortgage and promissory note on the property (and all the properties conveyed from Penn Central to Amtrak under the 4R Act). So, yes, Amtrak "owns" it, the same way you "own" your home if you have a mortgage on it. It's an asset, albeit one that carries a significant liability. The USDOT mortgage serves as the government's security covering the initial purchase and subsequent improvements, i.e., NECIP, etc., which were paid out of appropriated funds.

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA

       And Anderson has no plans to do anything to help the situation.  none

Dcmcrider Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> DOT holds a 999-year mortgage and promissory note
> on the property (and all the properties conveyed
> from Penn Central to Amtrak under the 4R Act). So,
> yes, Amtrak "owns" it, the same way you "own" your
> home if you have a mortgage on it. It's an asset,
> albeit one that carries a significant liability.
> The USDOT mortgage serves as the government's
> security covering the initial purchase and
> subsequent improvements, i.e., NECIP, etc., which
> were paid out of appropriated funds.

Thanks for the clarification. I thought it might be like that. However I do not see what might be the mortgage on Amtrak's balance sheet. I think it must be there somewhere.

Anyhow, I would guess that for a state to extract a segment of the trackage, Federal legislation might be necessary.

A problem that is not being given proper attention on this thread is the poor performance of the Wolverines on their own railroad.
For instance #351, which has no opposing train meets east of Kalamazoo, has left KAL less than ten minutes late only eight times this year and has never been on time or early.  It has five early arrivals into Chicago and six arrivals less than ten min. LT.
I believe the problem is ITCS issues.  Yes, NS does a less than stellar job is dispatching the Chicago Line (certainly not as well as Conrail did); however, we need to consider Amtrak's self-inflicted problems as part of the overall OTP saga in MI.
Andy

Something I have noticed in the last few days and also at another point months ago is an issue near Porter. The eastbounds entering Amtrak will sometimes creep along for a while and lose 20 minutes by Michigan City. I've wondered if that is an issue with getting ICTS to work.

NS and CN are also certainly common causes.

Thanks to Paul for the ownership clarification. Today 350 didn’t run account of equipment issues. 350 turns as 355, so two cancellations. Neither caused by the NS or CN. MIDOT just put our propaganda again this week blaming the freight roads for poor service. MIDOT sold the state on buying a pig in a poke and now have to answer for the high costs with poor performance...

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/oakland/2020/02/24/amtrak-blames-freight-trains-passenger-delays-getting-worse/4851468002/

Missing from the article is taking responsibility for equipment and PTC issues... Serves as a diversion for MIDOT to hide behind!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/20 07:09 by PC1974.