Passenger Trains > Amtrak State Supported Trains - Current Status Train by Train

Can anyone give an accounting of STATUS on each "State Supported" train - whether it is operating, not operating, or operating at a reduced capacity? I realize that each state or region has its own guidelines on travel. Travel is certainly being discouraged this Thanksgiving Season, historically a BIG travel day. Whether people are complying or not complying on travel warnings - I am not here to judge, only to say that there is going to be travel happening out there regardless - now, or to come, or to eventually to rebound.... People should travel according to rules provided by the carriers, not give the train crew a hard time over said rules, and travel safely. At the same token, lets realize that I believe Amtrak is trying to be a good provider by offering a safe environment - or at least the "write-up" looks good.

Here's my best shot:

• Downeaster - Maine  - Reduced Operations %%??
• Vermonter - Vermont - CANCELLED 
• Ethan Allen Express - Vermont - CANCELLED
• Valley Flyer - Massachusetts/Connecticut - Reduced Operations %%??
• Adirondack - NY State - CANCELLED
• Maple Leaf - NY State - Operating 100% (US Only)
• Pennsylvanian - PA - Operating 100%
• Keystone Corridor - PA - Operating 100%
• Carolinian - North Carolina - Operating 100%
• Piedmont Corridor - North Carolina - Reduced Operations  %%??
• Wolverine - Michigan - Reduced Operations %%??
• Blue Water - Michigan - Operating 100%
• Pere Marquette - Michigan - Operating 100%
• Illini/Saluki - Illinois - Operating %%?? 
• Illinois Zephyr/Carl Sandburg - Illinois - Operating %%??
• Lincoln Service - Illinois - Operating %%??
• Hiawatha Service - Illinois/Wisconsin - Operating %%??
• Missouri River Runner - Missouri - Operating %%??
• Heartland Flyer - Oklahoma - Operating 100%
• Capitol Corridor - California - Operating %%??
• Pacific Surfliner - California - Operating %%??
• San Joaquins - California - Operating %%??
• Cascades - California - Operating %%??

What else am I missing - any states that fund a train or corridor? I forget how NY State is divided up these days....

I am sure ridership will fall between the Thanksgiving Season and through January 2021. I am sure States have been behind on making payments to Amtrak, or questioning future service - continue, cutback, how and when etc. We seem to be on road of additional restrictions right now as the virus ramps up with its wrath yet again. The second wave is here. I rode a few trains for annual travel I had to do in Sept and Oct (after cancelling twice prior). I was cautious, I stuck to the rules that Amtrak put forth, I wore my mask, I social distanced, I disinfected my "area," and I tried to be smart in my travel. I have the means to book a private room, so I did for those trains that offered a private room option.

I do think trains travelling over longer distances during the day, or on certain corridors, should be offering a private room option (Amtrak has the inventory). I felt "safe" in my room, and Amtrak seems to promoting this on their website, but options are still for long distance trains only. I know this has been debated - you make it a simple operation where by an "attendant" is not necessarily needed, as the room stays setup as a "day room" only. The conductors can make random checks, lift tickets, and answer any questions. We are talking SIMPLE and BASIC operations. Charge what the market can bear (supply and demand) and frankly, since Acela Express has two LSA staff members in the first class car that is lightly attended - assign an LSA to the sleeper car if that will help keep the peace. Price charged and occupancy should be on par to Acela Express - just that no food is offered.    

Curious as to what States are "in" and what States are "out" at present. No doubt there could be more changes and cutbacks to operations. If a vaccine gets distributed and COVID-19 case numbers start to come down, will States ramp back up their former Amtrak operations? Something to watch I guess - will Amtrak will find a role in the Green New Deal, and a friend in President Elect Joe Biden? But not getting State $$$ or a delay there of, will send Amtrak looking for a bailout sooner than later. 

Didn't see the Virginia Regionals on your list.  They have operated through the pandemic; I'm not sure if all the Newport News/Norfolk trains are back.

Cascades? California? I thought they were Oregon/Washington.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/20 15:48 by Hartington.

Illinois- still no Carl Sandburg but the Illinois Zephyr is running.
Lincoln Service is still down a train

Posted from iPhone

jp1822 Wrote:
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• Cascades - California - Washington Oregon Operating %%??
  >

Seattle - Portland one train out of four or six (dep[ending upon how you look at it - six have been authorized for over two years)

Portland - Eugene one train out of two

Seattle - Vancouver BC no trains out of two

TAW

The current California schedules are available on the Amtrak timetables page or on the respective corridor websites.

https://www.pacificsurfliner.com/
https://amtraksanjoaquins.com/
https://www.capitolcorridor.org/

The Lincon Service (Chicago-St.Louis) has been cut to 2 trains each way (from 4)-- plus the Texas Eagle 3 times a week.

Jimbo Wrote:
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> Didn't see the Virginia Regionals on your list.
>  They have operated through the pandemic; I'm not
> sure if all the Newport News/Norfolk trains are
> back.

What the Va. Dept. of Rail and Public Transportation calls Virginia service "Route 51," the daily train pair that originated and terminated at Richmond Staples Mill Rd., has yet to be restored. Everything is running: one daily RT to Roanoke, and two each to Newport News and Norfolk.

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA

• Ethan Allen Express - Vermont - Operating NYP - ALB Only
• Maple Leaf - NY State - Eastbound #64 NFL - NYP Only
• Empire Service - West of ALB to/from NFL - #281, #283, #284 Only

Hartford Line/Valley Flyer: Reduced service about 60% 5 Amtrak round trips offered New Haven - Springfield daily (1 being a through regional WAS-SPG with a couple additional weekend through trains and 1 being a New Haven - Greenfield.) Supplemented by a few CTrail Hartford Line round trips which operate the same route.

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Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/20 19:26 by lordsigma.

Heartland Flyer - Oklahoma -  This train is only booked at 50% capacity due to covid. The conductor tells
me they can seat 36 passengers in the coach and 33 in the snack coach. They have been running two
coaches and the snack coach this week for Thanksgiving travel. Since Amtrak raised their required
payment by the states a year or so ago they only run one coach and one snack coach most of the time
unless prior reservations dictate otherwise. Train has been often sold out at the 50% capacity rate.

Ken

The other thing with the schedule reduction is there are a couple SPG-NHV trains that do not have their normal northeast corridor connecting trains and are operating mainly for commuters trains 470 and 417 coming to mind.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/20 19:31 by lordsigma.

Missouri River Runner running ar 50% .. one RT instead of two RT

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Marty Harrison
Knob Noster, MO

okrifan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Heartland Flyer - Oklahoma -  This train is only
> booked at 50% capacity due to covid. The conductor
> tells
> me they can seat 36 passengers in the coach and 33
> in the snack coach. They have been running two
> coaches and the snack coach this week for
> Thanksgiving travel. Since Amtrak raised their
> required
> payment by the states a year or so ago they only
> run one coach and one snack coach most of the
> time
> unless prior reservations dictate otherwise. Train
> has been often sold out at the 50% capacity rate.
>
> Ken
They added a third coach this week!

Piedmont service, is fixing to get second train back out of the usual 3.  This will occur mid Dec.   Virginia service, 86/85 still not operating.

The Virginia regionals are back except for the one round trip a day that originates/ends in Richmond, VA. That train now originates/ends in Washington, DC.

Sharon Evans
Glen Allen, VA

Starting in October 2019, the Amtrak Monthly Performance Reports started to list the Available Seat Miles (ASM) as a route-level metric.  The ASM of state supported trains for September 2020 compared to October 2019 provides a decent indicator of the status of the route.  ASM considers the total seats operated, not just trains.  The same number of trains with fewer cars will result in reduced capacity.  On the other hand, fewer trains but more cars or longer routes may result in more capacity (Downeaster?).

It is not perfect due to the extra day in October (adjusted in the data below) and variation of the number of weekdays and weekend days in the month, but still likely good enough.  Note that the data for the Illinois Zephyr includes the Carl Sandburg.

ASM by route - September 2020 compared to October 2019 (x 30/31)

Adirondack - Not Operating
Blue Water - Operating At 100% Of October 2019 Capacity
Capitol Corridor - Operating At 100% Of October 2019 Capacity
Carolinian - Operating At 51% Of October 2019 Capacity
Cascades - Operating At 12% Of October 2019 Capacity
Chicago - St. Louis - Operating At 100% Of October 2019 Capacity
Downeaster - Operating At 100% Of October 2019 Capacity
Empire Service - Operating At 100% Of October 2019 Capacity
Ethan Allen Express - Not Operating
Heartland Flyer - Operating At 18% Of October 2019 Capacity
Hiawathas - Operating At 21% Of October 2019 Capacity
Illini - Operating At 65% Of October 2019 Capacity
Illinois Zephyr - Operating At 27% Of October 2019 Capacity
Kansas City - St. Louis - Operating At 29% Of October 2019 Capacity
Keystone Service - Operating At 78% Of October 2019 Capacity
Maple Leaf - Operating At 100% Of October 2019 Capacity
New Haven - Springfield - Operating At 100% Of October 2019 Capacity
Pacific Surfliner - Operating At 100% Of October 2019 Capacity
Pennsylvanian - Operating At 100% Of October 2019 Capacity
Pere Marquette - Operating At 59% Of October 2019 Capacity
Piedmont - Operating At 15% Of October 2019 Capacity
San Joaquins - Operating At 100% Of October 2019 Capacity
Vermonter - Not Operating
Virginia Newport News - Operating At 100% Of October 2019 Capacity
Virginia Norfolk - Operating At 79% Of October 2019 Capacity
Virginia Richmond - Not Operating
Virginia Roanoke - Operating At 80% Of October 2019 Capacity
Wolverines - Operating At 100% Capacity

Edited to clarify that the "capacity" comparison is to the 2019 available seat miles of that train in October 2019.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 11/25/20 10:48 by prr60.

Hiawatha is operating 4 out of 7 trains.  A Hiawatha ticket will no longer be honored on the Empire Builder, though, so closer to 4 out of 8.

I live along the Illinois route from Chicago to Carbondale. With the cutbacks they wen from 2 state supported round trips a day to one. They go north in the morning and go south in the evening. The City of New Orleans Amtrak national service train has been cut to 3 days per week. The information above shows 65% filled, but keep in mind that a lot of capacity has been cut. When they originally added the second train the usefulness of the train increased and so did the ridership (BGO-blinding glimpse of the obvious).

Bruce Stikkers
St. Joseph, IL

I noticed recently that the Hiawathas are now 4 coaches+amcafe, up from 3 coaches. Previously see them with two chargers and only 4 cars was a pretty silly looking consist.