Passenger Trains > More News on the Missouri River Runner

There is a report coming out of Jefferson City, MO that the State of Missouri has allocated funding to support a third Missouri River Runner starting in April 2026.  The report can be found on youtube.  In my opinion, the Sedalia Sub is going to need some more work in terms of passing tracks to be able to support a third round trip.  The previous upgrades to passing tracks took place about 10 years ago with a new passing track in California.  The passing track at Knob Noster is midway between Smithton and Centerview and it will be a logical location for an upgrade. Time will tell!

 

Marty Harrison
Knob Noster, MO

I'm curious where they will find the equipment for a third train.

Great news!

Regarding equipment it’s too bad they need to run with extra cars to make sure signals and grade crossings work. This puts added pressure in securing all the necessary equipment

Good news with the merger talks of UP and NS the state may have some leverage to make this happen without as much capital costs as UP might “be happy” to add this train if the merger was approved

Posted from iPhone

amtrakbill Wrote:
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> Great news!
>
> Regarding equipment it’s too bad they need to
> run with extra cars to make sure signals and grade
> crossings work. This puts added pressure in
> securing all the necessary equipment
>
> Good news with the merger talks of UP and NS the
> state may have some leverage to make this happen
> without as much capital costs as UP might “be
> happy” to add this train if the merger was
> approved
>
> Posted from iPhone

The Quincy trains are even running with three Superliners and a bunch of Viewliner Baggage Cars. Why can't they run with Ventures and Viewliner Baggage Cars? When does Amtrak's lease kick in for the Minneapolis commuter train set? Amtrak found cars to operate the Mardi Gras service - at the cost of more LD Amfleet II coach car reductions. 

Well, there might be another Northstar set or two available by then, with Northstar service now set to end in January.  Of course, out here in the Northwest, we're supposed to have at least one Airo set in Cascades service by then, but we can't spare any Amfleets because our Amfleet Cascades sets are way, way short of capacity now at only two coaches each.  Of course, Amtrak can always force us to stay with two coaches per set indefinitely, I suppose.  I guess it might also be possible to tighten Chicago equipment rotations somewhere, or maybe shorten some trainsets there to only two coaches. Notice that I'm not expecting the NEC to be expected to sacrifice so much as one coach.

This rumor just might be true because--Amtrak is showing very good
ridership growth on the KC-St.Louis trains.

Amtrak's latest figures (August YTD--11 months), show these trains
handled 181,500 passengers  - which is 29% MORE   than the record year of 2019.


 

ronald321 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This rumor just might be true because--Amtrak is
> showing very good
> ridership growth on the KC-St.Louis trains.
>
> Amtrak's latest figures (August YTD--11 months),
> show these trains
> handled 181,500 passengers  - which is 29%
> MORE   than the record year of 2019.

If true, that is great.

Seems like we don't hear about as many power failures on that route for some reason. Maybe my impression is wrong.

ts1457 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ronald321 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > This rumor just might be true because--Amtrak
> is
> > showing very good
> > ridership growth on the KC-St.Louis trains.
> >
> > Amtrak's latest figures (August YTD--11
> months),
> > show these trains
> > handled 181,500 passengers  - which is 29%
> > MORE   than the record year of 2019.
>
> If true, that is great.
>
> Seems like we don't hear about as many power
> failures on that route for some reason. Maybe my
> impression is wrong.

They might've found out why they had issues and corrected them!

Posted from Android

Can they schedule 3 frequences using no more train sets ? 

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> Can they schedule 3 frequences using no more train
> sets ? 

Don't think so.

Posted from Android

UP will ask for the moon regarding track improvements.  WB freight traffic I think uses the route through Sedalia and EB freight goes along the Missouri River from KC to Jeff City.    East of Jefferson City is double track.  

With three daily trains they could have morning, midday and late afternoon departures from the end points.  

The Knobnoster passing siding would be busy......

The Knob Noster siding might be a real headache based on its current configuration.  Trains running westbound are climbing a grade into town, cresting the grade as the trains hit the Knob Noster siding. From the crest, it is down hill all the way to Clear Fork Creek and then another solid climb into Montserrat--just the typical "hogbacks" of the Sedalia Sub.  A few years back when the California, MO siding was built, the talk was the Knob Noster siding would be extended about 2 miles east (current siding length is around 1 mile) under Highway 50 and back towards Highway FF.   For right now, the siding is protected by manual switches with time delay locks.
Time will tell if this comes to pass!

Marty Harrison
Knob Noster, MO

MEKoch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> UP will ask for the moon regarding track
> improvements.  WB freight traffic I think uses
> the route through Sedalia and EB freight goes
> along the Missouri River from KC to Jeff City. 
>   East of Jefferson City is double track.  
>
> With three daily trains they could have morning,
> midday and late afternoon departures from the end
> points.  
>
> The Knobnoster passing siding would be busy......

If the train can start in 2026 that means that UP already agreed to it.

They must think an Airo train will hit revenue service next Spring in the PNW and/or a Northstar set on a Hiawatha relieving Amfleet or a Venture set. 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/03/25 15:29 by joemvcnj.

Hope this third train really happens.  Traveling I-70 between St Louis and Kansas City has always been bad, but it is horrible now with the start of construction to add a third lane.  I am sure this is pushing up ridership.  

I would like to see these trains be extended to Omaha and Topeka.

Jeff N

sfn2633 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hope this third train really happens.  Traveling
> I-70 between St Louis and Kansas City has always
> been bad, but it is horrible now with the start of
> construction to add a third lane.  I am sure this
> is pushing up ridership.  
>
> I would like to see these trains be extended to
> Omaha and Topeka.
>
> Jeff N

Sure! Get more Ventures and Midwestern single level cars to cover the routes. This at present is a major problem considering present delivery status of Venture passenger cars. The Airos can't come quick enough, but I've gone from being "hopeful" that they would work to a bit more negative that they will come through problem free with Amtrak's current track record. 

livesteamer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There is a report coming out of Jefferson City, MO
> that the State of Missouri has allocated funding
> to support a third Missouri River Runner starting
> in April 2026.  The report can be found on
> youtube.  In my opinion, the Sedalia Sub is going
> to need some more work in terms of passing tracks
> to be able to support a third round trip.  The
> previous upgrades to passing tracks took place
> about 10 years ago with a new passing track in
> California.  The passing track at Knob Noster is
> midway between Smithton and Centerview and it will
> be a logical location for an upgrade. Time will
> tell!
>
>  

What about the sidings at Smithton and Dresden? 

Forgot about Dresden!

Posted from Android

Marty Harrison
Knob Noster, MO