According to this Article, and Amtrak Spokesman MR. Cliff Black, the Sunset LTD will be returrning to Orlando-New Orleans Service this fall/winter... statesman.com Brad
I hope you are right, but I also hear of other posible changes: If the Crescent re-routes in order to serve Mobile but miss some other cities in MS. Frankly, I'd like to see the Crescent split in Atlanta. One train could continue the current route to NO. A second section could make the Mobile connections. This would also give Amtrak a route to serve the Gulf Coast Casinos.
I hope you're correct in your forecast, but I have heard nothing locally, either from the casinos, or from our local governments. Also nothing has been announced from Amtrak, even though the new timetable is only three weeks away....?
I heard recently they were considering turning the Sunset equipment in Houston or San Antonio and bringing the Crescent on over to meet it so they could free up some high level equipment. The big problem as I understood it was lack of equipment, especially high level. I don't know where they would come up with enough to extend the Sunset all the way to Florida again unless they swapped over to standard level cars beyond some point.
As this allegedly comes from an Amtrak spokesman, let's hope he has his facts straight. What an embarrassment for him, if proven otherwise... :tb-wacky: Boxcab E50
If you are referring to the original article regarding the Sunset LTD, click the link in the bottom of first post, the statement regarding the Sunset is in the third paragraph, about 1/2 way through.:thumbs_up:
This is taken from the article. Looks like the question was sided about the return of the sunset to orlando. "When asked if there were any other January changes that passengers should be aware of, such as the much-anticipated resumption of service from New Orleans to Florida on the Sunset Limited route (the affected portions of the New Orleans to Orlando track have been completely rebuilt, yet closed to passengers since Hurricane Katrina), Black denied the notion, adding, “we’re not anticipating any changes, but from experience, we find that over a period of weeks and months we’re finding that we need to adjust our timetables in order for our trains to reach their destinations reliably.” This comes from an article that NARP put out Wednesday, May 3, 2006 with a quote from Mark Magliari. "Amtrak intercity spokesman Mark Magliari said that many of the stations are not yet usable. “In order to run rail service you need a rail route and station access,” he said, adding that no decision has been made on what services should be offered and that Amtrak has been speaking with transportation officials in Florida, Alabama Mississippi and Louisiana and the southern rail commission." As far as I know the route is not going to be restored as of yet. My best suggestion would be to contact your congressman and senators. They have the power to bend Amtrak.
Trains had an article this month talking about killing the Sunset and extending Texas Eagle and I think Crescent service to cover it.
A friend of mine works the Crescent between DC and New Orleans. The latest he has heard is that Amtrak is considering taking the Crescent south from Birmingham to Montgomery and Mobile before heading west to New Orleans and then on through Houston to San Antonio where the Sunset is to stop or if it goes away altogether the Eagle will continue on to LA to cover it. He said the folks in Meridian and Hattiesburg Mississippi are not too happy about that, having just put a lot of work into their stations. Nothing is set in stone and he will believe it only when it happens. However that is the latest plan they are kicking around. Does not sound like Florida is even on the radar for the Sunset.
Here is some info that is more definitive. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS October 25, 2007 Amtrak Will Review Pioneer Route through Idaho, if Bill Passes BOISE Idaho - Amtrak has pledged to "immediately" evaluate resuming its Pioneer passenger train in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Colorado if an $8.2 billion funding bill now being debated in Congress wins approval. In a letter to Idaho Senator Mike Crapo on Wednesday, Amtrak's Chief Executive Officer Alex Kummant said the rail service would consider the feasibility of all or part of the Tacoma-to-Denver route. The Pioneer was dumped from Amtrak's schedule in 1997 after it lost $20 million. On Thursday, Crapo said routes not eliminated a decade ago have held their own. He also thinks potential riders are on the rise. Crapo says it's unfair to demand that Amtrak should be forced to live without some federal subsidies.
