20 votes

Amtrak responds to Biden's infrastructure plan, proposing >thirty new routes, >twenty route enhancements, and more

7 comments

  1. [3]
    nukeman
    Link
    Stop, I can only get so erect! (sorta /s) More seriously: Yes please! Glad to see Amtrak getting some love. Hopefully they can expand corridor service without sacrificing their long distance...

    Stop, I can only get so erect! (sorta /s)

    More seriously: Yes please! Glad to see Amtrak getting some love. Hopefully they can expand corridor service without sacrificing their long distance services. Sad to not see anything to Augusta, though maybe some lobbying to my local politicians might help.

    12 votes
    1. [2]
      Parliament
      Link Parent
      I'm also miffed about the lack of connection between Nashville and Memphis. Or something to get Memphis better connected to the rest of the southeast region, maybe through Birmingham.

      Sad to not see anything to Augusta, though maybe some lobbying to my local politicians might help.

      I'm also miffed about the lack of connection between Nashville and Memphis. Or something to get Memphis better connected to the rest of the southeast region, maybe through Birmingham.

      4 votes
      1. nukeman
        Link Parent
        My hunch is they want to focus on building up an Atlanta hub network first. When the Biden administration told them the basics of the plan as it relates to trains, they probably had someone do a...

        My hunch is they want to focus on building up an Atlanta hub network first. When the Biden administration told them the basics of the plan as it relates to trains, they probably had someone do a quick crunch of ridership and cost numbers for a ton of different routes and found those routes starting out would be the most cost-effective and ridership heavy.

        5 votes
  2. ImmobileVoyager
    Link
    Well, railroads operators are key players in our transition to low-carbon lifestyles and economy. Now, on to electrifying all the tracks, an feeding them with low-carbon electricity. Massive...

    Well, railroads operators are key players in our transition to low-carbon lifestyles and economy.

    Now, on to electrifying all the tracks, an feeding them with low-carbon electricity. Massive amounts of on-demand, dispatchable and reliable low-carbon electricity. Electricians of the world, unite !

    8 votes
  3. [3]
    Luna
    Link
    Link is to the PDF with their plans. Press release: https://media.amtrak.com/2021/03/statement-from-amtrak-ceo-on-president-bidens-american-jobs-plan/ The numbers in the title are from this person...

    Link is to the PDF with their plans.

    Press release: https://media.amtrak.com/2021/03/statement-from-amtrak-ceo-on-president-bidens-american-jobs-plan/

    The numbers in the title are from this person who counted all the lines in the PDF.

    7 votes
    1. [2]
      AugustusFerdinand
      Link Parent
      As someone with family in Houston that would happily ride the train to see them instead of driving for 5 hours from Dallas, I'm all for this. Right now Amtrak runs service from Dallas to Austin...

      As someone with family in Houston that would happily ride the train to see them instead of driving for 5 hours from Dallas, I'm all for this. Right now Amtrak runs service from Dallas to Austin (4hr by train, 3hr driving), but to get from Dallas to Houston requires going from Dallas through Austin, down to San Antonio, and then east to Houston from there in an overnight trip that takes 21 hours and switching trains.

      5 votes
      1. nukeman
        Link Parent
        It will be interesting to see if Amtrak beats Texas Central to starting passenger service between Dallas and Houston. While Amtrak certainly has less work to do (since Texas Central is building a...

        It will be interesting to see if Amtrak beats Texas Central to starting passenger service between Dallas and Houston. While Amtrak certainly has less work to do (since Texas Central is building a new, true HSR line), the plan does say 2035, and Amtrak isn’t know for fast upgrades.

        2 votes