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Guys I have Just Found this on the article from the Trainsmag.com
Amtrak's Coast Starlight will drop Davis, Calif., as a Station Stop effective September 30 of Next Month.
Although the city will remain a station stop for Amtrak's Capitol corridor trains and the California Zephyr, the move angered city officials. Amtrak said the decision to drop the stop was made because of declining ridership (an average of nine passengers per train a day), the need to improve transit time and dependability, as well as to boost efficiency.
The Los Angeles-Seattle Coast Starlight calls on Davis at 11:43 p.m. northbound and 6:38 a.m. southbound.
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It's a shame. Amtrak needs every passenger it can get. Davis is a College town and some students do ride the train. Making a positive impression on these kids could lead to continued ridership. It appears that Amtrak will lose this opportunity. Heck, if Amtrak is more concerned about on time performance over ridership & revenue maybe it should have a non-stop CS and we can all watch the train go by. There are other ways to improve on time performance.
Posts: 218 | Registered: Mar 2001
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If those nine passengers are going to and from north of Davis, then this will be lost revenue. If there were only one or two a day, I could see Amtrak's reasoning, but nine presumably long-distance passengers?
If they are going to and from the Bay area, some might be carried just as well on Capitols, but if the traffic is going to be lost and not diverted, then it sounds like a mistake.
------------------ Steve Dunham Literalman@aol.com http://www.stevedunham.50megs.com/
Update, 08/15/2001: TrainWeb has learned that Amtrak West President Gil Mallery just today informed Davis Mayor Ken Wagstaff that, for the time being, the Coast Starlight will continue to stop in Davis, California. It is not clear if the reprieval is permanent, but Davis will remain a stop for trains 11 and 14 for the time being. Some credit can be given to the rail advocates of the Train Riders Association of California and the Rail Passenger Association of California, who fought briefly but intensely to save Davis as a Coast Starlight stop. If there are any further changes to the status of Davis, we will be sure to post them here.
Let's see where it goes from here...
Posts: 553 | From: Flagstaff, AZ USA | Registered: Apr 2001
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Heck, the Starlight only stops there for a few minutes. I fail to see what can be gained by dropping the stop. Little time would be gained. PR would suffer.
------------------ Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth. -Mr. Toy
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