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Guys The Trainsmag.com just reported that Citing a lack of financial support and the failure of Mail and Express business to materiaze, Amtrak has dropped plans to extend one of its Chicago-Milwaukee Hiawatha trains north to Fond du Lac, Wis., the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported.
Amtrak found there wouldn't be enough Mail and Express business to support the route, mirroring the problem it found with its train from Chicago to Janesville, Wis., Amtrak spokesman Kevin Johnson said.
"We just haven't been able to put the pieces together like we hoped," Johnson said.
The Chicago-Janesville Lake Country Limited, which began service in April 2000, will make its last run on September 22.
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Thank God that, unlike the Lake Country, they had the sense not to start it up!
Posts: 75 | From: Somerville, NJ USA | Registered: Jun 2001
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Well I believe the market was limited here but Amtrak could have done the following;
Build up truck road railer business using a truck to go to Fon Du Lac and then train it from Milwaukee to wherever. The entry into any market requires building up of business slowly. It is a real typical that Amtrak sees no oportunities in long term build up of traffic. Perhaps after a while business comprising of 12 truck shipments a day could justify conversion to train service all the way.
Amtrak is similar to a lot of US large corporations, slow, unresponsive and not creative.
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