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We've been over and across this country of ours on Amtrak three of the past four years on just about every LD east/west routing. On our last trip from Los Angeles to New Orleans we alighted from the Sunset Ltd during the crew change at Beaumont, TX. Spartan would be an extravagant description for this eastern most station in Texas. There is no paved approach road nor parking lot; no station building and the "platform" is a concrete slab that is in the last stages of disintegration. Not a very inviting atmosphere for detraining or entraining passesngers. Best regards, Rodger
Posts: 112 | From: Merrimac, MA | Registered: Nov 2007
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Heyyyyyyyyy, what about Lordsburg and Benson. Why the free pass for them?
Seriously, Beaumont will be building a multi-million dollars transit center soon. The delay has been with location and fighting with KCS.
Posts: 562 | From: Beaumont Texas | Registered: Jul 2005
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Mr. Norman, as noted in the initial post the "Butler/General" cum Nissen Hut no longer "graces" the Beaumont stop. And give the condition of the platform pictured circa 2002, six years more wear and erosion. Best regards, Rodger
Posts: 112 | From: Merrimac, MA | Registered: Nov 2007
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Once the new station is built, I'd expect you'd see ridership increase. It can only go up from where it is. Last time I checked, Beaumont was a very underperforming station (passenger totals wise) for a city and area its size.
-------------------- Good morning America, how are ya?
44,950 Amtrak rail miles traveled since August 18, 2003. Posts: 135 | From: Atlanta, GA / New Orleans, LA | Registered: Jan 2004
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Don't forget Deming! a road crossing next to a gas station for a platform and 2 or 3 benches is all there is. Just recently i met a couple who came all the way from Silver City to board the train in El Paso, because they didn't even know there WAS a station in Deming.
I assume Houston sees more boardings on train #1, but I wonder how many people use Amtrak between Houston and New Orleans? Greyhound is making a killing on its Houston-New Orleans runs...there was an article not long ago talking about how nearly every run is full and how they have added buses in the market...it would sure be nice if you saw 100+ passengers board train #2 in Houston on a consistent basis.
Houston-N.O has always been a fairly large travel market in general.
-------------------- Good morning America, how are ya?
44,950 Amtrak rail miles traveled since August 18, 2003. Posts: 135 | From: Atlanta, GA / New Orleans, LA | Registered: Jan 2004
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Exactly Son, Amtrak is losing a lot of passengers because tri-weekly serves forcing rider to stay almost 3 days in NOL. If they move the west bound train to Sunday night, then weekends in NOL would soar. But it makes too much sense.
Posts: 562 | From: Beaumont Texas | Registered: Jul 2005
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Don't forget Railfans, Amtrak has a program where they are revitalizing many stations....and I'd love to see them do more for the small towns too. My sister lives in Kanassas, NC and they have a new station. I want to ride down to see her, but I can't figure out how I'd do it without staying overnight in D.C. oh well. I am planning a trip in Oct. to D.C. on the Capital Limited and I'll check out what's around there at the time.
Posts: 16 | From: Pittsburgh, PA | Registered: Jun 2008
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Houston - New Orleans train scheduled run time is also considerably slower that bus run time. Also, consider reliablitily.
Kanassas NC ? ? Is that supposed to be Kannapolis NC. these station upgrades are not an Amtrak program. They are a program by the state of North Carolina. Go to www.bytrain.orgPosts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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Quite interesting, especially the first time. Keep in mind that both the East bound and West bound SWC arrive here in the dark. Shuttle van/bus ride of about 10 minutes from here to civilization. A bus shelter would be an Upgrade!!
Dee
Posts: 460 | From: North Central CT | Registered: May 2004
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quote:Originally posted by ellenorigby: Don't forget Railfans, Amtrak has a program where they are revitalizing many stations....and I'd love to see them do more for the small towns too. My sister lives in Kanassas, NC and they have a new station. I want to ride down to see her, but I can't figure out how I'd do it without staying overnight in D.C. oh well. I am planning a trip in Oct. to D.C. on the Capital Limited and I'll check out what's around there at the time.
You're speaking of Kannapolis, NC and you've got a couple of options other than an overnight in DC.
1) Catch the Crescent to Salisbury, NC. It's a middle of the night arrival but Salisbury is less than half an hour from Kannapolis.
2) Connect from the Capitol Limited to a Northeast Regional train as far as Ashland, VA. Get off the train and spend the night across the street at the Henry Clay Inn (cheaper, safer, and more convienant than in DC). The next morning catch the regional train down to Staples Mill Road Station in Richmond, get off, and catch the Carolinian on it's way to Kannapolis.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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