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I've noticed that most Amtrak trains use just one host railroad for their journey. Is there any strong reason to do so?
Also, how many trains use the tracks of more than one railroad? This is excluding trackage used for short distances, like approaching Chicago or LA.
Ones I know of: - California Zephyr (BNSF to Denver, UP to Emeryville) - Sunset Limited (CSX to New Orleans, UP to LA)
Geoff M.
espeefoamer Member # 2815
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The Coast Starlight uses the U.P.(ex S.P.)from L.A. to Portland,and the B.N.S.F.(ex B.N.)from there to Seattle.The Cardinal uses C.S.X.Chicago toWash.D.C.then Amtrak(ex P.R.R./P.C.)to New York.The Florida trains also use Amtrak N.Y./Wash.then C.S.X.to Florida.
------------------ Trust Jesus,Ride Amtrak.
TwinStarRocket Member # 2142
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Check out the beginning of each regional section of the new national timetable. It lists all the host railroads for each route in that region.
Southwest Chief Member # 1227
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The mergers of the 90's help a lot for the route being only one railroad.
If BNSF didn't exist, the Southwest Chief would be running on Santa Fe and Burlington Northern rails.
CG96 Member # 1408
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The Empire Builder travels over Canadian Pacific rail between St. Paul and Chicago, and BNSF from St. Paul westward to Seattle and Portland. The Capitol Ltd travels over CSX partway, then switches to Norfolk Southern, I think.
MPALMER Member # 125
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quote:Originally posted by Southwest Chief: If BNSF didn't exist, the Southwest Chief would be running on Santa Fe and Burlington Northern rails.
IIRC the SW Chief ran only on ex-ATSF rails until the BNSF merger [not counting Chicago terminal trackage-not sure there]. After that it ran on BNSF/BN/CBQ rails from Chicago to Galesburg but believe it is still all former ATSF the rest of the route.
Back to original question: San Joaquin runs on BNSF/ATSF between Port Chicago-Bakersfield; UP/SP the rest of the way. SP never wanted it on its Central Valley/San Joaquin Valley main through Fresno.
posted
Amtrak even uses more than one host railroad on the Northeast Corridor. On trains traveling between New York and Boston, Amtrak uses tracks owned by Metro-North RR, Connecticut DOT and the State of Massachusetts in addition to their own tracks.
Geoff Mayo Member # 153
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Thanks for the replies. I'll try to get hold of one of these timetables, bit difficult as the nearest Amtrak station is about 3500 miles away though. I'll see if they'll send me one abroad again.
Geoff M.
Southwest Chief Member # 1227
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You're right MPALMER, before the route change that the Chief now uses, it was Santa Fe all the way!
[This message has been edited by Southwest Chief (edited 12-02-2003).]
BNSF 1088 Member # 2400
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The Sunset LTD uses BNSF from NOLA to Iowa Jct which is about 12 miles east of Lake Charles LA and then it turns into UP.
------------------ LOOK LISTEN LIVE BEFORE CROSSING RR TRACKS
JFB Member # 2520
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Here's a wanderer:
The Adirondack
Penn Station to Spuyten Duyvil--Amtrak Spuyten Duyvil to Poughkeepsie--Metro North Poughkeepsie to Schenectady--CSX Schanactady to I'm-not-sure-where-but-it's-near-Montreal--Canadian Pacific I'm-not-sure-where-but-it's-near-Montreal to Gare Centrale--Canadian National
Five railroads in 381 miles. Not bad.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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The host compilation in the Amtrak National TT is incorrect with regard to the Pere Marquette 370-371. The timetable suggests that it uses an Amtrak (Michigan Central RR) from Chicago to New Buffalo interchanging to CSX (Pere Marquette RR) therefor the balance of the route to Grand Rapids.
Not so.
The trains use an all CSX (Pere Marquette; which was merged with the C&O during 1947) routing Chicago-Grand Rapids. There is no interchanging of the train at New Buffalo. In fact, if I recall correctly (I get out that way for business Quarterly) the two lines cross one another with an over/underpass. I'm not certain if there is even a physical interchange there; I guarantee you such is not visible from either US12 or I-94.
amtraxmaniac Member # 2251
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The CZ uses UP from EMY to DEN and BNSF from DEN to CHI.
Don't forget the Pacific Surfliner which uses BNSF from LAX to SAN and UP from LAX to Goleta or SLO..
Patrick
rresor Member # 128
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As one of the older participants here, I remember the creation of Amtrak in 1971. Amtrak's route network is basically the same one that was implemented on May 1, 1971, and those routes were chosen because, for the most part, that's where passenger trains were running on April 30, 1971. There has been no wholesale reconstruction of the network such as happened on VIA in 1989 (taking trains off CP and moving them to CN). Most Amtrak trains ply the same routes they have for the last 32 years, while the railroad world has changed around them. The Lake Shore, for example, still runs the former NYC from New York to Chicago, although now the train is interchanged at Cleveland from CSX to NS.
There have been some re-routes, of course. With the former PRR main downgraded west of Pittsburgh, the Capitol runs WAS - PIT on CSX, then NS via Alliance to Cleveland and Chicago. The replacement for the Broadway runs NS to PIT, then CSX (former Capitol Ltd. route) to Chicago.
In 32 years, there has never been a top-to-bottom reassessment of Amtrak's route structure. Instead, there have been minor re-routes, tweaks, fiddling, a few additions, and more deletions.
TwinStarRocket Member # 2142
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rresor: "In 32 years, there has never been a top-to-bottom reassessment of Amtrak's route structure."
Just turn it over to this forum. We could fix it, and have some fun to boot.
espeefoamer Member # 2815
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The Pacific Surfliner uses BNSF L.A. to Fullerton,Metrolink to County Line,then San Diego Northern(Coaster)to San Diego.
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