posted
We should note, Mr. GP 35, that there is a distortion arising from the three month Katrina service suspension affecting the FY 06 reportings.
Overall, FY06 passengers handled at Texas stations was 268,452 compared with 262.081 during FY07. For the State as a whole this is a decrease of 2.3%.
gp35 Member # 3971
posted
I said the Sunset, not all of Texas. Even beforet Katrina and Rita the numbers on the Sunset was drifting down. This is the first significant rise in 10-15 years, maybe longer. The Houston and Beaumont transit centers should help more in the future.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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You have a point Mr. GP; if we interpolate the FY06 boarding/alighting report @ Houston of 13000 to reflect the three month interruption (12/9 X 10000=13333) would be adjusted to 13,333 or a virtual 'unchanged".
Your home town of Beaumont did see an increase (12/9 X 900=1200) of 1300 which compares favorably with the adjusted 1200 - an 8.3% increase, albeit on a "mighty small" base.
But we must note, a Daily ex. Sat busload of passengers in or out of the fourth largest city in the US (13000/52X6=41.7) can only be considered as meaningless.
gp35 Member # 3971
posted
Any little bit helps. Beaumont MSA 400,000 with 1380 riders as percent is better than Houston MSA 5.5 million with 13,000 riders.
George Harris Member # 2077
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quote:Originally posted by gp35: Any little bit helps. Beaumont MSA 400,000 with 1380 riders as percent is better than Houston MSA 5.5 million with 13,000 riders.
Particularly since only the truly determined can even find where the train stops in either place. Yes, Beaumont has only a spot next to the track but the Houston station is no landmark structure, either.
And, oh yes, it does not even run every day.
Mike Smith Member # 447
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Technically, parts of the Houston station are landmark structures. The bench seats are from our old Union Station, before we built the Astros ballpark on top of it.
The old "Great Hall" of the Union Station is still there, in the ballpark, if anyone ever wants to visit it. It is directly below the train at the end of it's trip when a home run is hit.
gp35 Member # 3971
posted
I worked with a woman who's office over looks the railroad tracks. She had never heard of Amtrak and didn't know Beaumont was an Amtrak stop. I said to her, "All these years in this office and you never seen a passenger train on those tracks outside your window." So a late #2 came by one day, so I pointed it out to her. She was astonished and asking endless questions about if passengers were really on that train. I said they wouldn't give windows to freight.
notelvis Member # 3071
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I have a friend with the Grand Junction, CO police department who says she often sees number 6 when she is on her way home for lunch.
Her awareness level is higher for having known me.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Of interest, it appears that these "stats' are available for any of the 46 states to which Amtrak serves. As example, here is same for Arizona:
These abysmal traffic counts is simply pointing out that it's no wonder Mr. GP35's colleague had no reason, save her workplace contact with him, to even know the Sunset existed.
The Maricopa (Phoenix) numbers are indicative of how Amtrak is simply a non-issue in the fastest growing region of the US.
I continue to ask, if the Sunset West were to be whacked, who, away from this forum and the advocacy groups, would miss it?
gp35 Member # 3971
posted
3. Maybe the train is already full coming from the second largest state and the first largest state. 2. Maricopa is not Phoenix 1. Tri-weekly
palmland Member # 4344
posted
A couple years ago on a visit with in-laws near Phoenix, I went to a local fair. A rail advocacy group - the name escapes me - was very anti-Amtrak. They wanted a state sponsored multi-frequency service to LA.
To avoid UP and all the issues of running over them, they were proposing the restoration of an obscure route via BNSF from Phoenix to Wickenburg, AZ (on their line to Ash Fork-Williams Jct.) then on the Arizona and California RR (a former Santa Fe line) to Cadiz, CA (between Needles and Barstow) where it connects to BNSF's SWC line.
Hardly I a high speed alternative. But Phoenix to LA is right in there with Las Vegas to LA for the most neglected Amtrak market.
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