The following appeared in the Journal this morning. I hope this link works. I'm not as proficient at this high-tech stuff as Mr. Norman, which really annoys me, 'cause he's older than me.
It appears, Mr. Black, I'll have to wait it out to get home tomorrow; while I'm not about to look a gift horse in the mouth, this computer in the hotel lobby has its "characteristics" (any of you wizards heard of HP SiteKiosk OS?) and will not open the link - not even far enough for me to enter my subscriber's password. ALSO where a slot machine selling the Journal used to be is gone. Fortunately the Times slot machine is still there.
I'm too lazy to get behind the wheel and go look for it.
---from Holiday Inn W Boca Raton
Posted by smitty195 (Member # 5102) on :
Is the Holiday Inn Express in West Boca Raton as bad as others say it is? Look here:
People warn to stay away, and say it's the worst HI Express they've ever seen. It ranks near the bottom of 26 hotels in that location.
Posted by smitty195 (Member # 5102) on :
Here is the article:
WASHINGTON -- The chief executive of Amtrak said Americans should expect only "incremental" progress in improving passenger rail service, despite an $8 billion program included in the stimulus bill targeted at high-speed rail projects.
Between the economic recovery package and separate legislation that passed last year, Amtrak stands to receive nearly $3 billion this year, more than double its usual funding level. But CEO Joseph Boardman said in an interview that previous funding shortages, a backlog of deferred maintenance and last year's record ridership have produced a government-owned rail corporation being held together "with chewing gum and rubber bands."
"We can improve Acela [Amtrak's high-speed service between Washington and New York] in many ways and reduce the travel time from New York to Washington to two hours and 30 minutes, including five stops," down from the current trip time of two hours and 50 minutes, Mr. Boardman said. "We can go down to two hours, but then you're talking billions of dollars."
The amount of money provided in the stimulus package for transportation projects and the requirement to spend it quickly means the emphasis will be on small-scale rehabilitation work rather than major new roads, tunnels or transit systems.
"There is such a backlog of highway and bridge projects. That will no doubt be the primary use," said Allen Biehler, secretary of the Pennsylvania transportation department.
The $8 billion pot of high-speed-rail funding included in the stimulus plan in last-hour negotiations will flow to the Department of Transportation, which will decide which intercity corridors to fund. That will almost certainly benefit Amtrak, since it is currently the only operator between many big cities. "There isn't anybody else," said Mr. Boardman, a Republican who headed the Federal Railroad Administration before accepting the top job at Amtrak in November.
But as long as most Amtrak trains run on crowded freight-rail tracks, the U.S. will remain far from building a European-style network of bullet trains. Amtrak's swiftest offering, the Washington-to-Boston Acela service, briefly hits a top speed of 150 miles per hour but averages only 62 mph between New York and Boston. Many of its trains get bogged down on lines that are owned and operated by freight railroads. By contrast, the 190-mile Brussels-to-Paris trip averages about 140 mph.
"We're not Europe," Mr. Boardman said. "We have a huge and world-renowned freight rail system in this country, and that's where we run most of the miles we run on Amtrak."
Mr. Boardman's view was echoed Wednesday by other government officials. John Smith, mayor of Meridian, Miss., said the high-speed-rail funding would go into "incremental projects that will improve trip times on existing" routes.
"If we're talking about acquiring totally new corridors and rights of way," Mr. Smith said, "I certainly may not live to see that happen."
Amtrak will soon receive $1.3 billion in stimulus funding. About $850 million of it will be used for long-overdue capital projects, such as repairing old rail cars and replacing a nearly 100-year-old bridge spanning the Niantic River in Connecticut. The other $450 million will go toward security enhancements.
The impact of new investment in intercity corridors would be felt gradually as new signals, tracking and sidings are added, Mr. Boardman said. The goal in many cases would be to reduce interference between passenger and freight trains. That could improve on-time rates and reduce travel times, making rail service more competitive with buses, cars and airlines.
Posted by yukon11 (Member # 2997) on :
I can understand the skepticism. Eight billion, nation-wide, for high-speed train projects doesn't seem like much. The L.A. to San Francisco high-speed train, alone, is supposed to cost 9 billion for the state of Calif. with an additional 21 billion from federal and other sources.
I still don't understand the coastal route shown in the Wall Street article map. I wonder if someone if confusing the proposed "Daylight" train, an extension of the Pacific Surfliners north to San Francisco, as a high-speed corridor?
Richard
Posted by TBlack (Member # 181) on :
Richard,
Isn't that the same map that you posted in your thread on high-speed rail a couple of days ago? That map had a caption that it was posted in Jan 2002, presumably designed in 2001. It looks like the WSJ just retrieved it to throw at their article...."eye candy"
Posted by yukon11 (Member # 2997) on :
quote:Originally posted by TBlack: Richard,
Isn't that the same map that you posted in your thread on high-speed rail a couple of days ago? That map had a caption that it was posted in Jan 2002, presumably designed in 2001. It looks like the WSJ just retrieved it to throw at their article...."eye candy"
*************************** Yes, Mr. Black, it does look like the same map. The only thing I can see that's different, after a rough perusal, is that the map I posted shows a proposed high-speed route between Indianapolis and Chicago.
Richard
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
From Holiday Inn Express W Boca Raton FL--
Yes this is the hotel being referred to by the Trip Advisor site.
My complaints comprise solely that this lobby computer has seen better days and adding insult to injury thay have this God-Awful XM "lite rock" with all these falsetto voices "singing" away. But then this is the music young and "younger at heart" people than myself enjoy.
Otherwise, I find those reports to be without foundation.
I think I have established at the forum that I am likely a more discerning traveler than the averasge (you don't see me making the usual "where can I find a cheap hotel in..." inquiries), had I found those conditions noted I would have been gone by now - and so would have my Sister who is more discerning than I.
I've been coming to this hotel for now some twenty years. True it is an older property, but the owners make a sincere effort to keep it shipshape....honest.
Posted by ehbowen (Member # 4317) on :
It has been reported that some reviewers on TripAdvisor will "talk down" a popular property in order to scare away customers who might otherwise make it difficult for the reviewers to snag reservations during peak seasons....
Posted by rresor (Member # 128) on :
Dr. Bowen:
My advice to you and to other readers of this board would be, "Stay away from TripAdvisor". It appears to be the province of trolls who (for whatever reason) enjoy badmouthing various hotels and restaurants.
After a wonderful trip behind CP's steam locomotive from Minneapolis to Winnipeg two years ago, I stayed at the old Fort Garry Hotel (formerly a CP property, now Fairmount). I found it to be perhaps the most comfortable hotel I had ever stayed in, with service to match.
A number of reviews on TripAdvisor trashed the hotel in every category.
Ignore the trolls. Use Frommer's site, Zagat, or any one of several much more reliable sites, for travel information, and leave the trolls to themselves.
Posted by smitty195 (Member # 5102) on :
It's interesting to hear this about TripAdvisor. I have relied on them for a few years now, and so far they have not steered my wrong. Maybe it's because I have learned to detect those reviews that seem a bit out of place and are purposely trying to damage a property's reputation? I don't know---but I've had excellent luck with them. One of the key things I look for are the photos that regular people take (not the professional photos that are taken by people that the hotel hires). I can usually figure out a lot about a property by looking at the bathroom pictures (funny as that may sound). As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Some people on here have probably heard of (or stayed at) the Depot Inn in La Plata, MO. That place is excellent, yet there are numerous reviews on TripAdvisor that give it a horrible review. But upon closer inspection, you can see that the bad reviews all come from one group of people who were all there at the same time, and decided they wanted to deluge TripAdvisor with bad reviews for the hotel. But when you toss out that group of people, all you see are outstanding reviews. So I suppose it's all how you read things on TripAdvisor.
Posted by sojourner (Member # 3134) on :
I hate to go off topic, but I'd love to be able to go from Minneapolist to Winnepeg by train. How often is that possible, RResor?
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
I often use TripAdvisor, but carefully. Here are two helpful sites that suggest effective ways of cutting through the bee-ess:
Minneapolis-Chicago-Buffalo-Toronto-Winnipeg. Kind of a long way around, but if you are a train person, it's doable.
Or Minneapolis-Seattle-Vancouver-Winnipeg. Even longer, but just as doable.
The schedule for No. 7/8 shows a bus from Fargo ND to Winnipeg on Jefferson Lines.
Jefferson Lines is at http://www.jeffersonlines.com/ and indeed has a bus from Fargo to Winnipeg, but not every day, so check each date carefully.
Why bus when one can train?
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
I'm back---
Now that I can open the WSJ article, I think it gives a favorable reading and dispels any thoughts that the $8B appropriated is hardly about to buy a European or Asian Hi-Speed rail system.
The most pertinent point made in the article to me is the following:
"We're not Europe," Mr. Boardman said. "We have a huge and world-renowned freight rail system in this country, and that's where we run most of the miles we run on Amtrak."
OK some are going to start howling "He's just another shill for the industry" and followed by "just like you, Mr. Norman", but I think it represents reason in that Mr. Boardman accepts that Amtrak LD runs on Class I ROW's and freight traffic rightfully comes first.
I would dare say that NARP's "vision" has about as much support from Mr. Boardman as it does from myself.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
quote:Originally posted by sojourner: I hate to go off topic, but I'd love to be able to go from Minneapolis to Winnipeg by train.
Ms. Sojourner, you can take the CB&Q North Coast Limited leaving Chicago 1210PM arriving St Paul 7PM and connecting to the GN Winnipeg Limited leaving SPUD 8PM and arriving at Winnipeg CN Station 830A.
If you prefer you can book a Parlor Car seat in the Skytop Obs of the MILW Morning Hi leaving CUS 1030A arriving Mpls 635P and there connect to the SOO Line Winnipeger. The SOO Line Diner has often been rated "best meals on wheels". You'll be in Winnipeg at the CP station also about 830A.
Immigration and Customs formalities will be handled on-board while en route.
Enjoy your trip; and don't forget to turn your watch back before boarding - say about 50 years!
Posted by palmland (Member # 4344) on :
Clearly, Mr. Norman, the Florida sun has affected you. But then thoughts of the SOO are far more satisfying than thinking of the other news in the WSJ these days.
It will be interesting to see what Mr. LaHood does with the $8 billion dumped in his lap. I suspect Illinois - perhaps to St. Louis will get attention. Certainly I hope the Southeast HSR will benefit, especially with Senator Kerry, for unknown reasons, apparently behind it.
I do wonder whether it might be more cost effective just to work on the NS/Southern mainline Washington-Charlotte rather than reviving the good old SAL from Richmond to Raleigh as is currently planned.
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Perhaps, GBN, you have made an ever so slight historical error in your suggestion to Sojourner that she take the "CB&Q" North Coast Limited but turn her watch back about 50 years.
In 1959 the North Coast Limited was operated by the Northern Pacific, was it not?
And when CB&Q merged with the NP and SP&S in 1970, wasn't the train therefore a Burlington Northern train until Amtrak Day a year later in 1971?
If I recall right, BN immediately amalgamated the North Coast Limited and Empire Builder as one train between Chicago and Minneapolis, splitting at MPLS for Seattle and Portland.
Wouldn't want to send Sojourner astray, would we?
Posted by TwinStarRocket (Member # 2142) on :
In the sixties I would occasionally commute home to Minneapolis from work in St. Paul on the GN Winnipeg Limited. It was way faster than the city bus line, but still time enough for a quick drink in the 'buffet lounge'.
It was quite an assortment of worn equipment, made over 40 stops before Winnipeg and cost about $15.00 end to end. $5 more for a berth. The route it took through St. Cloud, Fergus Falls and Crookston is now mostly abandoned. No Fargo and Grand Forks like the current EB route.
Posted by TwinStarRocket (Member # 2142) on :
Mr. Kisor, there was in fact an amalgamated CBQ/NP/GN train CHI-St.Paul even in the '50s. The GN Western Star and NP Mainstreeter were west coast trains that ran about a half day different schedule than the more famous Empire Builder and North Coast Limited. They ran overnight between St. Paul and CHI, and were combined as one train with the CBQ Blackhawk.
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
TwinStarRocket, they should have called that one the Amalgalimited.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Mr. Kisor, my reference to the CB&Q was quite intentional and such stands.
From CUS to St Paul, the North Coast Ltd was CB&Q #25 operating CUS-St Paul. St Paul Westward to Seattle, it was of course operated by the NP.
Regarding "Q" combining of trains, off-season Northbound #31 Empire Builder was combined with #23 Afternoon Zephyr, SB #32 was combined with #26 making for quite the "monster train".
All of the above sourced from CB&Q May 1961 PTT.
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
I stand corrected.
This goes to show two things:
1. Never challenge GBN on historical accuracy.
2. Never rely on Wikipedia for accurate information. (I SHOULD know better.)
Posted by RR4me (Member # 6052) on :
I heard a rumor that GBN thought he was wrong once, but found out he was mistaken.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Possibly some may choose to revisit the link from TripAdvisor that Mr. Smith provided, as they have chosen to post my contrary review of the noted Boca Raton property.
Yes I'm using a screenname - they give their registrants no choice.