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A lot of the stuff in this long-range projection sounds deeper into left field than the late Warrington. Predictions of an "up to" 180-mph "Acela II" for the Northeast Corridor, retirement of everything including the Viewliners and replacement with unspecified single-levels and bilevels, never mind a clean sweep of all the locomotives. If ever I saw pipe dreams, this has to have some of the strongest "stuff" in that there pipe...
quote:Joe Boardman: “It’s time to retire our fleet”
In February, Amtrak will release a long-awaited detailed master long-range plan for replacing almost all of its aging, 1,400-plus-unit car and locomotive fleet. The plan, which will be released as part of a legislative and grant request to Congress, also includes renewal of some critical infrastructure, particularly in the Northeast Corridor, and preparations for going to higher speed rail in some corridors.
“Amtrak enters 2010 with a strong sense of optimism, enthusiasm, and purpose,” said President and CEO Joseph Boardman, who was recently given an “indefinite” contract extension by the Amtrak board of directors. Under a new Strategic Guidance program, “we have an aggressive plan to modernize, renew, and grow America’s passenger railroad.”
“It’s time to retire our aging fleet of cars and locomotives,” Boardman said, adding, “We’re looking at every source of funding, not just the federal government.” Amtrak’s equipment plan is expected to include “purchase of several hundred single-level and bi-level long-distance passenger railcars and more than a hundred locomotives.” Due for replacement are 412 Amfleet I, 122 Amfleet II, 122 Superliner I, 184 Superliner II, 50 Viewliner, 92 Horizon cars, as well as Heritage baggage and dining cars. Among the locomotives are 20 AEM7 d.c. electric locomotives (the remaining 29 have been rebuilt with a.c. propulsion), and the railroad’s F59PH, P42, P40, and P32DM fleets. Currently, an RFP is out for 125 single-level coaches/baggage-dorm cars/diners and 20 electric locomotives.
In late 2010, Amtrak will complete a program to upgrade the interior of all Acela Express trainsets, including leather seating, improved tray tables and ovehead luggage compartment doors, and better at-seat electrical outlets. The trainsets themselves, which have been in service for more than 10 years, eventually will be replaced with high speed equipment currently dubbed “Acela II.” These “next-generation” trainsets will be capable of speeds up to 180 mph, with infrastructure upgrades, Boardman said.
This year, Amtrak will undertake track and bridge construction projects, and safety and security enhancements funded in full, or in part, by $1.3 billion in ARRA (American Reinvestment and Recovery Act) funds. Among these projects are: replacement of the 102-year old movable bridge over the Niantic River in Connecticut; modernization of transformers and other electrical equipment used to power trains between Washington, D.C. and NewYork; improvements to tracks and switches at Chicago Union Station; and construction of new maintenance buildings for passenger railcar equipment in Los Angeles and in Hialeah, Fla. Beyond the ARRA funded projects, Amtrak will spend $442 million as part of its annual FY 2010 engineering program. Among these projects are installation of more than 112,000 concrete crossties and more than 49,000 wood crossties on the Northeast Corridor; construction of a new air ventilation shaft for the New York tunnels; and repair to several bridges in Michigan, Maryland, New York, and New Jersey. In addition, Amtrak will complete the multi-year modernization of the catenary wires on the Hell Gate Line in New York, begin construction of upgrades to the Seattle maintenance facility, and improve accessibility at stations in Philadelphia, Pa., Baltimore, Md., Providence, R.I., and elsewhere.
Longer-term, the NEC is due for $10 billion in upgrades, $6 billion of that between Washington and New York. Amtrak is looking to replace all the NEC’s aging variable-tension catenary between Washington and New Haven,Conn., with a modern constant-tension system (like that in place between New Haven and Boston). A $700 million Washington-New York replacement program is already under way. Catenary improvements, along with improvements to curves and tunnel approaches and tie replacement, is expected to decrease trip times initially by 15 minutes. Further improvements should shave another 15 minutes. Boardman said Amtrak’s goal is to increase the Acela Express’s top speed on this segment of the NEC to 150 mph from the current 135 mph.
Amtrak is committed to “an aggressive, self-imposed schedule” to install Positive Train Control (PTC) by the end of 2012, “three years ahead of a Congressional deadline for the rail industry,” on sections of right-of-way it owns. On the NEC, ACSES (Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System) rollout will be completed. In Michigan, continued rollout of ITCS (Incremental Train Control System) will enable increased train speeds of up to105 mph between Porter, Ind., and Kalamazoo, Mich. Boardman said Amtrak “is in discussions with host railroads” about participating in and possibly providing some funding for PTC on lines owned by freight railroads.
Boardman took an aggressive stance on Amtrak’s potential role in higher speed rail corridor development. “We’re playing a major role in the developmentand expansion of intercity and high speed passenger rail,” he said. “As America’s provider of intercity passenger rail service and its only high speed rail operator, we have unmatched knowledge, experience, and expertise in the U.S. rail environment. Other potential operators are surfacing, but they have never done here what we have been doing for a long time.” Boardman added that Amtrak is partnering with 25 states in support of more than 100 projects submitted for funding from the $8 billion in ARRA intercity and high speed rail capital improvement grants. (An announcement from the U.S. Department of Transportation on which projects have been selected is expected soon. DOT said “this winter” in an earlier announcement.)
Amtrak will expand corridor services in collaboration with state partners. In Virginia, a fifth Northeast Regional train will operate between Richmond and Washington, D.C. In North Carolina, a second Piedmont roundtrip between Raleigh andCharlotte will be added. In Washington State, a second Amtrak Cascades train is now operating from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C., through the duration of the 2010Winter Olympics and Paralympics Games. In addition, Amtrak is finalizing a new operating contract with the Metrolink commuter rail service in Los Angeles to provide train and engine crews on all seven lines.
Amtrak will also undertake “an in-depth evaluation of the poorest performing long-distance routes to identify and implement changes where possible to improve key measures such as customer service, ridership, and financial performance.” The five routes being analyzed are the Sunset Limited,Cardinal, Texas Eagle, Capitol Limited, and California Zephyr.
chrisg Member # 2488
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If someone in Congress or the House sponsored a bill now would be the time to do it. With a friendly President and Vice President it better happen now or else it won't ever happen. I am all in favor of it because Amtrak could finally be expanded to serve all 48 states and new routes could be added.
Chris
irishchieftain Member # 1473
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I don't think that any of that is in this bunch of ideas that Boardman expounded.
smitty195 Member # 5102
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I read Boardman's "plan" a few days ago. Talk about pie in the sky! But that is typical Amtrak.....throw away the older crap and replace it with newer crap. VIA is a good example of how to properly take care of and maintain equipment. The Superliners should NOT need replacing already, nor the Viewliners (they are newer than the Superliners). Amtrak could definitely use more equipment, no doubt about that. I'm very disappointed in Boardman AND the Amtrak board for giving this guy another year as CEO.
(PS: Since he's a CEO now, maybe someone can teach him how to comb his hair)
Mr. Toy Member # 311
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I'm inclined to agree with Smitty that Superliners as a whole do not need to be replaced yet. After all, a number were rebuilt in recent years and are better now than they were new. Supplementing the existing fleet with wreck replacements and capacity expansions is a good idea, though.
But it is not clear from this announcement that he is planning to replace everything all at once. it takes time to order and build new equipment, so he may be looking at a gradual transition from old to new, perhaps over ten to twenty years. That would be reasonable. Anyway, we'll know more when the full report comes out next month.
palmland Member # 4344
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Interesting that he cites some poor performers that need improvement in various measures. No surprise on the Sunset/Eagle/Cardinal. But I was not aware the Capitol and CZ are at the bottom also. One can only imagine what Amtrak has in mind to improve them.
dns8560 Member # 15184
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"Currently, an RFP is out for 125 single-level coaches/baggage-dorm cars/diners and 20 electric locomotives."
What's an RFP?
Southwest Chief Member # 1227
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Interesting.
Well I'll start saving some money now. Put me down for a surplus Superliner Sleeper, Diner, and Lounge.
smitty195 Member # 5102
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RFP = Request For Proposal. In other words, it's been put out there so that companies can put in their bid for the work.
dilly Member # 1427
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quote:Originally posted by smitty195: RFP = Request For Proposal. In other words, it's been put out there so that companies can put in their bid for the work.
In other words, Amtrak (like all government and quasi-government entities) will contract the company that will do the least expensive job, and not necessarily the best.
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Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Mr. Dilly, it is supposed to be "lowest responsible bidder", but then we must accept that term gives LOTS of LAAAAATTTTItude.
Secondly and I hate to break Mr. Guenzler's bubble, it was noted at a conference at which one of our Members here attended (possibly he will choose to step forth) that Amtrak has no plans whatever to expand the Long Distance system as there is simply no need to do so in view of that Amtrak presently gets pretty much, in the way of appropriations, what it asks for.
George Harris Member # 2077
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quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: Mr. Dilly, it is supposed to be "lowest responsible bidder", but then we must accept that term gives LOTS of LAAAAATTTTItude.
And two of the worst parts of most contracts are: The "or equal" clause, which really means the cheapest thing the contractor can foist off on the owner. The "value engineering" concept which means let the contractor figure out ways to use cheaper, and usually lower quality materials than the ones specified and pretend that they are as good or better and split the saving with the owner. This last allows the contactor to substitute something that supposedly lasts 10 years and actually lasts 5 for something that the specifier knew would last 20 plus years by using a "present worth" calculation.
quote:Secondly and I hate to break Mr. Guenzler's bubble, it was noted at a conference at which one of our Members here attended (possibly he will choose to step forth) that Amtrak has no plans whatever to expand the Long Distance system as there is simply no need to do so in view of that Amtrak presently gets pretty much, in the way of appropriations, what it asks for.
Maybe they should be asking for more so the system can be expanded. However, unlike air travel where the roadway is effectively free, track improvements to increase capacity and speed are needed in order to have any meaningful improvements in passenger service.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Expansion of the LD system is indeed "sticky". Let's say "what if....' (and pick two often mentioned gaps to the existing system) service were to be restored over the UP Overland Route and the C&EI/L&N/ACL to Florida (route of the Dixie Flyer) so our President could proclaim "now Grandma can go from North Platte to Nashville...' Every one else will want routes restored and we end up with (and paying for as taxpayers) the absurdity of NARP's "vision". Suddenly, Grandma in Amarillo wants to get to Roanoke.
Before too long, the same situation in which one "critter" or the other had to throw his weight around by means of having "his' train added to the system, will prevail. Fortunately, all such are now gone. The ones coming to mind (and their patron saints) were North Coast Hiawatha (Mansfield), Shenadoah/Blue Ridge (Staggers), Mountaineer/Hilltopper (Byrd), Pioneer (Church), Desert Wind (a Nevada Senator), and Sunset East (Lott).
And all this for a mode of transportation that at best has "niche" public acceptance, and had the industry been "dereged" regarding rates and services by 1960 (as it should have been), would have been gone shortly thereafter.
chrisg Member # 2488
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Lets look at the Fleet he wants to replace
Amfleet 1 84 seatsbuilt 1975-1977 Amfleet 1 60 seats built 1976-1977 Amfleet 2 59/55 seats built 1981-1982 Baggage Cars built 1947 1957 Low Level Diners built 1948-1957
Superliner Coach/Baggage 78/62 seats built 1980 Superliner Sleeper built 1979-1981 Superliner Lounges built 1980-1981 Superliner Coach built 1979-1980 Superliner Diner built 1979-1980
Superliners 2's built 1993–1995
Do this help make his point!
Chris
irishchieftain Member # 1473
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quote:all this for a mode of transportation that at best has "niche" public acceptance, and had the industry been "dereged" regarding rates and services by 1960 (as it should have been), would have been gone shortly thereafter
That's not what kept it down. Government interference vis-à-vis focusing on high speed got in the way of long-distance rail travel.
As for deregulation, look at the massacre on the airline industry. That race to the bottom was not due to reintroducing regulation (which of course did not happen) nor the threats from terrorism. That doesn't make me a proponent of regulation, but when the rules aren't relatively uniform, all the crooks get in and try any trick.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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But on the flip side, Mr. Chieftain, look at the renaissance the railroad industry has experienced since dereg.
BTW, having a pet train foisted on Amtrak by Rep. Staggers - what a small price to pay for the salvation of the industry.
irishchieftain Member # 1473
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quote:on the flip side, Mr. Chieftain, look at the renaissance the railroad industry has experienced since dereg
With all due respect, a constantly-shrinking market share doesn't translate to that, nor continued shrinkage of track-miles nor the declension of Class I roads to a mere seven with a "big four" at the nucleus. If we had to rely on such a network during WWII, we'd have very short supply lines. The interstate highway system wouldn't keep up, not at a figure of $78 billion per year in lost production due to congestion (and that far outstrips its $40 billion/year federal tax revenue from gasoline, and greatly negates its revenue from other tax sources). I won't go into detail regarding the trillions lost to our enemies through the trade deficit, a great chunk of the trade thereof hauled by the rails...
George Harris Member # 2077
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I am one of the last people to push for government regulation, but there are some areas where it is necessary or extremely beneficial.
I don't think anybody would want to do away with the food quality and drug quality regulations. Fix their enforcement so that it does what is supposed to do and be less twisted by the vested interests and pressure groups, yes, but done away with, no way.
We need to look back to the beginning of rail regulation to understand that not all of it was pandering to populist elements. A lot of it related to the same management stupidity and greed, plus some very twisted state regulations that were hurting all concerned. The main difference between the pre-regulation rail regulation situation and the post regulation airline situation is that failure in the airline industry does not result in destruction of airports and potential pathways through the air. Airports are provided by the public and the air the planes run through provided by God, unlike the 19th century rail situation where both stations, freight sidings, and railroad tracks were provided by the railroad companies themselves.
A middle ground between stifling regulation and none at all needs to be found.
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