Amtrak reconsidering express service; said to harm passenger train service
By Doug Ohlemeier, MOKS Rail newsletter editor
OMAHA, Neb. - Express service has harmed Amtrak's long-distance
passenger operations. That's according to an Amtrak official who
addressed a large group of 67 rail advocates at the National
Association of Railroad Passengers Region X meeting
April 6
Amtrak's express "has shown some of its aspects are harming
Amtrak's prime directive - to move people," said Brian
Rosenwald, Amtrak's general manager for the California Zephyr,
which runs from Chicago to the San Francisco Bay
area, the Empire Builder, a Chicago-Seattle/Portland train, and
the Chicago-Los Angeles Southwest Chief.
Rosenwald said express has not been the panacea that has gotten
Amtrak out of its financial troubles. He said Amtrak is
considering leaving less profitable express markets .
"The trains with 30 mail and express cars block main lines
and cause all sorts of difficulties," Rosenwald said.
Rosenwald said Amtrak's handling of express cars has caused
operational problems for long-distance trains. He said trains
traveling into rail yards, making switch moves late at night and
early in the morning and equipment delays caused by the express
business has harmed passenger train transit times.
The California Zephyr currently hauls 30 express cars. Rosenwald
said Amtrak is considering increasing that number to 40.
"Express has been a mixed bag," Rosenwald said.
"We are reviewing our express business to determine which
are the most profitable opportunities. The express business had
not yet reached our original expectations, and it has not been
our 'savior'."
U.S. mail carried by Amtrak, on the other hand, has been
profitable for the 30-year-old carrier, Rosenwald said.
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