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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
passrailok@yahoogroups.com [mailto:passrailok@yahoogroups.com] <b>On Behalf Of </b>evanstair@passengerrailok.org<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, April 10, 2009 8:21 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> passrailok@yahoogroups.com<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [passrailok] This Week on the Corridor: Editoral Federal
Operational Stimulus<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='color:blue'>O</span>PERATIONAL
STIMULUS?<br>
<br>
With all the new federal capital investment in Amtrak comes this story from<br>
Billings, MT. The Pioneer was a Long Distance train that operated from<br>
Chicago to Portland, OR. It was discontinued in the dark days of 1997. The<br>
train operated as a part of the monster combined California Zephyr, Desert<br>
Wind, Pioneer if I remember correctly. When I rode it in 1991 it split in<br>
Salt Lake City, but a few weeks later it split in Denver. <br>
<br>
Tempering excitement is in order. The Pioneer route ended 12 years ago. It<br>
is no more a legacy Amtrak route than the Lone Star that operated between<br>
Chicago and Houston. Unlike the Sunset Limited east of New Orleans, the<br>
route has been removed from Amtrak’s timetables. Amtrak’s inability to<br>
introduce Long Distance service during the past two decades is actually<br>
“policy” until any of us hear differently. The decade long expansion trend<br>
is through supplemental state funding.<br>
<br>
The Pioneer route will be studied. This is a federal requirement. Had more<br>
support come from Middle America, other studies would have been required,<br>
such as reintroducing the Lone Star between Chicago and Houston. However,<br>
remember these are just studies. Amtrak is not obligated to “move dirt.”<br>
Unfortunately, Middle America wants Congress out of their business and<br>
pocketbooks. Despite the fact that Amtrak is in reality an interstate<br>
passenger rail carrier, Congress still desires to shirk their interstate<br>
commerce responsibility on the states.<br>
<br>
What would a reintroduced Pioneer resemble? If recent history is<br>
considered, it could be roughly a 775 mile route, and that just between<br>
Salt Lake City and Portland (about 15 hours). If Amtrak goes through<br>
Cheyenne, WY the route is about 1,300 miles (about 26 hours). The burning<br>
question following the study will be, “Who will pay for operation when<br>
Congress pressures states to fund Amtrak operations?” <br>
<br>
Will the Congressmen and Senators who pushed the study increase Amtrak’s<br>
annual operating budget to cover Pioneer operating losses? If so, will this<br>
set an operational funding warming trend? I personally desire this and an<br>
associated flood of future requests. Amtrak’s system is less-than-skeletal<br>
and it is therefore drastically inefficient. Certain efficiencies can be<br>
gained only through business expansion. The nation might find that it gets<br>
more bang for the buck with Amtrak expansion. The question for any route<br>
study, “Is the proportional benefit to increased operational funding<br>
greater than the increased operational loss?” This can only be measured by<br>
looking at Amtrak’s national system as a whole and tweaking it for<br>
efficiency (less loss), and not profit. In an era of super computers,<br>
unlike 1970-1971 an Amtrak system efficiency study is possible.<br>
<br>
Capital funding is easy when examining the provisions of recently approved<br>
federal legislation. However, After Amtrak repairs its rolling stock, which<br>
would have to include diners and sleeping cars for a long distance Pioneer,<br>
will any Northwest state legislature approve funding for a train that<br>
operates in their territory at Dark:30? I can already hear the debate in<br>
the various state legislatures who might get the 3:00am train. <br>
<br>
This has always been the supplemental state funding challenge. It is why<br>
the Lone Star has not returned in full and why the Heartland Flyer remains<br>
stub ended in Oklahoma City. I speculate that until federal policy for<br>
Amtrak operational funding changes, you will not see many state funded<br>
routes introduced over the 500 mile – 10 hour transit time.<br>
<br>
Evan Stair<br>
Vice President – Oklahoma<br>
Northern Flyer Alliance<br>
www.NorthFlyer.org<br>
<br>
<a
href="http://billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/04/09/news/wyoming/26-amtrak.txt">http://billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/04/09/news/wyoming/26-amtrak.txt</a><br>
<br>
Cheyenne on board with Amtrak route restoration<br>
By Gazette News Services<br>
CHEYENNE - It's been a dozen years since Cheyenne has had passenger rail<br>
service, but there's talk about Amtrak restoring its old Pioneer route<br>
through the state.<br>
<br>
Mayor Rick Kaysen, the economic development group Cheyenne LEADS and the<br>
Cheyenne Area Convention and Visitors Bureau all have written letters<br>
urging Amtrak to restore the route.<br>
<br>
Laramie, Rawlins, Green River, Rock Springs and Evanston also were stops on<br>
the route between Denver and Seattle. The Pioneer ran from 1977 to 1997 and<br>
through Wyoming from 1991 to 1997.<br>
<br>
Amtrak abandoned the line after it posted a $20 million loss in 1996.<br>
<br>
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