Amtrak was perfect for college students. Especially during breaks, I remember the Amtrak being full of students traveling between home and school, and this was only a couple years ago. There absolutely is a sweet spot between distance and time that Amtrak meets, I hope it's here to stay. Excited for the Victorville to LV route!
Amtrak is often really expensive compared to carpooling which is a discouraging factor for students, though. Plus, they aren’t really frequent enough riders
It’s okay for some routes. San Diego to Santa Barbara is 80-90$ round trip with student discounts. Which is a little steep given gas costs on a decent car would be 90-120$ round trip
Even if flying could be faster, I almost always prefer to just take Amtrak. Its a lot less of a hassle to book and board and I have never been 'bumped'. I also personally don't mind the longer travel time since I always bring a portable game console so I can keep myself amused.
Took a round trip from Newark NJ to Charlotte NC in an Amtrak roomette (small private room) last February. Had my laptop and my Switch, and the trip took about 12 hours each way. Door closed and locked with little privacy curtains for all the windows, i was in my own little world the whole time and totally isolated at the height of the pandemic. Absolutely destroyed the experience of commercial flight, no contest... and I look to go by train whenever I travel now! Edit: didn't even mention the fact that the seats converted to beds and you also have a toilet and sink IN YOUR ROOM!
Sad to see that they won’t be running into Tampa Union Station with brightline, that station has been in operation since 1911 and has always been apart of the city. When they stop running trains into Tampa Union I could guess it’d become a museum, but it’ll never be the same. Atleast I’ve had the pleasure of taking a few trains in and out of Tampa Union and visiting during several events, good memories I won’t forget.
Kinda like Omaha's Union Station (Durham Museum) and Burlington Station (Ex. CB&Q) (KETV 7 News Station). Amtrak just built a tiny little thing off to the side, while these two stations already existed right across from each other.
Thank you for this well rounded account. A growth in positive attitudes towards train travel will go a long way to improving our rail service . In the past when I wanted to travel by train ; the trains were sold out for months or they called at the local station at the most inconvenient hours.
When you run long distance overnight sleeper trains on a daily or trice weekly basis, many towns and cities see 3 AM services. Trains routes are linear in nature, they are not like the airlines hopping from one airport to another...
Te return of sleeper trains is a big thing. With the internet, travel times don't matter as much as most people can do their work on the move with a laptop, so therefore having sleeper trains where the person gets a little cabin to themselves is a great idea. Even the Shinkansen in Japan has sleeper trains now. I personally am looking forward to sleeper trains from Europe coming back into the UK, especially if they go up to Edinburgh, I live near the East Coast Mainline so it's not far for me to go to my local station on the line and catch a train. If they end up running something like a "Edinburgh to Milan" or "Edinburgh to Stockholm" sleeper train then I'll definitely book myself on it and go explore Europe via train.
18:25 - Where did Kaliningrad go? And why is Liechtenstein so big? Other than that, you continue to impress with your high-quality railway history videos. Even if I thought I knew all there was to know about something, I always seem to finish the video having learned something new. Well done!
AMTRAK does a good job of short line routes especially in California. I live in Stockton, CA and have taken the San Joaquin Line from my town to Oakland and to Los Angeles via the Bakersfield bus connection. On top of that the Capitol Corridor and Pacific Surfliner routes are well managed with a good number of the trains on time.
Happy (early) 50th Birthday Amtrak! Great video as always, love learning about some of the backstories and reasons behind how and why Amtrak became, well, Amtrak!
Yep, the northeast corridor railroad went bankrupt due to the termination of their mail contracts. No longer do passenger trains in America have a dozen or more mail cars on the consists. The USPS chose to fly the mail overnight in the air in hours instead of using the trains which took days...
@@johnnyjames7139 Airlines got how many billions in those years? Highways? Think ice breaking for ships in the winter is cheap? The coast guard does that for them. FREE to foreign shipping. Road taxes do not cover the costs of roads. Railroad taxes help make up the difference.
@@intercityrailpal Passenger rails made men into tycoons. Rail transport was unsubsidized, cheap and luxurious. Then the government took over. The rest is Amtrak history.
@@DrCruel Private lines SET UP AMTRAK LAWS AND AGREEMENTS. BECAUSE THEY FAILED. Due to loss of package and MAIL service to trucks. The customers, the taxpaying public demanded trains be saved. So a few lines were saved very few. Amtrak was cut back and underfunded from day one. Yet ridership boomed no matter what lousy service was offered with higher rates. After 50 years it now has a good future.
What I don’t understand is why Amtrak needs to be profitable. Amtrak was created so companies could offload their unprofitable routes, as well as keeping that vital infrastructure. If Amtrak removes long distance routes there is no reason for it to exist and the NEC should be sold off to private companies, removing the need for any kind of government affiliation.
Profitability is what separates the successful from the unsuccessful. Currently, America has limited investment money. It needs to know who to back and stay away from and profitability can greatly help with that decision.
@@haweater1555 That was written when trains had low ridership. If they do today it's because they don't have the cars on them or don't run much. 1971 was different world.
during the pandemic, the airlines were bailed out with 64$ billion in a combination of grants and loans (the latter which only require 30% repayment) Amtrak only received 2.7$ billion the final (1.7$ billion coming in 2021). Back in 2009 there was a project for an upgraded line between Chicago and Milwaukee using Talgo equipment (built in Milwaukee), that would run at a maximum speed of 125 MPH and averaging around 85 - 90 MPH when adjusting for stops enroute. The average speed for the Empire Builder (the only train currently serving that route) is about 47 - 48 mph, taking just over 9 hours between the two end points. The new line would have cut that time in nearly half. The entire line could be operating today had it not been for the shortsighted former governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin (though which most of the line passed) who in early 2011 cancelled the first leg of the line from the Wisconsin Illinois line through Milwaukee to the capitol of Madison (another city which lost rail service after Amtrak was formed). The service was to have started with two trains daily each way daily in addition to the Empire Builder as well as current Hiawatha service between Milwaukee and Chicago HSR makes good sense is corridors of up to 450 miles between major city pairs as this is seen as the best potential market for sustainable passenger volume. There is a new plan in the works out in the Pacific Northwest for a true HSR that would serve Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver BC. with running time between Portland and Seattle of around an hour. This would be very competitive with if not quicker than air travel between the two cities particularly given the fact that it would be city centre to city centre and not have to deal with the drive to/from the airport, security lines, taxiing holding for takeoff, and weather delays (fog is an issue at SeaTac as it is near wetlands). I watched one video of a flight that departed Chicago O'Hare where just taxiing (after pushback from the gate) took 21 minutes (about the "in air" flight time to Milwaukee). These are points that opponents of HSR don't take into account when touting that air travel is "better".
Very good! Excellent in fact! About time there was a good honest story of this subject, that even Public TV avoids. ( They get Alfred Sloan grants the GM guy and Koch brothers, need I say more?)
To be fair, there is a city of Louisville that pronounces its name LOU-iss -vill, but it is located in Colorado (Ca-luh-RAH-do). The city where the Kentucky Derby is run is pronounced LOO-a-vul.
Running a risk here, but if I'm not mistaken there are only 5 MAJOR rail lines in the U.S. BNSF, Union Pacific, CSX, Norfolk Southern and KCS. CN, the old IC, (Canadian) and CP (Canadian) are both vying for KCS. That will leave only 4. They have a ton of leverage when it comes to giving up trackage rights for passenger service. Riding a train can be fun, but if a passenger has a limited amount of time, he or she isn't going to want to give up that time in transit. If it's the journey rather than the destination, then riding a train makes sense.
Sorry all routes had record ridership before the mismanaged Covid emergency. The railroads signed agreements in 1971 that gave Amtrak the right to go any way any time. Now backed by law and if republican's can't stop funding again. Will be backed by funding!
I'm all for rail travel, but what happens once you get to your destination? Cities aren't small enough any more to just walk where you want to go. I would personally rather just drive my car than ride a train and then have to rent one. Now, if I could take my car with me, say in a car hauler, that would be a different matter...
Actually, Amtrak has cars for vehicles so technically, you can take a car with you to your destination. I think it is only available for some routes at certain stations.
18:00 HA! Flight Shaming, that's good. That is the kind of advertising Amtrak should be doing, just go all out and call out the roads and airlines for their BS. Though a little fact-checking here, the Southern would have been more than happy to keep the Crescent, they were still making a profit on it. Unfortunately, that profitability took a hit when one of those trains got involved in an accident and reluctantly the Southern sold the Crescent to Amtrak as a result.
@@TheBestTrainsAreReal Amtrak's last CEO Richard Anderson came from Delta. He peed off a lot of railfans when he ended charter trains in March 2018, and made it harder for PV owners to move their cars. You can only hook and unhook them at a major terminal now. Some PV owners gave up and sold their cars to maybe a museum or tourist railroad. Also, some steam groups that ran on BNSF were affected by the charter ban, as they used Amtrak for insurance and diesel power for HEP and dynamic braking, and as backup power in case something happened to the steam locomotive en route. You do not want to tie up a busy freight line with an excursion train.
It still blew me away that Roanoke, VA one of the biggest railroad cities hadn’t had passenger rail since the 70’s either. I moved there for a few in 2007 and was surprised we had to drive an hour to Lynchburg just to grab the Amtrak until a decade later. 🤣
Here in Ohio, rail travel is not a serious consideration. The last payout to improve rail service was turned down by our governor and went to California. Since our roads are not overcrowded compared to other states, Ohio residents have little reason to consider alternative transportation. Having used Amtrak in the form of the AutoTrain, one year the rails were nice and smooth. Since the rails used are used primarily used by freight trains, the next year the rails were like riding on speed bumps. The trips served me no useful function other than my love of riding on a train. Passenger travel is very expensive and service is no where near what it used to be. However, east and west coast states seem to make a go of it. To make it cheaper for us railfans, they might consider tacking passenger cars on a freight train, remembering you have to go where the freight goes. Not only would you see some areas not normally accessable to passenger trains, but you might get stuck in a freight yard too.
With upgraded trackage and timetable protection, Talgo tilt trains could relieve some of the political hooraw around the cost of true high speed rail. I enjoy Amtrak and understand why I've sometimes spent the whole night on a siding in zero degree weather (I'm looking at you, freight lines), but I'd be even happier doing 120 miles an hour. Walker understood this, which is no doubt why he dismantled the licensed USA factory.
Amtrak almost had the Sunset Limited come back to Florida. I remember I watched the inaugural train go by with two heritage units and phase 3 superliners. Then CSX decided to sell the Tallahassee Subdivision to a shortline and the deal was over just as it started.
In order for Amtrak to prosper & survive they must mimic rail travel in Europe, especially the high-speed aspect of passenger train service. You correctly described all of the roadblocks to achieving this goal, especially the lack of track ownership. The fact that freight service owns the bulk of the nation's tracks puts them in charge of who & when will pass through on their tracks. Couple that with the speed of other forms of travel and it is easy to see why Amtrak has a hard time competing. Unless there is a huge investment in new train cars & separate (from freight) high-speed tracks it is basically a lost cause. The bottom line is freight is more lucrative than passenger train service. The Northeast Corridor's Acela line is a money maker because of the relative speed of the service. It is comparable or sometimes even faster than driving a car to the same destination. It is sad to see the richest country in the world with a second-class national train system. It doesn't have to be that way. If you get some of those well off investors to get onboard with the federal government to fund & structure it right, then we could just as easily rival Europe's world-class train service.
What the US federal government in association with state governments is to acquire all major rail infrastructure, signalling and train control from the freight rail companies and operate the national rail infrastructure as an 'open' not for profit operation for any freight, passenger including Amtrak and heritage rail museum operator/s and treat the network as tax payer owned national strategic 'steel highway' asset.
Hey mr. High iron, I love your knowledge of trains and it got me wondering. Could you do a video on if you ran a railroad what would be the history and what locomotives would you use, especially on the passenger trains? I would definitely send $50 for such an unique video, if nobody else asked before.
The president of the NYC RR made a video in 1960 informing the public that the government was backing the airlines by building airports with taxpayer money, but the railroads for over 100 years had to buy land for their tracks and build their own stations. Now I know many will say that is not true because Pres. Lincoln signed the National railroad act, but that was only for the Union Pacific and Central Pacific RRs. Other RRs signed on, but most went bankrupt or were bought out. The point is the US Govt. was not willing to pass a bill for US RRs, but they established the FAA with far more taxpayer money than the RRs even figuring in 100 years of inflation.
Another point. The RR barons of the 1800s (Vanderbilt etc.) had huge investments that made them the RR millionaires they were. In the 20th century (1950 +) other investors in airlines also did this because Americans prefer faster planes than trains. As the video pointed out, we hope AMTRAK and other private RR passenger companies become viable again, and carbon saving may that way if all the RRs electrify as they are doing in India, Europe, and China.
@@intercityrailpal They're rolling now. Diesel-battery locomotives are coming on. Don't be surprised if the Milwaukee catenary across the Rockies is operating again with frieght trains.
The pandemic has been a real shame. I had plans for a month long excursion with a rail pass with amtrak for last may, 15 stops from Orlando to Boston to California and back, with all sorts of stops in between, but of course the Rina ruined that... Nevertheless, im hoping to reconstruct the trip piecemeal over the next few years, and living in Lancaster PA, im hoping to take advantage of the rail along the northeast corridor fairly often!
At about 20-30 million, The Smithsonian (which is free) and Amtrak have about the same number of “visitor/riders”. I think both should be taxpayer funded to provide a superb product. They both certainly are about America. For coach and sleeper bring back fine, community dining - that former CEO Richard Anderson deleted. DON’T THROW THE CHEF FROM THE TRAIN.
Many of the recent downgrades will be reversed. Thosands of managers were laid off or bought out by the Anderson-Trump railroad. Cause the plan was to shut down the national system this fall.
@@intercityrailpal --- - things hopefully will get better with Biden’s $80B shot in the arm. However Anderson’s replacement Flynn has doubts of dining service. Community seating - per CEO Flynn will be out. Not right. Community seating - a table made full in the dining car - sometimes seating strangers - is fun way: ruclips.net/video/h5nhyFFSweU/видео.html
@@robertmcglinchey3347 Well we have to get the 80 billion first! Republicans have already sent threatening letters to Biden to warn against ANY money for rail! By the way New York Central would have sometimes two diners on trains. Amtrak did this on the California Zephyr in the summer on 5-25-35 It had a Denver diner. All those cars are on the Autotrain now. They got rid of the western services. Because Auto Train was not running when the Superliners were ordered in 1979. The year of the big cuts to Amtrak.
Always remember this… every time we pump fuel in to our cars trucks and suvs we are paying state and federal on road taxes per gallon and every time we buy an airline ticket we pay airport taxes… hell…many times the airport taxes are more than the airfare itself!
@@Mira_linn true.. but a car will not go anywhere without fuel ⛽️…now here is the kicker..these electric cars now out there and guess what.. local and feds are not getting that fuel tax… so the DOT is trying to pass a use tax or per mile tax..
I'm in the UK have rode around the US for 6 weeks ny-ny in a ford van and also taken the AMTRAK from NY - LA and I do still prefer the train and am mostly still impressed you have a nationalised rail company.
I did a few long distance trips on Amtrak trains back in the 90s. The seats were big and comfortable and the dinning car had great food. I recommended the experience to so many people. Though I still struggle to understand why it took so long to repair the track damage done by Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast and why the Amtrak service between New Orleans and Orlando still has not been reinstated.
10:42 Hmmm, Uncle Sam bailed out the airlines but not AMTRAK? I wish I was surprised. The thing to do is #boycotttheairlines so that we the customers can get around the TSA. Not hurt anybody, just go around the TSA. #4thamendment
Hello High Iron! Loved the video today, really made my day! I was wondering if you had some input. So I'm attending the 611 at Strasburg this Summer (Really excited it's my first big railfan event) and I want to get the absolute best for my subscribers and also make my channel look better. So I'm looking at the Canon M50 with the Rode Videomic Go. Do you think that would be a good camera to have for the long term? Thanks in advance!
Probably? IDK. I did a whole video about cameras last year, and came to the conclusion that the best one depends on what you're using it for. I'd recommend looking up test clips from the type you're thinking of before committing.
@@HighIron I did see your video which is what swayed me from Camcorder to Mirrorless/DSLR. I know that Pennsy Productions uses one, and I like his video's aesthetics. Thank you for the input!
I have a question: how much does amtrak actually cost? I don't live in the US, but I've been there several times, I took amtrak several times and I've always payed at least 20$ for a ticket. If a ticket costs, at least, 20$, amtrak would earn 6200000000. I know that tickets costs usually more than 20$, so how much money do amtrak really need to be profitable?
I wanted to go cross country, saw an old Amtrack video of a long distance trip in a roomette and was hooked. I had traveled in overnight trains in Europe and remembered the dining car Afternoon Tea I had on a trip from London to Newcastle. I was hooked, planned my trip, Atlanta to Seattle by way of Chicago, from there on the Zephyr, fly to Seattle for a conference and take the coastal train south towards Los Angles and then get a car, go east until I got tired of driving and find another train. Then Covid hit and along with it, the idiotic idea that Dining Cars needed to disappear and Food would now be higher class Microwave messes and packaged long conserved Muffins. Does Amtrack really think I am now going to buy a ticket for $1000 to have a sleeping car and eat that Sh*t? Nope. Not happening.
5:16 - What kind of service was that? I don't know if I've ever seen modern Amtrak service that long before. Was it just moving equipment or something? It wouldn't seem like it since it had the 2 Phase III P42 anniversary units.
@@HighIron Amtrak was required by law to run two of these trips a year. Even if the train could sell out in minutes. They only ran two to obey the law. Nothing lately except on the C&O and it took a Senator to make them do it. Surprise billing after the trip bankrupted the private operator the NRHS Huntington Chapter! Now there is a new operator! Anderson-Trump's railroad. it's going to be great you know.
Amtrak Fans, there is a special deal, 50% off on almost ALL trains, max $50 fares. If you want to go on a cross country rail trip this summer, like I am, check Amtrak's website to see the deal. Its fabulous valie
I have never used Amtrack, but at home here use VIA rail every summer instead of driving. Ottawa to T.O. a nd Montreal. They travel on average 110mph. According to conductors I have asked. I only fly if its too far, US (Vegas).
The Federal government had developed an outright hostility toward the railroads by 1900. Strict regulation was a mainstay of the Progressive movement. The handicapping regulation by the lethargic Interstate Commerce Commission was aggravated by large subsidies to airlines and roads.
i wouldnt count CHSR as a "fit and start." they have begin construction and have finished quite a significant amount of structures and right-of-way, and they don't look poised to give up soon they have a state-mandated deadline to get a train moving at 220mph before 2025, and their most recent business plan states that they will be able to meet that deadline
auto train is the service that Amtrak needs to invest in. I want to use trains but destinations are not walk friendly and car rental to expensive! I would love to load up my car, ride cross country, unload, drive where I want, load up, and ride home.
A couple of things. Amtrak is "officially" known as the National Railroad Passenger Corporation. "Amtrak" is the marketing brand name. Also, I believe that Amtrak, and passenger rail in general, would thrive in the U. S. were it not for the role that corporate money is allowed to play in our politics. Outlaw corporate lobbying and political contributions, and only allow individuals to make small-dollar contributions, and that distortion would end, and the will of the American people for more and better passenger trains would win.
The song was about the train and the demise of passenger rail. Steve Goodman wrote it, Arlo Guthrie performed it best IMHO. My daughter and I were scheduled to ride that train Chicago-New Orleans and back last April when COVID hit and we had to cancel. We rode the California Zephyr Chicago-San Fran a few years ago, awesome trip. She lives in Chicago and rides the Pere Marquette to/from our town in Michigan to visit all the time, much better than dealing with traffic.
The funny part - the Acela Express trains - the power unit is built by Alstom, same company that built the TGV in France. The other funny, even the MBCR in Bostn uses Alstom to maintain its cars.
10:40 Simply not true. Over their 50 years in service, Amtrak has received Federal subsidies almost every year in operation to the tune of $43,552,000,000 from 1971 up to 2016 (the last year I could find a record of).
I rode on Amtrak from Charlottesville to Chicago about 3 years ago. It was just about the only time I have _ever_ seen train tickets go for cheaper than airline tickets (and I did fly from Chicago to Denver for that exact reason). I was very lucky, because I had planned to meet up with a friend and spend the day in Chicago, however the train wound up running _8 hours_ late because we wound up sitting on the tracks waiting for some freight trains to do some switching. So, yeah, the freight railroad companies don't give half a shit about whether or not passenger trains are remotely on schedule. If I hadn't have planned to stay in Chicago, I probably would've wound up missing my flight. That probably would have left me stranded there, seeing as how I was absolutely broke at that time, and I doubt the airlines would comp me a ticket because the train was late.
Here in Orlando, many companies including the theme parks are worried about track placement for Brightrail interrupting other infrastructure but still want it in some form.
California has started construction on our high speed line. SF to Bakersfield should be ready in 2025. Now what trains will we put on it. That’s unknown given the goal of 220mph passenger speed which means trains need to built to above TGV/bullet train normal speeds
Amtrak has too many accidents. you are right, though; it was amazing to ride the C&O and B&O and Pennsylvania Pullman cars with all the amenities, fine dining and porters . . . so sad.
At 9:51 - Here is some further info about Michigan Intercity passenger rail service that is also provided by Amtrak on a 135-mile state-owned line between Kalamazoo and Dearborn. Michigan DOT provides capital and operating assistance, technical support and safety oversight of Michigan’s passenger rail system. The department also sponsors three separate intercity passenger rail routes that are operated by Amtrak and serves 22 station communities. All routes are expected to have new equipment by 2022. In addition, MDOT owns a segment of the accelerated rail corridor that connects Chicago and Detroit/Pontiac and the communities in between. It funds all capital and maintenance work on the segment of the corridor between Kalamazoo and Dearborn. Currently, efforts are focused on increasing passenger speeds up to 110 mph in this area. Passenger trains have traveled up to 110 mph since 2012 on the Amtrak-owned portion of the accelerated rail corridor between Kalamazoo, Michigan and Porter, Indiana. www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-22444_56481---,00.html www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/MDOTStateOwnedRail_330121_7.pdf
Keep in mind, the primary competitor to rail has been the airlines. In most cases. But it takes incredibly long trips to get to many airports ( Denver for example) the flights are rarely on schedule anymore, there are no amenities to speak of, the “food” horrible, just snack trash, and unless you are 5’9” or less, and 165lbs, you’re crammed in like cattle, and don’t mention TSA issues
I didn't really understand what we didn't have until visiting Europe. I remembered stories from my parents about taking passenger trains from my home town of Bangor, Maine. But that was in the 50s. Now there's finally a push to bring it back. I'd love to see it, as at least when traveling domestically, it's the way I'd prefer to go. Sadly, as it stands, I only take Amtrak on the occasion I visit NYC from Washington DC. I'd love to go elsewhere, like Chicago or New Orleans, but that's not really a realistic option.
Took the Amtrak once about a decade or so ago from Boston to Washington DC. It was definitely an experience but to be honest, it was the same time of travel as driving (roughly 7-8 hours). The reason is actually the entire state of Connecticut where travel speed is about 30mph or so (not entirely sure). If Amtrak can make that section go faster, I am sure it will reduce the travel time by a few hours.
2021 marks *50 years* since Amtrak has been established back in May 1, 1971. Oh, How the times have changed
I still clearly remember the 40th anniversary from 2011. Dang, I feel old!
It's a big birthday coming up on Saturday!
@@DanielChannel57 bruh you’re like 13 stfu
@@ironmatic1 First off, I'm 26. Second, what you said sounds like someone far less than 13 would say.
@@DanielChannel57 might be the arthritis kicking in.
Amtrak was perfect for college students. Especially during breaks, I remember the Amtrak being full of students traveling between home and school, and this was only a couple years ago. There absolutely is a sweet spot between distance and time that Amtrak meets, I hope it's here to stay. Excited for the Victorville to LV route!
Amtrak is often really expensive compared to carpooling which is a discouraging factor for students, though. Plus, they aren’t really frequent enough riders
It’s okay for some routes. San Diego to Santa Barbara is 80-90$ round trip with student discounts. Which is a little steep given gas costs on a decent car would be 90-120$ round trip
New york to Rochester is GOLD to students like me, who can't make a drive that distant so frequently
Even if flying could be faster, I almost always prefer to just take Amtrak.
Its a lot less of a hassle to book and board and I have never been 'bumped'. I also personally don't mind the longer travel time since I always bring a portable game console so I can keep myself amused.
@@channelantoneon
Took a round trip from Newark NJ to Charlotte NC in an Amtrak roomette (small private room) last February. Had my laptop and my Switch, and the trip took about 12 hours each way. Door closed and locked with little privacy curtains for all the windows, i was in my own little world the whole time and totally isolated at the height of the pandemic.
Absolutely destroyed the experience of commercial flight, no contest... and I look to go by train whenever I travel now!
Edit: didn't even mention the fact that the seats converted to beds and you also have a toilet and sink IN YOUR ROOM!
Sad to see that they won’t be running into Tampa Union Station with brightline, that station has been in operation since 1911 and has always been apart of the city. When they stop running trains into Tampa Union I could guess it’d become a museum, but it’ll never be the same. Atleast I’ve had the pleasure of taking a few trains in and out of Tampa Union and visiting during several events, good memories I won’t forget.
Kinda like Omaha's Union Station (Durham Museum) and Burlington Station (Ex. CB&Q) (KETV 7 News Station). Amtrak just built a tiny little thing off to the side, while these two stations already existed right across from each other.
Has the decision about the new station already been taken?
That was closed for years, and now reopened.
@@844SteamFan Boy that is a long story! Do you remember the trailer? And the cement falling from the Burlington Station. When it was closed!
@@intercityrailpal No, I don’t even remember when they redid it. I’m guessing in the last 10-ish years.
Thank you for this well rounded account. A growth in positive attitudes towards train travel will go a long way to improving our rail service . In the past when I wanted to travel by train ; the trains were sold out for months or they called at the local station at the most inconvenient hours.
When you run long distance overnight sleeper trains on a daily or trice weekly basis, many towns and cities see 3 AM services. Trains routes are linear in nature, they are not like the airlines hopping from one airport to another...
Ive never been on an Amtrak train, but I got weirdly emotional watching this.
I've been on the Sunset Limited between Houston and New Orleans. Very interesting route.
@Kerry Adams easy on the emojis mom
It’s the homosexual in you, it’s okay to come out of the closet.
@@SGTDuckButter how do railroads lead to that?
Jump on ur closest route, or do a day trip to a town or something, you won’t regret it
Te return of sleeper trains is a big thing.
With the internet, travel times don't matter as much as most people can do their work on the move with a laptop, so therefore having sleeper trains where the person gets a little cabin to themselves is a great idea.
Even the Shinkansen in Japan has sleeper trains now.
I personally am looking forward to sleeper trains from Europe coming back into the UK, especially if they go up to Edinburgh, I live near the East Coast Mainline so it's not far for me to go to my local station on the line and catch a train. If they end up running something like a "Edinburgh to Milan" or "Edinburgh to Stockholm" sleeper train then I'll definitely book myself on it and go explore Europe via train.
18:25 - Where did Kaliningrad go? And why is Liechtenstein so big?
Other than that, you continue to impress with your high-quality railway history videos. Even if I thought I knew all there was to know about something, I always seem to finish the video having learned something new. Well done!
Kaliningrad is reduced to ashes
Liechtenstein decide it doesn't want to be squished between two countries
AMTRAK does a good job of short line routes especially in California. I live in Stockton, CA and have taken the San Joaquin Line from my town to Oakland and to Los Angeles via the Bakersfield bus connection. On top of that the Capitol Corridor and Pacific Surfliner routes are well managed with a good number of the trains on time.
Just got hired as a conductor for Amtrak. Was previously with CSX. I’m excited for the transition into passenger service.
Congrats. What are the differences between working on freight and passenger service?
@@AR-zq9hq the boxcars talk back
@@kylerbriskey372 lol what do they say?
How’s the RR ?
@@williamerazo3921 never got hired. They said I failed the strength test even tho I’ve been a Class 1 Freight Conductor for 9 years. Makes no sense.
I'd much rather travel by train, than by car. Far more relaxing than speeding along a highway.
I agree, screw people saying cars represent individual freedom, trains did it first!
Less chance of dying or getting into an accident as well
Great video as always!
If I can leave a suggestion for a future one, maybe talk about the SPSF ("Shouldn't Paint So Fast") merger that never happened?
I'm sure we could... ;)
I recently took the NER NY to PHL and I am now a fan!!
Excellent and informative. Well done!
When a high-speed line can be established between key points. So travel can be faster than driving and cheaper than flying.
Depends where you live. Downtown to downtown yes, but from suburb to suburb no... Parking can be more expensive in downtowns than at airports...
Happy (early) 50th Birthday Amtrak! Great video as always, love learning about some of the backstories and reasons behind how and why Amtrak became, well, Amtrak!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Yep, the northeast corridor railroad went bankrupt due to the termination of their mail contracts. No longer do passenger trains in America have a dozen or more mail cars on the consists. The USPS chose to fly the mail overnight in the air in hours instead of using the trains which took days...
Happy 50th Birthday Amtrak keep up the good work.
Very cool video. It definitely makes sense as to grow rail lines in those too long too drive, too short to drive areas such as Chicago and Mattoon
We need to emphasize rail travel in America more.
50 years ago today, Amtrak was created. Happy birthday!
And Amtrak has lost $80 billion dollars in those 50 years.
@@johnnyjames7139 Airlines got how many billions in those years? Highways? Think ice breaking for ships in the winter is cheap? The coast guard does that for them. FREE to foreign shipping. Road taxes do not cover the costs of roads. Railroad taxes help make up the difference.
@@intercityrailpal Passenger rails made men into tycoons. Rail transport was unsubsidized, cheap and luxurious. Then the government took over.
The rest is Amtrak history.
@@DrCruel Private lines SET UP AMTRAK LAWS AND AGREEMENTS. BECAUSE THEY FAILED. Due to loss of package and MAIL service to trucks. The customers, the taxpaying public demanded trains be saved. So a few lines were saved very few. Amtrak was cut back and underfunded from day one. Yet ridership boomed no matter what lousy service was offered with higher rates. After 50 years it now has a good future.
What I don’t understand is why Amtrak needs to be profitable. Amtrak was created so companies could offload their unprofitable routes, as well as keeping that vital infrastructure. If Amtrak removes long distance routes there is no reason for it to exist and the NEC should be sold off to private companies, removing the need for any kind of government affiliation.
They don't need to be profitable, they just have to stop making engineering disasters.
Profitability is what separates the successful from the unsuccessful. Currently, America has limited investment money. It needs to know who to back and stay away from and profitability can greatly help with that decision.
Don't fear you will still have the airlines to feed.
@@johnpaultan306 No, it’s just that Republicans think you can run the government like a business.
@@johnpaultan306
“Limited investment in money”
They sure have enough to throw at the military, airlines, freeways, I could go on.
I live near Jeffersonville, and I’m looking forward to Amtrak returning service to arrive.
I meant to the area.
There have been talks recently that it might with the new investment put into the company recently
Great video and I wholeheartedly great there is something about a train that's magic
It really is!
As Argo Guthrie sang, the City of New Orleans is a "magic carpet made of steel" .
@@HighIron It's a place going somewhere
@@haweater1555 That was written when trains had low ridership. If they do today it's because they don't have the cars on them or don't run much. 1971 was different world.
during the pandemic, the airlines were bailed out with 64$ billion in a combination of grants and loans (the latter which only require 30% repayment) Amtrak only received 2.7$ billion the final (1.7$ billion coming in 2021).
Back in 2009 there was a project for an upgraded line between Chicago and Milwaukee using Talgo equipment (built in Milwaukee), that would run at a maximum speed of 125 MPH and averaging around 85 - 90 MPH when adjusting for stops enroute. The average speed for the Empire Builder (the only train currently serving that route) is about 47 - 48 mph, taking just over 9 hours between the two end points. The new line would have cut that time in nearly half. The entire line could be operating today had it not been for the shortsighted former governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin (though which most of the line passed) who in early 2011 cancelled the first leg of the line from the Wisconsin Illinois line through Milwaukee to the capitol of Madison (another city which lost rail service after Amtrak was formed). The service was to have started with two trains daily each way daily in addition to the Empire Builder as well as current Hiawatha service between Milwaukee and Chicago
HSR makes good sense is corridors of up to 450 miles between major city pairs as this is seen as the best potential market for sustainable passenger volume.
There is a new plan in the works out in the Pacific Northwest for a true HSR that would serve Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver BC. with running time between Portland and Seattle of around an hour. This would be very competitive with if not quicker than air travel between the two cities particularly given the fact that it would be city centre to city centre and not have to deal with the drive to/from the airport, security lines, taxiing holding for takeoff, and weather delays (fog is an issue at SeaTac as it is near wetlands).
I watched one video of a flight that departed Chicago O'Hare where just taxiing (after pushback from the gate) took 21 minutes (about the "in air" flight time to Milwaukee). These are points that opponents of HSR don't take into account when touting that air travel is "better".
Extremely well put!!
I’ve always had a theory that Amtrak would start with diesel and end with steam. Kind of funny!
Very good! Excellent in fact! About time there was a good honest story of this subject, that even Public TV avoids. ( They get Alfred Sloan grants the GM guy and Koch brothers, need I say more?)
To be fair, there is a city of Louisville that pronounces its name LOU-iss -vill, but it is located in Colorado (Ca-luh-RAH-do). The city where the Kentucky Derby is run is pronounced LOO-a-vul.
"They aren't the greatest heroes... but they're the only ones we've got!"
Running a risk here, but if I'm not mistaken there are only 5 MAJOR rail lines in the U.S. BNSF, Union Pacific, CSX, Norfolk Southern and KCS. CN, the old IC, (Canadian) and CP (Canadian) are both vying for KCS. That will leave only 4. They have a ton of leverage when it comes to giving up trackage rights for passenger service. Riding a train can be fun, but if a passenger has a limited amount of time, he or she isn't going to want to give up that time in transit. If it's the journey rather than the destination, then riding a train makes sense.
Sorry all routes had record ridership before the mismanaged Covid emergency. The railroads signed agreements in 1971 that gave Amtrak the right to go any way any time. Now backed by law and if republican's can't stop funding again. Will be backed by funding!
I'm all for rail travel, but what happens once you get to your destination? Cities aren't small enough any more to just walk where you want to go. I would personally rather just drive my car than ride a train and then have to rent one. Now, if I could take my car with me, say in a car hauler, that would be a different matter...
Actually, Amtrak has cars for vehicles so technically, you can take a car with you to your destination. I think it is only available for some routes at certain stations.
During Shoreline freight service in the 60s this curve was a great place to check your train for sticking brakes or hot boxes.
18:00 HA! Flight Shaming, that's good. That is the kind of advertising Amtrak should be doing, just go all out and call out the roads and airlines for their BS.
Though a little fact-checking here, the Southern would have been more than happy to keep the Crescent, they were still making a profit on it. Unfortunately, that profitability took a hit when one of those trains got involved in an accident and reluctantly the Southern sold the Crescent to Amtrak as a result.
Pretty much. I might go a little more indepth with that in another video. ;)
You should see Amtrak's Facebook, they are always taking a jab to the Airlines Lol!
@@TheBestTrainsAreReal Amtrak's last CEO Richard Anderson came from Delta. He peed off a lot of railfans when he ended charter trains in March 2018, and made it harder for PV owners to move their cars. You can only hook and unhook them at a major terminal now. Some PV owners gave up and sold their cars to maybe a museum or tourist railroad. Also, some steam groups that ran on BNSF were affected by the charter ban, as they used Amtrak for insurance and diesel power for HEP and dynamic braking, and as backup power in case something happened to the steam locomotive en route. You do not want to tie up a busy freight line with an excursion train.
I'm a train and I approve this video!!
It still blew me away that Roanoke, VA one of the biggest railroad cities hadn’t had passenger rail since the 70’s either. I moved there for a few in 2007 and was surprised we had to drive an hour to Lynchburg just to grab the Amtrak until a decade later. 🤣
Learned some new stuff I didn’t know about Amtrak
4:49 California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and North Carolina
New York MTA: am I a joke to?
Maryland MARC: Welcome to the party, pal
New Jersey NJT: Man this sucks.
He was just giving examples, not telling every state
I used to live in NYC. MTA I know wants another fair hike. From $2.75 to $3.00. Not to mention the the rents are going up. It’s a shame. 😞
Like - Well told • Cheers from the Detroit & Mackinac Railway 🚂
Pretty well done production! Why doesn't public TV carry programs like this?
Here in Ohio, rail travel is not a serious consideration. The last payout to improve rail service was turned down by our governor and went to California. Since our roads are not overcrowded compared to other states, Ohio residents have little reason to consider alternative transportation. Having used Amtrak in the form of the AutoTrain, one year the rails were nice and smooth. Since the rails used are used primarily used by freight trains, the next year the rails were like riding on speed bumps. The trips served me no useful function other than my love of riding on a train. Passenger travel is very expensive and service is no where near what it used to be. However, east and west coast states seem to make a go of it. To make it cheaper for us railfans, they might consider tacking passenger cars on a freight train, remembering you have to go where the freight goes. Not only would you see some areas not normally accessable to passenger trains, but you might get stuck in a freight yard too.
With upgraded trackage and timetable protection, Talgo tilt trains could relieve some of the political hooraw around the cost of true high speed rail. I enjoy Amtrak and understand why I've sometimes spent the whole night on a siding in zero degree weather (I'm looking at you, freight lines), but I'd be even happier doing 120 miles an hour. Walker understood this, which is no doubt why he dismantled the licensed USA factory.
Fun fact: the Amtrak engine in the photo is the same one I saw an hour ago with 145. What a coincidence!
Amtrak almost had the Sunset Limited come back to Florida. I remember I watched the inaugural train go by with two heritage units and phase 3 superliners. Then CSX decided to sell the Tallahassee Subdivision to a shortline and the deal was over just as it started.
The agreements signed by L&N in 1971 still stand and they are backed by law. Now they might be backed by funding!~
In order for Amtrak to prosper & survive they must mimic rail travel in Europe, especially the high-speed aspect of passenger train service. You correctly described all of the roadblocks to achieving this goal, especially the lack of track ownership. The fact that freight service owns the bulk of the nation's tracks puts them in charge of who & when will pass through on their tracks. Couple that with the speed of other forms of travel and it is easy to see why Amtrak has a hard time competing. Unless there is a huge investment in new train cars & separate (from freight) high-speed tracks it is basically a lost cause. The bottom line is freight is more lucrative than passenger train service. The Northeast Corridor's Acela line is a money maker because of the relative speed of the service. It is comparable or sometimes even faster than driving a car to the same destination. It is sad to see the richest country in the world with a second-class national train system. It doesn't have to be that way. If you get some of those well off investors to get onboard with the federal government to fund & structure it right, then we could just as easily rival Europe's world-class train service.
That would require taxing the wealthy their fair share, an outrageous idea! 🤭
LET'S GO!! A new video!!! :)
What the US federal government in association with state governments is to acquire all major rail infrastructure, signalling and train control from the freight rail companies and operate the national rail infrastructure as an 'open' not for profit operation for any freight, passenger including Amtrak and heritage rail museum operator/s and treat the network as tax payer owned national strategic 'steel highway' asset.
Excellent explanation! Hope the big trains come back!
Happy 50th Anniversary Of Amtrak!
Very informative video
I like the rail system here in northern VA, and it's nice to be able to get down to Florida without too much hassle
Definitely going in my favorites playlist👏👏👏👏👏👌 Mwah!
Thanks for watching!
Hey mr. High iron,
I love your knowledge of trains and it got me wondering. Could you do a video on if you ran a railroad what would be the history and what locomotives would you use, especially on the passenger trains? I would definitely send $50 for such an unique video, if nobody else asked before.
Happy 50th Anniversary, Amtrak!!!!
Looooove your video, Happy 50 Amtrak & many more to come. 😊👍👍🚅
Oh how I wish Amtrak or some form of Rail Passenger Service could come to South Dakota.
The president of the NYC RR made a video in 1960 informing the public that the government was backing the airlines by building airports with taxpayer money, but the railroads for over 100 years had to buy land for their tracks and build their own stations. Now I know many will say that is not true because Pres. Lincoln signed the National railroad act, but that was only for the Union Pacific and Central Pacific RRs. Other RRs signed on, but most went bankrupt or were bought out. The point is the US Govt. was not willing to pass a bill for US RRs, but they established the FAA with far more taxpayer money than the RRs even figuring in 100 years of inflation.
Another point. The RR barons of the 1800s (Vanderbilt etc.) had huge investments that made them the RR millionaires they were. In the 20th century (1950 +) other investors in airlines also did this because Americans prefer faster planes than trains.
As the video pointed out, we hope AMTRAK and other private RR passenger companies become
viable again, and carbon saving may that way if all the RRs electrify as they are doing in India, Europe, and China.
@@ernestimken6969 But you left out GM. Government Motors investments in the railroads for control so your electrics will never roll!
@@intercityrailpal They're rolling now. Diesel-battery locomotives are coming on. Don't be surprised if the Milwaukee catenary across the Rockies is operating again with frieght trains.
@@ernestimken6969 That would be a surprise......I-90 pretty much wiped them out.
The pandemic has been a real shame. I had plans for a month long excursion with a rail pass with amtrak for last may, 15 stops from Orlando to Boston to California and back, with all sorts of stops in between, but of course the Rina ruined that...
Nevertheless, im hoping to reconstruct the trip piecemeal over the next few years, and living in Lancaster PA, im hoping to take advantage of the rail along the northeast corridor fairly often!
I've ridden several trains in my life time, including a Amtrack one, and I gotta say.....I wouldn't change it for the world.
At about 20-30 million, The Smithsonian (which is free) and Amtrak have about the same number of “visitor/riders”. I think both should be taxpayer funded to provide a superb product. They both certainly are about America. For coach and sleeper bring back fine, community dining - that former CEO Richard Anderson deleted. DON’T THROW THE CHEF FROM THE TRAIN.
Many of the recent downgrades will be reversed. Thosands of managers were laid off or bought out by the Anderson-Trump railroad. Cause the plan was to shut down the national system this fall.
@@intercityrailpal --- - things hopefully will get better with Biden’s $80B shot in the arm. However Anderson’s replacement Flynn has doubts of dining service. Community seating - per CEO Flynn will be out. Not right. Community seating - a table made full in the dining car - sometimes seating strangers - is fun way: ruclips.net/video/h5nhyFFSweU/видео.html
@@robertmcglinchey3347 Well we have to get the 80 billion first! Republicans have already sent threatening letters to Biden to warn against ANY money for rail! By the way New York Central would have sometimes two diners on trains. Amtrak did this on the California Zephyr in the summer on 5-25-35 It had a Denver diner. All those cars are on the Autotrain now. They got rid of the western services. Because Auto Train was not running when the Superliners were ordered in 1979. The year of the big cuts to Amtrak.
15:47 There's Victorville to Las Vegas again. Good luck.
the day the goverment starts subsidizing rail travel the way they do with road travel the US whould have a wold class network...
At last, an informed view of the balance between highway and rail support!
@@ruffian2952 Yes I thought it was a excellent report.
Always remember this… every time we pump fuel in to our cars trucks and suvs we are paying state and federal on road taxes per gallon and every time we buy an airline ticket we pay airport taxes… hell…many times the airport taxes are more than the airfare itself!
@@Pisca-kk5cs yet the cars are still not paying for the actual cost of the roads
@@Mira_linn true.. but a car will not go anywhere without fuel ⛽️…now here is the kicker..these electric cars now out there and guess what.. local and feds are not getting that fuel tax… so the DOT is trying to pass a use tax or per mile tax..
I'm in the UK have rode around the US for 6 weeks ny-ny in a ford van and also taken the AMTRAK from NY - LA and I do still prefer the train and am mostly still impressed you have a nationalised rail company.
I love how your map of Amtrack's network includes Harrisburg as a major hub. Because its absolutely true.
I did a few long distance trips on Amtrak trains back in the 90s. The seats were big and comfortable and the dinning car had great food. I recommended the experience to so many people.
Though I still struggle to understand why it took so long to repair the track damage done by Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast and why the Amtrak service between New Orleans and Orlando still has not been reinstated.
10:42 Hmmm, Uncle Sam bailed out the airlines but not AMTRAK? I wish I was surprised. The thing to do is #boycotttheairlines so that we the customers can get around the TSA. Not hurt anybody, just go around the TSA. #4thamendment
The “Night Owl” has recently been restored but I don’t think it’s called that.
Hello High Iron! Loved the video today, really made my day! I was wondering if you had some input. So I'm attending the 611 at Strasburg this Summer (Really excited it's my first big railfan event) and I want to get the absolute best for my subscribers and also make my channel look better. So I'm looking at the Canon M50 with the Rode Videomic Go. Do you think that would be a good camera to have for the long term? Thanks in advance!
Probably? IDK. I did a whole video about cameras last year, and came to the conclusion that the best one depends on what you're using it for. I'd recommend looking up test clips from the type you're thinking of before committing.
@@HighIron I did see your video which is what swayed me from Camcorder to Mirrorless/DSLR. I know that Pennsy Productions uses one, and I like his video's aesthetics. Thank you for the input!
percy: DID U SAY M A I L
high iron: no dirty percy waitttt . . . OH SH-
PERCY: DONT CALL ME DIRTY PERCY
Amtrak is a pretty cool passenger train company in the USA.
I have a question: how much does amtrak actually cost? I don't live in the US, but I've been there several times, I took amtrak several times and I've always payed at least 20$ for a ticket. If a ticket costs, at least, 20$, amtrak would earn 6200000000. I know that tickets costs usually more than 20$, so how much money do amtrak really need to be profitable?
Amtrack proudly runs through my city
I wanted to go cross country, saw an old Amtrack video of a long distance trip in a roomette and was hooked. I had traveled in overnight trains in Europe and remembered the dining car Afternoon Tea I had on a trip from London to Newcastle. I was hooked, planned my trip, Atlanta to Seattle by way of Chicago, from there on the Zephyr, fly to Seattle for a conference and take the coastal train south towards Los Angles and then get a car, go east until I got tired of driving and find another train.
Then Covid hit and along with it, the idiotic idea that Dining Cars needed to disappear and Food would now be higher class Microwave messes and packaged long conserved Muffins. Does Amtrack really think I am now going to buy a ticket for $1000 to have a sleeping car and eat that Sh*t? Nope. Not happening.
I'd like to see Amtrak bring back the old E class locomotives. Or at least the looks
5:16 - What kind of service was that? I don't know if I've ever seen modern Amtrak service that long before. Was it just moving equipment or something? It wouldn't seem like it since it had the 2 Phase III P42 anniversary units.
Amtrak's Autumn Express excursion, 2013 version
@@HighIron Amtrak was required by law to run two of these trips a year. Even if the train could sell out in minutes. They only ran two to obey the law. Nothing lately except on the C&O and it took a Senator to make them do it. Surprise billing after the trip bankrupted the private operator the NRHS Huntington Chapter! Now there is a new operator! Anderson-Trump's railroad. it's going to be great you know.
Amtrak Fans, there is a special deal, 50% off on almost ALL trains, max $50 fares. If you want to go on a cross country rail trip this summer, like I am, check Amtrak's website to see the deal. Its fabulous valie
SERIOUSLY!? Dang, I may have to take the Empire Builder again. That was one of the best memories I've ever had.
Still waiting for a pioneer revival
ME 2 !!!!!!
I have never used Amtrack, but at home here use VIA rail every summer instead of driving. Ottawa to T.O. a nd Montreal. They travel on average 110mph. According to conductors I have asked. I only fly if its too far, US (Vegas).
My favorite train is Union p something and I really like how trains work
The Federal government had developed an outright hostility toward the railroads by 1900. Strict regulation was a mainstay of the Progressive movement. The handicapping regulation by the lethargic Interstate Commerce Commission was aggravated by large subsidies to airlines and roads.
i wouldnt count CHSR as a "fit and start." they have begin construction and have finished quite a significant amount of structures and right-of-way, and they don't look poised to give up soon
they have a state-mandated deadline to get a train moving at 220mph before 2025, and their most recent business plan states that they will be able to meet that deadline
They have already met it with their "Fuxing" service.
This video is a perfect representation of why railroads need to be nationalized
It's staggering how much rail is neglected in the USA.
I dont see why Amtrak doesnt operate more auto-train links. Maybe Chicago to Dallas or DC to St Louis to LA.
There is demand across the country for Auto Train.
auto train is the service that Amtrak needs to invest in. I want to use trains but destinations are not walk friendly and car rental to expensive! I would love to load up my car, ride cross country, unload, drive where I want, load up, and ride home.
A couple of things. Amtrak is "officially" known as the National Railroad Passenger Corporation. "Amtrak" is the marketing brand name. Also, I believe that Amtrak, and passenger rail in general, would thrive in the U. S. were it not for the role that corporate money is allowed to play in our politics. Outlaw corporate lobbying and political contributions, and only allow individuals to make small-dollar contributions, and that distortion would end, and the will of the American people for more and better passenger trains would win.
Profits killed the rails with the boards demanding more and more. All markets have gone to hell over greed.
1:02 OMG, they named a real train after the one from that song!
The song was about the train and the demise of passenger rail. Steve Goodman wrote it, Arlo Guthrie performed it best IMHO. My daughter and I were scheduled to ride that train Chicago-New Orleans and back last April when COVID hit and we had to cancel. We rode the California Zephyr Chicago-San Fran a few years ago, awesome trip. She lives in Chicago and rides the Pere Marquette to/from our town in Michigan to visit all the time, much better than dealing with traffic.
@@tedc4488 I knew that the real train inspired the song, but I was trying to make a joke here by suggesting the opposite.
@@InventorZahran Ah, no problem, sorry I misunderstood.
The funny part - the Acela Express trains - the power unit is built by Alstom, same company that built the TGV in France. The other funny, even the MBCR in Bostn uses Alstom to maintain its cars.
10:40 Simply not true. Over their 50 years in service, Amtrak has received Federal subsidies almost every year in operation to the tune of $43,552,000,000 from 1971 up to 2016 (the last year I could find a record of).
Im in Phoenix, az... Very Big City .. No Trains.. we used to have service when I moved to Phoenix (Yes I Used it twice)
Amtrak has a station in Maricopa, and a shuttle bus, but agree, it should be more than Flagstaff and Tucson
I rode on Amtrak from Charlottesville to Chicago about 3 years ago. It was just about the only time I have _ever_ seen train tickets go for cheaper than airline tickets (and I did fly from Chicago to Denver for that exact reason). I was very lucky, because I had planned to meet up with a friend and spend the day in Chicago, however the train wound up running _8 hours_ late because we wound up sitting on the tracks waiting for some freight trains to do some switching. So, yeah, the freight railroad companies don't give half a shit about whether or not passenger trains are remotely on schedule. If I hadn't have planned to stay in Chicago, I probably would've wound up missing my flight. That probably would have left me stranded there, seeing as how I was absolutely broke at that time, and I doubt the airlines would comp me a ticket because the train was late.
It will change when they know the government cares again.
Here in Orlando, many companies including the theme parks are worried about track placement for Brightrail interrupting other infrastructure but still want it in some form.
California has started construction on our high speed line. SF to Bakersfield should be ready in 2025. Now what trains will we put on it. That’s unknown given the goal of 220mph passenger speed which means trains need to built to above TGV/bullet train normal speeds
Amtrak has too many accidents. you are right, though; it was amazing to ride the C&O and B&O and Pennsylvania Pullman cars with all the amenities, fine dining and porters . . . so sad.
At 9:51 - Here is some further info about Michigan Intercity passenger rail service that is also provided by Amtrak on a 135-mile state-owned line between Kalamazoo and Dearborn.
Michigan DOT provides capital and operating assistance, technical support and safety oversight of Michigan’s passenger rail system. The department also sponsors three separate intercity passenger rail routes that are operated by Amtrak and serves 22 station communities. All routes are expected to have new equipment by 2022.
In addition, MDOT owns a segment of the accelerated rail corridor that connects Chicago and Detroit/Pontiac and the communities in between. It funds all capital and maintenance work on the segment of the corridor between Kalamazoo and Dearborn.
Currently, efforts are focused on increasing passenger speeds up to 110 mph in this area. Passenger trains have traveled up to 110 mph since 2012 on the Amtrak-owned portion of the accelerated rail corridor between Kalamazoo, Michigan and Porter, Indiana.
www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-22444_56481---,00.html
www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/MDOTStateOwnedRail_330121_7.pdf
Keep in mind, the primary competitor to rail has been the airlines. In most cases. But it takes incredibly long trips to get to many airports ( Denver for example) the flights are rarely on schedule anymore, there are no amenities to speak of, the “food” horrible, just snack trash, and unless you are 5’9” or less, and 165lbs, you’re crammed in like cattle, and don’t mention TSA issues
I didn't really understand what we didn't have until visiting Europe. I remembered stories from my parents about taking passenger trains from my home town of Bangor, Maine. But that was in the 50s. Now there's finally a push to bring it back. I'd love to see it, as at least when traveling domestically, it's the way I'd prefer to go. Sadly, as it stands, I only take Amtrak on the occasion I visit NYC from Washington DC. I'd love to go elsewhere, like Chicago or New Orleans, but that's not really a realistic option.
I only ever rode Amtrak once, from Anaheim to San Diego just after a trip to Disneyland
Took the Amtrak once about a decade or so ago from Boston to Washington DC. It was definitely an experience but to be honest, it was the same time of travel as driving (roughly 7-8 hours). The reason is actually the entire state of Connecticut where travel speed is about 30mph or so (not entirely sure). If Amtrak can make that section go faster, I am sure it will reduce the travel time by a few hours.
Thank you for the presentation. Valuable!