Amtrak News: A Little of This and a Little of That
Amtrak is currently looking into adding a train that would connect two of Ohio’s largest cities, Cleveland and Cincinnati. That has prompted officials in several towns and cities along the proposed route to begin lobbying for the train to stop in their town. One such is Columbus and that would sure seem to make sense. It is, after all, the state capital!!
After more than 25 years of waiting, there is hope. Or, more precisely, Hope (with a capital H), Arkansas. Amtrak and the Union Pacific Railroad, which owns the tracks, have apparently reached an agreement to include a stop in that town by the daily Texas Eagle. The train already makes five stops in Arkansas, but adding Hope will be more convenient for people wanting to visit President Clinton’s birthplace and a museum that’s there.
Some of the details are missing for what follows, but what the hell? Amtrak’s Southwest Chief was going to be a half hour at the Lawrence, Kansas, train station last Friday, so some of the locals organized a party on the platform with bluegrass music and refreshments. It was all scheduled to start at 11:30 p.m. and end an hour later – well, to be precise, at 12:32 a.m. – when the Chief was scheduled to depart. No reason given for the half 30 minute wait in the Lawrence station. Crew change, perhaps. Anyone know?
As mentioned a few days ago, earning points when you travel on Amtrak is a good way to get free trips. But you must be a member of Amtrak’s Guest Rewards program. And now through the end of August, bonus points are being given. Go here and click the “Earn Rewards” tab to sign up.
Yet another report about communities wanting passenger train service, this time from Iowa City where they’re hoping for a rail link with Chicago. Note, however, the comment that follows this brief article. Some people just don’t get it. This guy is driving on subsidized roads and flying on subsidized airlines, but doesn’t think taxpayers should help pay for rail travel. Maybe if we privatized pedestrian traffic and he had to pay a toll for walking on the sidewalks in his town he’d get the message!
The layover in Lawrence on the Westbound Southwest Chief is actually quite common. While there is a service stop / crew change at Kansas City (30 miles to the east) the train stops again to refuel is in the Argentine railyard between Kansas City and Lawrence. More often than not lately, the Chief hasn’t had to “wait in line” to refuel and thus hasn’t used all of the time allotted… resulting in an early arrival in Lawrence.
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