This website has been archived from TrainWeb.org/kenrail to TrainWeb.US/kenrail.
Return to KenRail home page
Before leaving Amtrak, CEO George Warrington has set the company on a course toward service cutbacks which cannot be avoided at current funding levels. On March 1, 2002 initial employment cuts went into effect at many stations along routes served across mid-America by so-called "long distance" trains, by those passenger trains still surviving from the pre-Amtrak era (before 1971) which offer comfort enroute for many travelers and essential transportation for the minority of travelers between small towns scattered along the way.
Deeper cutbacks are looming on October 1, when Amtrak has declared intention to end 18 train pairs on 17 routes nationwide, mostly "long distance" trains serving many small markets enroute between distant major cities.
As of March 10, eleven of the seventeen affected long distance routes terminate/originate at Chicago.
California Zephyr, to Emeryville, Calif.
Cardinal, to Washington via Cincinnati
Capitol Limited, to Washington via Pittsburgh
City of New Orleans, to New Orleans via Memphis
Empire Builder, to Seattle and Portland, Ore. via Mpls/St. Paul
Kentucky Cardinal, to Louisville
Lake Shore Limited, to Boston and New York City via Cleveland and Albany
Pennsylvanian, to Philadelphia via Pittsburgh
Southwest Chief, to Los Angeles via Kansas City, Mo.
Texas Eagle, to San Antonio
Three Rivers, to New York City via Pittsburgh and Philadelphia
Also due to stop running on October 1 according to Associated Press and Chicago Tribune, in 10 March 2002 editions, are seven trains which fulfill more than a century of passenger train service to small towns and large cities throughout America:
Crescent: New York City-Atlanta-New Orleans
Coast Starlight: Seattle-Portland, Ore.-Los Angeles
Silver Meteor and Silver Star: New York-Savannah, Ga.-Miami
Silver Palm: New York-Savannah, Ga.-Tampa-Miami
Sunset Limited: Orlando-New Orleans-Los Angeles
Twilight Shoreliner: Boston-Washington-Newport News, Va.
Amtrak has announced these "train-offs," a term not heard since the 1960s, in compliance with statutory requirements designed to afford all affected persons and groups sufficient time to comment.
You should.
The consequences for Midwest High Speed Rail System (MWRRS) are decisive, and those plans for rapid train travel between major Midwest cities also will impact commuter trains in several metropolitan areas. As noted at the Racine meeting of Wisconsin Association of Railroad Passengers in March, 1999, both commuter trains and 110-mph trains warrant support from many more than the direct advocates for each.
Visit Amtrak website
Visit Wisconsin DOT web page for high speed Midwest trains and related topics.
Return to KenRail main page
