Colleagues,

 

I would have to rate our efforts today as successful, and we were told that Amtrak wants this to be an

annual event.

 

Starting about 6:30am, we kept up a continuous Operation Lifesaver presentation of one kind or another

until the SilverMeteor departed on time at 9:48.  At least two formal presentations were made, although one

by me does not count because we did have our visual aids in place yet.  Even so, it was presented in a

general way to nearly 200 persons, 157 of whom were to board the SilverStar for a daytrip to WinterPark, something that has become quite popular on weekends.

 

The Distinguished Congresswoman, C. Brown came to the station to board the SilverMeteor, also to go to

WinterPark and a CSX VP (and good friend) was present to insure that things went smoothly -- well duhh, wonder why the Meteor arrived nearly 30' early, and departed on time.  I asked him if my wife could get the same treatment when she rides the SilverStar to DC tomorrow night?)  I was told by every Amtrak employee present that they get dozens of questions daily about the lack of the Sunset LImited.

 

The CSX VP told me (as we know) that the track was released to Amtrak in April 2006, but he also said that the SSL was the most money losing operation Amtrak had and was an embarrasment to the government.  I told him the money losing part was so much BS and the reason it was so easy to say it lost money was because at 3 days a week, there was no hope of it doing well to cover fixed costs.  He said that CSX has encouraged Amtrak by saying that a daily service would be handled better.  Two high officials of Amtrak stated that much study had, and was, being made of a daily service east of NewOrleans, but admitted that our thinking that there was an equipment shortage was reasonable.

 

Now the good news.  If you read the bill that started through the house this  past week, there is some prose in it, by C.Brown, requiring studies to be made and reported within 9 months of passage, about the Sunset Limited, or at least a Gulf Coast service.  Ms. Brown told me and others present that she also intended to introduce funding specifically for the Sunset Service.  Now that does not mean it will ever make it into law, but we do know that this lady is consistent in doing what she says, at least as far as it is in her control.  Amtrak officials present acknowledge that such a service should connect, on a reasonable layover, with the Sunset Limited west of NewOrleans, as well as with the CNO.  Their ticket studies indicated that a fair number of persons were connecting to the CNO, and personal observation, as well as NARP reports, indicate that a high percentage were connecting through NO.  It was acknowledged that a full service train east of NO would be required, since at least part of that run would be overnight.

 

Others will handle presentations etc. this afternoon around the departure time of the SIlverMeteor, but no activity is planned for the SilverStar which leaves at 11pm.

 

One Amtrak official stated that one of the problems now, on the Sunset Route is that ADA compliant platforms would be required, and the CSX VP stated that they will not allow ADA compliant platforms on a main track because then Hi-Wide loads would not clear, so there is a stalemate on this issue.  Most all of

the platforms and paved pads on the route would have to be rebuilt from the ground up to comply with the ADA issue and most of them abut the main track(s).  In addition to being of a certain height, the platforms must be long enough to accomodate the entire train.  We could find ourselves in a situation of not having any passenger rail because of this issue and we must be aware of this.

 

Jerry Sullivan