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Long-distance Amtrak routes

The Long Distance Service Line is the division of Amtrak responsible for operating all intercity passenger train services in the United States longer than 750 miles (1,210 km). There are fifteen such routes as of 2023, serving over 300 stations in 39 states.[3]

Long Distance Service Line
The Capitol Limited arriving at Harpers Ferry en route from Washington, D.C., to Chicago
Overview
LocaleContiguous United States
Transit typeInter-city rail
Number of lines15
Annual ridership3,944,124[1]
WebsiteLong Distance Trains – Amtrak
Operation
Began operationMay 1, 1971
Operator(s)Amtrak
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Average speed48 mph (77 km/h) between stations[2]
Top speed125 mph (201 km/h) (NEC)
System map

Amtrak's long-distance routes form the backbone of the US national rail network, providing an alternative to intercity drives or flights. They are also noted for their scenery, and are popular as vacations and experiential travel.[4] A few routes provide direct service to National Parks,[note 1] with Amtrak Thruway buses reaching many more.[5]

The rider experience of Amtrak's long-distance trains is distinct from its Northeast Corridor and state-supported services. All trains except the Palmetto involve at least one night of travel, and so are outfitted with sleeping and dining cars.[3] Routes depart once daily in each direction, at most, so some stops are served only at night.[6] Delays are commonplace on long-distance trains, as the tracks are generally controlled by freight railroad companies.[7]

While anchored by major cities, long-distance trains also serve many rural communities en route (unlike commercial flights). A minority of passengers ride an entire route at once, with most traveling between a terminus and an intermediate stop.[8] In FY2023, Amtrak's long-distance trains carried 3,944,124 riders, around 14% of the company's total.[1] However, the routes account for about 42% of passenger miles traveled.[8]

Operations edit

Rolling stock edit

 
The Superliner Sightseer Lounge aboard the Southwest Chief

Amtrak operates two types of long-distance trains: single-level and bi-level. Due to height restrictions on the Northeast Corridor, all six routes that terminate at New York Penn Station operate as single-level trains with Amfleet coaches and Viewliner sleeping cars. The remaining nine long-distance routes operate as bi-level trains with Superliner coaches and sleeping cars. Both single-level and bi-level trains are equipped with Viewliner baggage cars. Amtrak plans to replace all of its long-distance rail cars by 2032, except for the Viewliner II fleet.[9]

Long-distance trains are typically hauled by GE Genesis diesel locomotives. Trains which traverse the Northeast Corridor use Siemens ACS-64 electric locomotives for that segment of their routes, switching engines at Washington Union Station. Amtrak is in the process of replacing all of its long-distance locomotives with diesel-electric Siemens Charger units by 2032.[9] In 2022 the Empire Builder became the first route to receive the new locomotives.[10]

Speed edit

In FY2022, Amtrak's long-distance trains averaged 48 mph (77 km/h) between stations. Dwell time at stations averaged four minutes each, while dwell time at stations with crew changes or enroute servicing averaged 20 minutes each.[2] Trains operating on the Northeast Corridor reach top speeds of 125 mph (201 km/h) in some stretches. The top speed for long-distance trains outside the northeast is 100 mph (160 km/h), reached by the Texas Eagle between Chicago and St. Louis.[11]

Dividing trains edit

In a practice not seen elsewhere in the Amtrak network, four long-distance trains divide partway along their routes. This allows trains to serve multiple endpoints without requiring passengers to transfer, and provides efficiency over the shared route segments. Westbound from Chicago the Empire Builder divides at Spokane, with sections to Seattle and Portland. Eastbound from Chicago the Lake Shore Limited divides at Albany–Rensselaer, with sections to New York and Boston. The Texas Eagle and Sunset Limited are combined between Los Angeles and San Antonio, where the Texas Eagle continues to Chicago and the Sunset Limited to New Orleans. On the reverse trips the trains are coupled at these stations.

Baggage, bicycles, and pets edit

All long-distance Amtrak trains have checked baggage service, save for the Auto Train, which instead allows passengers to transport items in their vehicles. On every other route, passengers are allowed two personal items, two carry-on bags, and two free checked bags. Two additional bags, oversized bags, and bicycles may be checked for a fee. However, baggage and bikes cannot be checked at certain unstaffed stations.[12][13][14][15] Small dogs and cats in carriers are allowed on trips shorter than seven hours for an additional fee. Service animals are exempt from pet restrictions.[16]

Dining edit

 
Dining car breakfast served aboard the California Zephyr

All long-distance routes have café car service offering takeaway meals, snacks, drinks, and alcohol.[17] As of 2023, sleeping car passengers also have access to one of two types of restaurant-style dining. Traditional Dining is available on eight routes and consists of full table service in a dining car. Six routes instead feature Flexible Dining, where passengers may order hot meals to be delivered to their room or lounge.[18][19] Passengers may also bring their own food and drink.[20]

Wi-Fi and cell service edit

Amtrak provides free basic Wi-Fi on seven of its long-distance routes: the Auto Train, Cardinal, Crescent, Lake Shore Limited, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, and Silver Star. The service is intended to support low-bandwidth uses only.[21] Onboard internet is dependent on cell towers along the route of the train, so speed and availability correspond to regional cell coverage.[22]

Routes edit

Name Western terminus Eastern terminus Numbers Miles (km) Average duration Passenger cars[9] Dining Round trips per week
Palmetto Savannah New York 89, 90 829 (1,334) 15 hr 19 min Amfleet[note 2] Café only 7
Cardinal Chicago New York 50, 51 1,147 (1,846) 27 hr 45 min Amfleet II, Viewliner Flexible 3
Crescent New Orleans New York 19, 20 1,377 (2,216) 31 hr 42 min 7
Lake Shore Limited[note 3] Chicago New York 48, 49 959 (1,543) 19 hr 41 min
Boston 448, 449 1,018 (1,638) 21 hr 45 min
Silver Meteor Miami New York 97, 98 1,389 (2,235) 27 hr 44 min Traditional
Silver Star Miami New York 91, 92 1,522 (2,449) 31 hr 33 min
Capitol Limited Chicago Washington, D.C. 29, 30 764 (1,230) 17 hr 30 min Superliner Flexible
City of New Orleans New Orleans Chicago 58, 59 926 (1,490) 19 hr 30 min
Auto Train[note 4] Sanford, Florida Lorton, Virginia 52, 53 855 (1,376) 17 hr Traditional
California Zephyr Emeryville, California Chicago 5, 6 2,438 (3,924) 51 hr 55 min
Coast Starlight Seattle Los Angeles 11, 14 1,377 (2,216) 34 hr 40 min
Empire Builder[note 5] Seattle Chicago 7, 8 2,206 (3,550) 45 hr 43 min
Portland, Oregon 27, 28 2,257 (3,632) 45 hr 23 min
Southwest Chief Los Angeles Chicago 3, 4 2,256 (3,631) 43 hr
Sunset Limited Los Angeles New Orleans 1, 2 1,995 (3,211) 46 hr 8 min 3
Texas Eagle[note 6] Los Angeles Chicago 421, 422 2,728 (4,390) 65 hr 45 min Traditional (LAX–SAS)
San Antonio 21, 22 1,306 (2,102) 31 hr 30 min Flexible 7

History edit

Amtrak's long-distance network is a legacy of the railroad age, when trains operated by private railroad companies were the fastest and sometimes only mode of intercity transportation. The mid-20th century saw steep disinvestment in passenger rail relative to air and highway travel. Passenger trains became financial burdens for railroad companies, who sought to discontinue them. As a solution, Congress created Amtrak, a government-owned company, to operate intercity rail as a public service. Most railroads opted-in and transferred their passenger rail operations to Amtrak on May 1, 1971.[23] After the Southern Railway opted-in to Amtrak in 1979, and the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad in 1983, Amtrak was left as the sole long-distance train operator in the US.

In the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA), Congress divided Amtrak's routes into three strictly-defined service lines: Northeast Corridor routes, short distance corridors (less than 750 mi (1,210 km)), and long-distance routes of more than 750 mi (1,210 km). Unlike short distance "state-supported" corridors, long-distance routes could continue to receive full federal funding.[24][25]

Major route changes edit

1970s edit

In Amtrak's first year, 1971, it significantly overhauled the long-distance rail network in the United States. In addition to selecting which existing routes to retain, Amtrak created several new routes: the Coast Starlight, North Coast Hiawatha, and Lake Shore. It also renamed several routes: the Spirit of St. Louis became the National Limited, the City of New Orleans the Panama Limited, and the South Wind the Floridian. The following year, 1972, the City of San Francisco was renamed the San Francisco Zephyr and the Lake Shore was discontinued.

 
The North Coast Hiawatha (1971–1979) at Bozeman Pass en route to Billings

The Inter-American entered service in 1973 as short-distance train between Laredo and Fort Worth. It was extended north to St. Louis in 1974 and further to Chicago in 1976. In 1974 Amtrak renamed the Super Chief to the Southwest Limited and the Texas Chief to the Lone Star following the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway revoking permission to use the "Chief" names.

The Mountaineer and Lake Shore Limited began service in 1975, and the Palmetto in 1976. The Mountaineer lasted only until 1977, at which point it was replaced by the Hilltopper. The Pioneer also entered service in 1977, and the James Whitcomb Riley was renamed the Cardinal.

1979 was a year of major restructuring. Six long-distance routes were discontinued by the Carter Administration for not meeting a minimum farebox recovery ratio: the Lone Star, Champion, North Coast Hiawatha, National Limited, Floridian, and Hilltopper. As limited compensation, a Houston section was added to the Inter-American, a St. Petersburg section to the Silver Meteor, and the Empire Builder was rerouted to St. Cloud.[26]: 38  Meanwhile, the Southern Railway transferred its last remaining passenger route, the Southern Crescent, to Amtrak, who renamed it the Crescent. The Desert Wind also entered service in 1979.

1980s edit

 
The Pioneer (1977–1997) in the Columbia River Gorge en route from Boise in the 1980s

In 1981 the Capitol Limited began service, while the Inter-American was truncated to San Antonio, stripped of its Houston section, and renamed the Eagle. The Empire Builder was rerouted to Wenatchee, bypassing the Yakima Valley, while a Portland section was added. The Panama Limited was renamed back to the City of New Orleans in hopes of capitalizing on the song of the same name.

The Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad opted-in to Amtrak in 1983. As a result, Amtrak rerouted its San Francisco Zephyr over the former route of the D&RGW's Rio Grande Zephyr between Denver and Salt Lake City, renaming the train the California Zephyr. Amtrak also began operating the Auto Train in 1983.

In 1984 Amtrak renamed the Southwest Limited to the Southwest Chief alongside the deployment of Superliner equipment, and also initiated the River Cities as a section of the City of New Orleans. In 1988 the Eagle was renamed the Texas Eagle, and in 1989 Amtrak began the Gulf Breeze as a section of the Crescent.

1990s edit

In 1990 the Capitol Limited and Broadway Limited were rerouted between Pittsburgh and Chicago, bypassing Fort Wayne. The Capitol Limited was moved to serve Cleveland and South Bend, the Broadway Limited to Youngstown and Akron.

 
The Desert Wind (1979–1997) at Cajon Pass en route from Las Vegas in 1991

Amtrak extended the Sunset Limited east to Florida in 1993, creating its only coast-to-coast route. The River Cities was discontinued the same year.

Amtrak discontinued the Tampa section of the Silver Meteor in 1994.

In 1995 Amtrak discontinued the Gulf Breeze, Palmetto, and Broadway Limited, the latter being partially replaced with the short-distance Three Rivers. Meanwhile, the City of New Orleans was rerouted west to Greenwood between Memphis and Jackson.

In 1996 the Three Rivers was extended to Chicago and the Silver Palm was introduced, essentially restoring service on the routes of the Broadway Limited and Palmetto that had ended the prior year. The Sunset Limited was rerouted to bypass Phoenix at the request of Union Pacific.

 
The Three Rivers (1995–2005) rounding Horseshoe Curve in 2002

In 1997, funding issues forced Amtrak to discontinue the Desert Wind and Pioneer, severing Las Vegas, Wyoming, and Southern Idaho from the rail network.[27]

2000s edit

The Silver Palm was renamed to Palmetto in 2002, restoring the route's former name. In 2005 the Three Rivers was discontinued following the cancellation of a related Postal Service contract. That same year, the Sunset Limited was suspended east of New Orleans due to track damage from Hurricane Katrina.

Table of Discontinued Amtrak Long-Distance Routes edit

Discontinued Amtrak Long-Distance Routes
Name Year Started[note 7] Year Discontinued Eastern Terminus Western Terminus Later Analog
James Whitcomb Riley 1971 1977 Washington, DC Chicago, IL Cardinal
Mountaineer 1975 1977 Norfolk, VA Chicago, IL Hilltopper
Champion 1971 1979 New York, NY St. Petersburg, FL Silver Meteor
Floridian 1971 1979 Miami, FL

St. Petersburg, FL

Chicago, IL
Hilltopper 1977 1979 Boston, MA Catlettsburg, KY Night Owl
Lone Star 1974 1979 Chicago, IL Houston, TX Inter-American
National Limited 1971 1979 New York, NY Kansas City, MO
North Coast Hiawatha 1971 1979 Chicago, IL Seattle, WA
Inter-American 1973 1981 Chicago, IL Laredo, TX Texas Eagle
River Cities 1984 1993 New Orleans, LA Kansas City, MO
Gulf Breeze 1989 1995 New York, NY Mobile, AL
Texas Eagle - Houston[note 8] 1988 1995 Chicago, IL Houston, TX
Sunset Limited - Phoenix 1971 1996 New Orleans, LA Los Angeles, CA Amtrak Thruway
Desert Wind 1979 1997 Chicago, IL Los Angeles, CA
Pioneer 1977 1997 Chicago, IL Seattle, WA
Silver Palm/Palmetto 1982/1976 1985/1995 New York, NY Tampa, FL

Miami, FL

Sunset Limited - East 1993 2005 Orlando, FL

Miami, FL

Los Angeles, CA
Broadway Limited/Three Rivers 1971, 1995 1995, 2005 New York, NY Chicago, IL

Proposed expansion edit

In 2017, North Carolina and Connecticut were in talks to extend the Carolinian from New York to New Haven. The resultant 779-mile (1,254 km) route would cross the 750-mile (1,210 km) threshold required to categorize the Carolinian as a long-distance train, thus freeing North Carolina of its funding obligations.[28][29]

Long-Distance Service Study edit

In November 2021, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Section 22214 of the law orders the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to study the restoration of all long-distance Amtrak routes that had been discontinued, daily service on non-daily trains (the Cardinal and Sunset Limited), and the possibility of new long-distance routes—particularly those that were discontinued upon the formation of Amtrak.[30]

Work on the Long-Distance Service Study began in September 2022.[31] Materials published in February 2023 indicated that the FRA was studying 18 discontinued long-distance Amtrak routes, as well as four that were discontinued in 1971: the City of Miami, George Washington, Pan-American, and San Francisco Chief.[32]

In February 2024, the FRA released its preferred draft network of fifteen new long-distance routes. The plan would increase the coverage of the long-distance Amtrak network by 23,200 route miles, reaching an additional 45 million population, 61 metropolitan statistical areas, 24 congressional districts, twelve National Park Service sites, and two states (Wyoming and South Dakota). Another round of public input will take place before the final set of routes are recommended to Congress in spring 2024.[33][34]

Long-Distance Service Study draft preferred routes
Designation Route[note 9] Miles (km) Duration Historic analog
Chicago–Miami ChicagoIndianapolisLouisvilleNashvilleChattanoogaAtlantaMaconJacksonvilleOrlandoMiami 1,529 (2,461) 36 hr Floridian
Dallas/Fort Worth–Miami Dallas–Fort WorthShreveportBaton RougeNew OrleansMobilePensacolaTallahasseeJacksonvilleMiami 1,498 (2,411) 36 hr
Denver–Houston DenverColorado SpringsTrinidadAmarilloDallas–Fort WorthBryanHouston 1,096 (1,764) 26 hr
Los Angeles–Denver Los AngelesBarstowLas VegasSalt Lake CityCheyenneDenver 1,440 (2,320) 33 hr Desert Wind
Phoenix–Minneapolis/St. Paul PhoenixFlagstaffAlbuquerqueAmarilloWichitaKansas CityOmahaSioux FallsMinneapolis–Saint Paul 2,186 (3,518) 48 hr
Dallas/Fort Worth–New York Dallas–Fort WorthOklahoma CityTulsaSpringfieldSt. LouisIndianapolisCincinnatiColumbusPittsburghPhiladelphiaNew York City 1,854 (2,984) 45 hr National Limited
Houston–New York HoustonNew OrleansMobileMontgomeryAtlantaChattanoogaLynchburgWashington, D.C.PhiladelphiaNew York City 1,840 (2,960) 44 hr Southerner
Seattle–Denver SeattlePortlandBoisePocatelloSalt Lake CityGrand JunctionDenver 1,671 (2,689) 40 hr Pioneer
San Antonio–Minneapolis/St. Paul San AntonioDallas–Fort WorthTulsaKansas CityDes MoinesMinneapolis–Saint Paul 1,572 (2,530) 32 hr Twin Star Rocket
San Francisco–Dallas/Fort Worth San FranciscoBakersfieldBarstowPhoenixTucsonEl PasoMidlandDallas–Fort Worth 1,911 (3,075) 43 hr
Detroit–New Orleans DetroitColumbusCincinnatiLouisvilleNashvilleBirminghamMontgomeryMobileNew Orleans 1,246 (2,005) 29 hr Pan-American
Denver–Minneapolis/St. Paul DenverCheyenneRapid CityPierreSioux FallsMinneapolis–Saint Paul 1,136 (1,828) 26 hr
Seattle–Chicago SeattleYakimaSpokaneSandpointHelenaBillingsBismarckFargoMinneapolis–Saint PaulMilwaukeeChicago 2,096 (3,373) 50 hr North Coast Hiawatha
Dallas/Fort Worth–Atlanta Dallas–Fort WorthShreveportJacksonMeridianBirminghamAtlanta 870 (1,400) 22 hr
El Paso–Billings El PasoLas CrucesAlbuquerqueTrinidadColorado SpringsDenverCheyenneCasperBillings 1,393 (2,242) 31 hr

Notes edit

  1. ^ The Empire Builder serves Glacier National Park and the Cardinal serves New River Gorge National Park.
  2. ^ No sleeping car service.
  3. ^ Train divides at Albany–Rensselaer.
  4. ^ Vehicle-transport train; only passengers transporting a car may ride. Makes no intermediate stops.
  5. ^ Train divides at Spokane.
  6. ^ Combines with the Sunset Limited between San Antonio and Los Angeles three days per week.
  7. ^ Start year under Amtrak (min 1971)
  8. ^ Specifically refers to the Houston service
  9. ^ Not all stops are listed. Italics indicate cities lacking rail service at the time of the study.

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Amtrak FY23 Ridership" (PDF). Amtrak. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "FRA Long-Distance Service Study: 1 Regional Working Group Meeting 3" (PDF). fralongdistancerailstudy.org. Federal Railroad Administration. February 2024. p. 116. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "FY 2022-2027 Service and Asset Line Plans" (PDF). Amtrak. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  4. ^ Rajesh, Monisha (October 18, 2022). "6 Scenic Amtrak Routes to Book Just for the Views". Condé Nast Traveler. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  5. ^ Vermillion, Stephanie (November 2, 2021). "How to Take a Train to All the Best National Parks". Outside Online. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  6. ^ Glaser, Susan (November 10, 2019). "Amtrak from Cleveland to Chicago: A relaxing ride despite middle-of-the-night departures, late trains". cleveland.com. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  7. ^ "Freight Delays and Your Amtrak Service". www.amtrak.com. Amtrak. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Long Distance Trains: Multipurpose Mobility Machines" (PDF). www.railpassengers.org. Rail Passengers Association. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  9. ^ a b c "Amtrak's FY 2022-2027 Service and Asset Line Plans" (PDF). Amtrak. p. 133. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  10. ^ Franz, Justin (February 8, 2022). "Amtrak's New ALC-42s to Enter Service Today". Railfan and Railroad Magazine. from the original on February 8, 2022. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  11. ^ Johnston, Bob (May 3, 2023). "110 mph Schedules Coming for Amtrak Chicago-St. Louis Corridor". Trains. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  12. ^ "Amtrak Carry-On Baggage Policy". www.amtrak.com. Amtrak. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  13. ^ "Amtrak Checked Baggage Policy". www.amtrak.com. Amtrak. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  14. ^ "Bring Your Bike on Amtrak". www.amtrak.com. Amtrak. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  15. ^ "Amtrak Bike FAQs". www.amtrak.com. Amtrak. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  16. ^ "Pets on Amtrak Trains". www.amtrak.com. Amtrak. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  17. ^ "Amtrak National Café Menu Version 0723" (PDF). amtrak.com. Amtrak. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  18. ^ "Amtrak Traditional Dining". www.amtrak.com. Amtrak. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  19. ^ "Amtrak Flexible Dining". www.amtrak.com. Amtrak. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  20. ^ "Personal Food, Beverages and Medication on Amtrak". www.amtrak.com. Amtrak. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  21. ^ "Journey with WiFi on Amtrak". www.amtrak.com. Amtrak. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  22. ^ Segan, Sascha (January 25, 2022). "Can You Actually Work on Amtrak's Free Wi-Fi? We Tested It to Find Out". PCMAG. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  23. ^ Thoms 1973, pp. 38–39
  24. ^ Szabo, Joseph C. (March 11, 2011). "The Implementation of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008". www.transportation.gov. US Department of Transportation. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  25. ^ "Overview, Highlights and Summary of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA)" (PDF). railroads.dot.gov. Federal Railroad Administration. March 10, 2009. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  26. ^ Schafer, Mike (1991). All Aboard Amtrak: 1971–1991. Piscataway, New Jersey: Railpace Co. ISBN 978-0-9621-5414-0. OCLC 24545029.
  27. ^ "The end of the line for an era". Times-News. Twin Falls, Idaho. May 9, 1997. p. E1. Retrieved November 13, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  28. ^ "Carolinian's New Start" (PDF). All Aboard in the Carolinas. Carolinas Association of Passenger Trains. March–April 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  29. ^ Worley, Paul (March 22, 2017). (PDF). ncleg.gov. North Carolina Department of Transportation. p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 10, 2019. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  30. ^ "What's in the Investment in Infrastructure and Jobs Act (IIJA)?". www.railpassengers.org. November 8, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  31. ^ Worrell, Carolina (November 2, 2022). "FRA Kicks Off Amtrak Daily Long-Distance Service Study". Railway Age. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  32. ^ "FRA Long Distance Service Study, Regional Working Group Meeting 1: Overview Presentation" (PDF). fralongdistancerailstudy.org. Federal Railroad Administration. February 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  33. ^ Matthews, Jim (February 16, 2024). "The Round Three LD Map Is OUT!". www.railpassengers.org. Rail Passengers Association. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  34. ^ "FRA Long-Distance Service Study: 1 Regional Working Group Meeting 3" (PDF). fralongdistancerailstudy.org. Federal Railroad Administration. February 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024.

Sources edit

  • Thoms, William E. (1973). Reprieve for the Iron Horse: The AMTRAK Experiment–Its Predecessors and Prospects. Baton Rouge, LA: Claitor's Publishing Division. OCLC 1094744.

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The Long Distance Service Line is the division of Amtrak responsible for operating all intercity passenger train services in the United States longer than 750 miles 1 210 km There are fifteen such routes as of 2023 update serving over 300 stations in 39 states 3 Long Distance Service LineThe Capitol Limited arriving at Harpers Ferry en route from Washington D C to ChicagoOverviewLocaleContiguous United StatesTransit typeInter city railNumber of lines15Annual ridership3 944 124 1 WebsiteLong Distance Trains AmtrakOperationBegan operationMay 1 1971Operator s AmtrakTechnicalTrack gauge4 ft 8 1 2 in 1 435 mm standard gaugeAverage speed48 mph 77 km h between stations 2 Top speed125 mph 201 km h NEC System map Amtrak s long distance routes form the backbone of the US national rail network providing an alternative to intercity drives or flights They are also noted for their scenery and are popular as vacations and experiential travel 4 A few routes provide direct service to National Parks note 1 with Amtrak Thruway buses reaching many more 5 The rider experience of Amtrak s long distance trains is distinct from its Northeast Corridor and state supported services All trains except the Palmetto involve at least one night of travel and so are outfitted with sleeping and dining cars 3 Routes depart once daily in each direction at most so some stops are served only at night 6 Delays are commonplace on long distance trains as the tracks are generally controlled by freight railroad companies 7 While anchored by major cities long distance trains also serve many rural communities en route unlike commercial flights A minority of passengers ride an entire route at once with most traveling between a terminus and an intermediate stop 8 In FY2023 Amtrak s long distance trains carried 3 944 124 riders around 14 of the company s total 1 However the routes account for about 42 of passenger miles traveled 8 Contents 1 Operations 1 1 Rolling stock 1 2 Speed 1 3 Dividing trains 1 4 Baggage bicycles and pets 1 5 Dining 1 6 Wi Fi and cell service 2 Routes 3 History 3 1 Major route changes 3 1 1 1970s 3 1 2 1980s 3 1 3 1990s 3 1 4 2000s 3 1 5 Table of Discontinued Amtrak Long Distance Routes 4 Proposed expansion 4 1 Long Distance Service Study 5 Notes 6 References 7 SourcesOperations editRolling stock edit nbsp The Superliner Sightseer Lounge aboard the Southwest Chief Amtrak operates two types of long distance trains single level and bi level Due to height restrictions on the Northeast Corridor all six routes that terminate at New York Penn Station operate as single level trains with Amfleet coaches and Viewliner sleeping cars The remaining nine long distance routes operate as bi level trains with Superliner coaches and sleeping cars Both single level and bi level trains are equipped with Viewliner baggage cars Amtrak plans to replace all of its long distance rail cars by 2032 except for the Viewliner II fleet 9 Long distance trains are typically hauled by GE Genesis diesel locomotives Trains which traverse the Northeast Corridor use Siemens ACS 64 electric locomotives for that segment of their routes switching engines at Washington Union Station Amtrak is in the process of replacing all of its long distance locomotives with diesel electric Siemens Charger units by 2032 9 In 2022 the Empire Builder became the first route to receive the new locomotives 10 Speed edit In FY2022 Amtrak s long distance trains averaged 48 mph 77 km h between stations Dwell time at stations averaged four minutes each while dwell time at stations with crew changes or enroute servicing averaged 20 minutes each 2 Trains operating on the Northeast Corridor reach top speeds of 125 mph 201 km h in some stretches The top speed for long distance trains outside the northeast is 100 mph 160 km h reached by the Texas Eagle between Chicago and St Louis 11 Dividing trains edit In a practice not seen elsewhere in the Amtrak network four long distance trains divide partway along their routes This allows trains to serve multiple endpoints without requiring passengers to transfer and provides efficiency over the shared route segments Westbound from Chicago the Empire Builder divides at Spokane with sections to Seattle and Portland Eastbound from Chicago the Lake Shore Limited divides at Albany Rensselaer with sections to New York and Boston The Texas Eagle and Sunset Limited are combined between Los Angeles and San Antonio where the Texas Eagle continues to Chicago and the Sunset Limited to New Orleans On the reverse trips the trains are coupled at these stations Baggage bicycles and pets edit All long distance Amtrak trains have checked baggage service save for the Auto Train which instead allows passengers to transport items in their vehicles On every other route passengers are allowed two personal items two carry on bags and two free checked bags Two additional bags oversized bags and bicycles may be checked for a fee However baggage and bikes cannot be checked at certain unstaffed stations 12 13 14 15 Small dogs and cats in carriers are allowed on trips shorter than seven hours for an additional fee Service animals are exempt from pet restrictions 16 Dining edit nbsp Dining car breakfast served aboard the California Zephyr All long distance routes have cafe car service offering takeaway meals snacks drinks and alcohol 17 As of 2023 update sleeping car passengers also have access to one of two types of restaurant style dining Traditional Dining is available on eight routes and consists of full table service in a dining car Six routes instead feature Flexible Dining where passengers may order hot meals to be delivered to their room or lounge 18 19 Passengers may also bring their own food and drink 20 Wi Fi and cell service edit Amtrak provides free basic Wi Fi on seven of its long distance routes the Auto Train Cardinal Crescent Lake Shore Limited Palmetto Silver Meteor and Silver Star The service is intended to support low bandwidth uses only 21 Onboard internet is dependent on cell towers along the route of the train so speed and availability correspond to regional cell coverage 22 Routes editName Western terminus Eastern terminus Numbers Miles km Average duration Passenger cars 9 Dining Round trips per week Palmetto Savannah New York 89 90 829 1 334 15 hr 19 min Amfleet note 2 Cafe only 7 Cardinal Chicago New York 50 51 1 147 1 846 27 hr 45 min Amfleet II Viewliner Flexible 3 Crescent New Orleans New York 19 20 1 377 2 216 31 hr 42 min 7 Lake Shore Limited note 3 Chicago New York 48 49 959 1 543 19 hr 41 min Boston 448 449 1 018 1 638 21 hr 45 min Silver Meteor Miami New York 97 98 1 389 2 235 27 hr 44 min Traditional Silver Star Miami New York 91 92 1 522 2 449 31 hr 33 min Capitol Limited Chicago Washington D C 29 30 764 1 230 17 hr 30 min Superliner Flexible City of New Orleans New Orleans Chicago 58 59 926 1 490 19 hr 30 min Auto Train note 4 Sanford Florida Lorton Virginia 52 53 855 1 376 17 hr Traditional California Zephyr Emeryville California Chicago 5 6 2 438 3 924 51 hr 55 min Coast Starlight Seattle Los Angeles 11 14 1 377 2 216 34 hr 40 min Empire Builder note 5 Seattle Chicago 7 8 2 206 3 550 45 hr 43 min Portland Oregon 27 28 2 257 3 632 45 hr 23 min Southwest Chief Los Angeles Chicago 3 4 2 256 3 631 43 hr Sunset Limited Los Angeles New Orleans 1 2 1 995 3 211 46 hr 8 min 3 Texas Eagle note 6 Los Angeles Chicago 421 422 2 728 4 390 65 hr 45 min Traditional LAX SAS San Antonio 21 22 1 306 2 102 31 hr 30 min Flexible 7History editAmtrak s long distance network is a legacy of the railroad age when trains operated by private railroad companies were the fastest and sometimes only mode of intercity transportation The mid 20th century saw steep disinvestment in passenger rail relative to air and highway travel Passenger trains became financial burdens for railroad companies who sought to discontinue them As a solution Congress created Amtrak a government owned company to operate intercity rail as a public service Most railroads opted in and transferred their passenger rail operations to Amtrak on May 1 1971 23 After the Southern Railway opted in to Amtrak in 1979 and the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad in 1983 Amtrak was left as the sole long distance train operator in the US In the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 PRIIA Congress divided Amtrak s routes into three strictly defined service lines Northeast Corridor routes short distance corridors less than 750 mi 1 210 km and long distance routes of more than 750 mi 1 210 km Unlike short distance state supported corridors long distance routes could continue to receive full federal funding 24 25 Major route changes edit This section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources discontinued Amtrak routes news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2024 Learn how and when to remove this message 1970s edit In Amtrak s first year 1971 it significantly overhauled the long distance rail network in the United States In addition to selecting which existing routes to retain Amtrak created several new routes the Coast Starlight North Coast Hiawatha and Lake Shore It also renamed several routes the Spirit of St Louis became the National Limited the City of New Orleans the Panama Limited and the South Wind the Floridian The following year 1972 the City of San Francisco was renamed the San Francisco Zephyr and the Lake Shore was discontinued nbsp The North Coast Hiawatha 1971 1979 at Bozeman Pass en route to Billings The Inter American entered service in 1973 as short distance train between Laredo and Fort Worth It was extended north to St Louis in 1974 and further to Chicago in 1976 In 1974 Amtrak renamed the Super Chief to the Southwest Limited and the Texas Chief to the Lone Star following the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railway revoking permission to use the Chief names The Mountaineer and Lake Shore Limited began service in 1975 and the Palmetto in 1976 The Mountaineer lasted only until 1977 at which point it was replaced by the Hilltopper The Pioneer also entered service in 1977 and the James Whitcomb Riley was renamed the Cardinal 1979 was a year of major restructuring Six long distance routes were discontinued by the Carter Administration for not meeting a minimum farebox recovery ratio the Lone Star Champion North Coast Hiawatha National Limited Floridian and Hilltopper As limited compensation a Houston section was added to the Inter American a St Petersburg section to the Silver Meteor and the Empire Builder was rerouted to St Cloud 26 38 Meanwhile the Southern Railway transferred its last remaining passenger route the Southern Crescent to Amtrak who renamed it the Crescent The Desert Wind also entered service in 1979 1980s edit nbsp The Pioneer 1977 1997 in the Columbia River Gorge en route from Boise in the 1980s In 1981 the Capitol Limited began service while the Inter American was truncated to San Antonio stripped of its Houston section and renamed the Eagle The Empire Builder was rerouted to Wenatchee bypassing the Yakima Valley while a Portland section was added The Panama Limited was renamed back to the City of New Orleans in hopes of capitalizing on the song of the same name The Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad opted in to Amtrak in 1983 As a result Amtrak rerouted its San Francisco Zephyr over the former route of the D amp RGW s Rio Grande Zephyr between Denver and Salt Lake City renaming the train the California Zephyr Amtrak also began operating the Auto Train in 1983 In 1984 Amtrak renamed the Southwest Limited to the Southwest Chief alongside the deployment of Superliner equipment and also initiated the River Cities as a section of the City of New Orleans In 1988 the Eagle was renamed the Texas Eagle and in 1989 Amtrak began the Gulf Breeze as a section of the Crescent 1990s edit In 1990 the Capitol Limited and Broadway Limited were rerouted between Pittsburgh and Chicago bypassing Fort Wayne The Capitol Limited was moved to serve Cleveland and South Bend the Broadway Limited to Youngstown and Akron nbsp The Desert Wind 1979 1997 at Cajon Pass en route from Las Vegas in 1991 Amtrak extended the Sunset Limited east to Florida in 1993 creating its only coast to coast route The River Cities was discontinued the same year Amtrak discontinued the Tampa section of the Silver Meteor in 1994 In 1995 Amtrak discontinued the Gulf Breeze Palmetto and Broadway Limited the latter being partially replaced with the short distance Three Rivers Meanwhile the City of New Orleans was rerouted west to Greenwood between Memphis and Jackson In 1996 the Three Rivers was extended to Chicago and the Silver Palm was introduced essentially restoring service on the routes of the Broadway Limited and Palmetto that had ended the prior year The Sunset Limited was rerouted to bypass Phoenix at the request of Union Pacific nbsp The Three Rivers 1995 2005 rounding Horseshoe Curve in 2002In 1997 funding issues forced Amtrak to discontinue the Desert Wind and Pioneer severing Las Vegas Wyoming and Southern Idaho from the rail network 27 2000s editThe Silver Palm was renamed to Palmetto in 2002 restoring the route s former name In 2005 the Three Rivers was discontinued following the cancellation of a related Postal Service contract That same year the Sunset Limited was suspended east of New Orleans due to track damage from Hurricane Katrina Table of Discontinued Amtrak Long Distance Routes edit Discontinued Amtrak Long Distance Routes Name Year Started note 7 Year Discontinued Eastern Terminus Western Terminus Later Analog James Whitcomb Riley 1971 1977 Washington DC Chicago IL Cardinal Mountaineer 1975 1977 Norfolk VA Chicago IL Hilltopper Champion 1971 1979 New York NY St Petersburg FL Silver Meteor Floridian 1971 1979 Miami FL St Petersburg FL Chicago IL Hilltopper 1977 1979 Boston MA Catlettsburg KY Night Owl Lone Star 1974 1979 Chicago IL Houston TX Inter American National Limited 1971 1979 New York NY Kansas City MO North Coast Hiawatha 1971 1979 Chicago IL Seattle WA Inter American 1973 1981 Chicago IL Laredo TX Texas Eagle River Cities 1984 1993 New Orleans LA Kansas City MO Gulf Breeze 1989 1995 New York NY Mobile AL Texas Eagle Houston note 8 1988 1995 Chicago IL Houston TX Sunset Limited Phoenix 1971 1996 New Orleans LA Los Angeles CA Amtrak Thruway Desert Wind 1979 1997 Chicago IL Los Angeles CA Pioneer 1977 1997 Chicago IL Seattle WA Silver Palm Palmetto 1982 1976 1985 1995 New York NY Tampa FL Miami FL Sunset Limited East 1993 2005 Orlando FL Miami FL Los Angeles CA Broadway Limited Three Rivers 1971 1995 1995 2005 New York NY Chicago ILProposed expansion editIn 2017 North Carolina and Connecticut were in talks to extend the Carolinian from New York to New Haven The resultant 779 mile 1 254 km route would cross the 750 mile 1 210 km threshold required to categorize the Carolinian as a long distance train thus freeing North Carolina of its funding obligations 28 29 Long Distance Service Study edit In November 2021 Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Section 22214 of the law orders the Federal Railroad Administration FRA to study the restoration of all long distance Amtrak routes that had been discontinued daily service on non daily trains the Cardinal and Sunset Limited and the possibility of new long distance routes particularly those that were discontinued upon the formation of Amtrak 30 Work on the Long Distance Service Study began in September 2022 31 Materials published in February 2023 indicated that the FRA was studying 18 discontinued long distance Amtrak routes as well as four that were discontinued in 1971 the City of Miami George Washington Pan American and San Francisco Chief 32 In February 2024 the FRA released its preferred draft network of fifteen new long distance routes The plan would increase the coverage of the long distance Amtrak network by 23 200 route miles reaching an additional 45 million population 61 metropolitan statistical areas 24 congressional districts twelve National Park Service sites and two states Wyoming and South Dakota Another round of public input will take place before the final set of routes are recommended to Congress in spring 2024 33 34 Long Distance Service Study draft preferred routes Designation Route note 9 Miles km Duration Historic analog Chicago Miami Chicago Indianapolis Louisville Nashville Chattanooga Atlanta Macon Jacksonville Orlando Miami 1 529 2 461 36 hr Floridian Dallas Fort Worth Miami Dallas Fort Worth Shreveport Baton Rouge New Orleans Mobile Pensacola Tallahassee Jacksonville Miami 1 498 2 411 36 hr Denver Houston Denver Colorado Springs Trinidad Amarillo Dallas Fort Worth Bryan Houston 1 096 1 764 26 hr Los Angeles Denver Los Angeles Barstow Las Vegas Salt Lake City Cheyenne Denver 1 440 2 320 33 hr Desert Wind Phoenix Minneapolis St Paul Phoenix Flagstaff Albuquerque Amarillo Wichita Kansas City Omaha Sioux Falls Minneapolis Saint Paul 2 186 3 518 48 hr Dallas Fort Worth New York Dallas Fort Worth Oklahoma City Tulsa Springfield St Louis Indianapolis Cincinnati Columbus Pittsburgh Philadelphia New York City 1 854 2 984 45 hr National Limited Houston New York Houston New Orleans Mobile Montgomery Atlanta Chattanooga Lynchburg Washington D C Philadelphia New York City 1 840 2 960 44 hr Southerner Seattle Denver Seattle Portland Boise Pocatello Salt Lake City Grand Junction Denver 1 671 2 689 40 hr Pioneer San Antonio Minneapolis St Paul San Antonio Dallas Fort Worth Tulsa Kansas City Des Moines Minneapolis Saint Paul 1 572 2 530 32 hr Twin Star Rocket San Francisco Dallas Fort Worth San Francisco Bakersfield Barstow Phoenix Tucson El Paso Midland Dallas Fort Worth 1 911 3 075 43 hr Detroit New Orleans Detroit Columbus Cincinnati Louisville Nashville Birmingham Montgomery Mobile New Orleans 1 246 2 005 29 hr Pan American Denver Minneapolis St Paul Denver Cheyenne Rapid City Pierre Sioux Falls Minneapolis Saint Paul 1 136 1 828 26 hr Seattle Chicago Seattle Yakima Spokane Sandpoint Helena Billings Bismarck Fargo Minneapolis Saint Paul Milwaukee Chicago 2 096 3 373 50 hr North Coast Hiawatha Dallas Fort Worth Atlanta Dallas Fort Worth Shreveport Jackson Meridian Birmingham Atlanta 870 1 400 22 hr El Paso Billings El Paso Las Cruces Albuquerque Trinidad Colorado Springs Denver Cheyenne Casper Billings 1 393 2 242 31 hrNotes edit The Empire Builder serves Glacier National Park and the Cardinal serves New River Gorge National Park No sleeping car service Train divides at Albany Rensselaer Vehicle transport train only passengers transporting a car may ride Makes no intermediate stops Train divides at Spokane Combines with the Sunset Limited between San Antonio and Los Angeles three days per week Start year under Amtrak min 1971 Specifically refers to the Houston service Not all stops are listed Italics indicate cities lacking rail service at the time of the study References edit a b Amtrak FY23 Ridership PDF Amtrak Retrieved March 28 2024 a b FRA Long Distance Service Study 1 Regional Working Group Meeting 3 PDF fralongdistancerailstudy org Federal Railroad Administration February 2024 p 116 Retrieved February 19 2024 a b FY 2022 2027 Service and Asset Line Plans PDF Amtrak Retrieved June 25 2023 Rajesh Monisha October 18 2022 6 Scenic Amtrak Routes to Book Just for the Views Conde Nast Traveler Retrieved June 26 2023 Vermillion Stephanie November 2 2021 How to Take a Train to All the Best National Parks Outside Online Retrieved June 26 2023 Glaser Susan November 10 2019 Amtrak from Cleveland to Chicago A relaxing ride despite middle of the night departures late trains cleveland com Retrieved June 26 2023 Freight Delays and Your Amtrak Service www amtrak com Amtrak Retrieved June 26 2023 a b Long Distance Trains Multipurpose Mobility Machines PDF www railpassengers org Rail Passengers Association Retrieved June 25 2023 a b c Amtrak s FY 2022 2027 Service and Asset Line Plans PDF Amtrak p 133 Retrieved September 21 2023 Franz Justin February 8 2022 Amtrak s New ALC 42s to Enter Service Today Railfan and Railroad Magazine Archived from the original on February 8 2022 Retrieved February 8 2022 Johnston Bob May 3 2023 110 mph Schedules Coming for Amtrak Chicago St Louis Corridor Trains Retrieved May 6 2023 Amtrak Carry On Baggage Policy www amtrak com Amtrak Retrieved October 3 2023 Amtrak Checked Baggage Policy www amtrak com Amtrak Retrieved October 3 2023 Bring Your Bike on Amtrak www amtrak com Amtrak Retrieved October 3 2023 Amtrak Bike FAQs www amtrak com Amtrak Retrieved October 3 2023 Pets on Amtrak Trains www amtrak com Amtrak Retrieved October 3 2023 Amtrak National Cafe Menu Version 0723 PDF amtrak com Amtrak Retrieved September 28 2023 Amtrak Traditional Dining www amtrak com Amtrak Retrieved September 28 2023 Amtrak Flexible Dining www amtrak com Amtrak Retrieved September 28 2023 Personal Food Beverages and Medication on Amtrak www amtrak com Amtrak Retrieved September 28 2023 Journey with WiFi on Amtrak www amtrak com Amtrak Retrieved September 29 2023 Segan Sascha January 25 2022 Can You Actually Work on Amtrak s Free Wi Fi We Tested It to Find Out PCMAG Retrieved September 29 2023 Thoms 1973 pp 38 39 Szabo Joseph C March 11 2011 The Implementation of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 www transportation gov US Department of Transportation Retrieved June 25 2023 Overview Highlights and Summary of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 PRIIA PDF railroads dot gov Federal Railroad Administration March 10 2009 Retrieved June 25 2023 Schafer Mike 1991 All Aboard Amtrak 1971 1991 Piscataway New Jersey Railpace Co ISBN 978 0 9621 5414 0 OCLC 24545029 The end of the line for an era Times News Twin Falls Idaho May 9 1997 p E1 Retrieved November 13 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp Carolinian s New Start PDF All Aboard in the Carolinas Carolinas Association of Passenger Trains March April 2017 Retrieved March 30 2023 Worley Paul March 22 2017 Rail Division PDF ncleg gov North Carolina Department of Transportation p 9 Archived from the original PDF on January 10 2019 Retrieved January 10 2019 What s in the Investment in Infrastructure and Jobs Act IIJA www railpassengers org November 8 2021 Retrieved September 21 2023 Worrell Carolina November 2 2022 FRA Kicks Off Amtrak Daily Long Distance Service Study Railway Age Retrieved September 21 2023 FRA Long Distance Service Study Regional Working Group Meeting 1 Overview Presentation PDF fralongdistancerailstudy org Federal Railroad Administration February 2023 Retrieved September 21 2023 Matthews Jim February 16 2024 The Round Three LD Map Is OUT www railpassengers org Rail Passengers Association Retrieved February 17 2024 FRA Long Distance Service Study 1 Regional Working Group Meeting 3 PDF fralongdistancerailstudy org Federal Railroad Administration February 2024 Retrieved February 19 2024 Sources editThoms William E 1973 Reprieve for the Iron Horse The AMTRAK Experiment Its Predecessors and Prospects Baton Rouge LA Claitor s Publishing Division OCLC 1094744 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Long distance Amtrak routes amp oldid 1216094847, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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