anniewarbucks wrote:
I agree with the article. Amtrack should run more daytime routes in Kansas. This 1:15 Am stuff is for the birds. If I want to ride the rails I would like to see what I am going through instead of being pitch black out. I believe that the US should try to get the same caliber of rail service as Europe has.
I won't argue with anniew about a preference for daytime trains in Kansas, but I have tried to figure out the wisdom behind this from Amtrak's perspective using the current timetable.
The departure and arrival times for Chicago and LA seem to be, at first blush, convenient for passengers there, but all of this depends upon connections. If the Southwest Chief came through KC and Topeka in daylight, then it would be passing through Missouri at wee hours, or over the beautiful Raton Pass in the dark. But there is more to it, than just scenic considerations. The ideal is to have the trains connect with others, at least within two hours of each other so that people can keep moving without serious waiting room considerations. An interesting thing about Newton is that both eastbound and westbound trains are about an hour apart (I think), and the timetable for the Heartland Flyer would also put it into Newton in the same general connection time with the Southwest Chief. So for connectivity purposes the Newton timetable has some merit. Also, as currently scheduled a person who lives in Topeka or Lawrence can easily use the Southwest Chief for a commute into Kansas City at a reasonable arrival time for working in the City. However, there is no convenient afternoon train that can make the return. Another westbound train through Kansas City might be the answer, and if the Heartland Flyer came on to Kansas City, and returned at about 6:00 pm, the connection and convenience for commuters and regular westbound passengers could be supported (there would still be a layover if these passengers were connecting (westbound) to the 1:15 am Southwest Chief.
I hope this makes sense; but you can see for yourself if you look at maps, distances, and timetables for existing Amtrak trains (Heartland Flyer and Southwest Chief).