[tabi] Amtrak considers return to Tallahassee
- From: "Chip Orange" <Corange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:51:43 -0400
It looks like you may want to contact your congressional representatives
about this. from todays Democrat:
July 17, 2009
Amtrak considers return to North Florida
By Eun Kyung Kim
Democrat Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON - Amtrak released a long-awaited report to Congress on
Thursday that outlines
options for restoring passenger rail service through north Florida.
One of the three options listed is restoring the Sunset Limited, a
tri-weekly service
running from Los Angeles to Orlando. Damaged caused by Hurricane Katrina
led to halting
the service east of New Orleans, suspending stops at 13 stations,
including those
in Pensacola and Tallahassee.
The report's second option would be extending the daily City of New
Orleans route
that runs from Chicago to Orlando, through New Orleans.
The third option would implement daily stand-alone overnight service
between New
Orleans and Orlando.
The report also breaks down projected financial and performance measures
for each
route.
U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd said north Florida residents have asked about the
possibility
of restoring service to the Panhandle.
"Congress will now fully examine these options, and I am looking forward
to working
closely with my colleagues in the coming months to raise awareness about
the possibility
of restoring this service to North Florida," the Monticello Democrat
said.
Although the Sunset Limited would have the lowest operating costs, the
route also
would have the lowest annual ridership. Even prior to Katrina, the
service was ranked
as one of Amtrak's biggest money-losers. None of the options mentioned
in the Amtrak
report, however, would yield a profit.
Congress now must weigh the alternatives and direct Amtrak on its next
step.
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