Amtrak equipment returning to Hoosier State this March

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Super Chief
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Hoosier State Rumors

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Anybody hear rumors to the effect that the Hoosier State service is having multiple problems? Money being one and ridership and reliability? February 28th could be the last day?

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Ypsi
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Re: Hoosier State Rumors

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Amtrak is still showing Hoosier state tickets beyond that date. Checked march and further and saw dates with 851/850.
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Re: Hoosier State Rumors

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"Indiana's contract continues through June 30, 2017, and INDOT may prolong the service with Iowa Pacific for up to four additional years."

I have not seen anything from Ed lately (might have missed it) but the last I heard he and the company were satisfied with the returns they were getting on the service. I have heard a lot of negative speculation from people who know only rumors.

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Amtrak equipment returning to Hoosier State this March

Unread post by atrainguy60 »

This March 1st, we will be seeing Amtrak engines and cars instead of the IP equipment:

http://delayinblock.com/2017/01/hoosier ... -in-march/

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Re: Amtrak equipment returning to Hoosier State this March

Unread post by Super Chief »

I had already alluded to this with my Hoosier State Rumors thread. Confirmed!!

admin edit: merged these two threads

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dmitzel
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Re: Amtrak equipment returning to Hoosier State this March

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Drat... I'm sitting in the Metropolitan Lounge here in CUS waiting to board 850 this afternoon - now the ride will feel like being at a funeral. :cry:

I feel the most bad for the employees like Andy, Matt, Dillon, etc. that will be out of work in a month. Looks like I'm back on Delta full-time to IND now that the trains are reverting back to Horizon-Amfleet dullness. Certainly not a good reason to tolerate the long layover in Chicago any longer, whereas a heritage budd and pullman-standard consist plus dome-diner did provide some incentive.

Makes me wonder if Iowa Pacific Holdings is struggling financially - the fact INDOT made this decision certainly has one speculating why?
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Re: Amtrak equipment returning to Hoosier State this March

Unread post by NS3322 »

dmitzel wrote:Makes me wonder if Iowa Pacific Holdings is struggling financially - the fact INDOT made this decision certainly has one speculating why?
Railway Preservation News (RYPN) currently has a thread about Iowa Pacific's currently financial situation.
http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.ph ... 8e72776fe4

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Re: Amtrak equipment returning to Hoosier State this March

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Glad I got to ride and see the set when I did. Thankfully was able to ride some car seats last February, and it was nice but there were not many riders.
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Re: Amtrak equipment returning to Hoosier State this March

Unread post by Super Chief »

They have been struggling financially, had just let 200 employees go at Texas State RR and have shuttered Pullman Rail Journeys. INDOT was smart to control the bleeding on this one because IP wanted more money than the contract was for.

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Re: Amtrak equipment returning to Hoosier State this March

Unread post by GP30M4216 »

Financial Missteps Lead Iowa Pacific To Give Up On Hoosier State Line

http://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/finan ... state-line

Indiana Department of Transportation officials say an unreasonable request led to Iowa Pacific Holdings removing itself from a deal to run the Hoosier State passenger train.

But Iowa Pacific’s CEO says a quirk in the contracts between his company, INDOT and Amtrak doomed the partnership.

Ed Ellis says his firm’s compensation from the deal decreased each time on-time performance improved.

“The way the contracts worked, we ended up getting less money as the train ran more on time,” Ellis says.

That’s due in part to a contract stipulation that INDOT paid Amtrak before Iowa Pacific when there was any profit. It meant Amtrak got deposits totaling almost $4 million in 2016, but Iowa Pacific got just $500,000.

That led Ellis, late last year, to try to renegotiate the deal, asking for $150,000 a month in guaranteed revenue. INDOT spokesman Will Wingfield says that’s more than the original deal stipulated and more than was reasonable for Iowa Pacific to seek.

Ellis says he didn’t realize the contract would swing the payments so far in Amtrak’s favor, and says he’ll learn from the experience if his company enters into another public-private partnership.

“The one thing that I would want to change going forward is to make sure that we put some kind of a floor under what our monthly revenue would be from the contract so that we don’t get into a situation where, at the end, we’re several hundred thousand dollars less than where we thought we would be,” Ellis says.

Amtrak did not return calls or e-mails seeking comment Tuesday, but Wingfield says the national passenger rail carrier has verbally committed to trying to add some of the amenities Iowa Pacific offered, including WiFi service.

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Re: Amtrak equipment returning to Hoosier State this March

Unread post by Saturnalia »

...so somebody didn't read the fine print apparently?
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justalurker66
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Re: Amtrak equipment returning to Hoosier State this March

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The end is nearing. A picture of this morning's run as it arrived in Chicago.
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Hoosier Feb 26th 21stSt.jpg

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dmitzel
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Re: Amtrak equipment returning to Hoosier State this March

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The end is here... just received this email for my reservations early next month:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Amtrak <ACN-Noreply@amtrak.com>
Date: Fri, Mar 3, 2017 at 1:02 PM
Subject: Important Amtrak Alert (Reservation number 999999 / D.M. MITZEL)
To: Mr. Mitzel


Please be advised that effective March 1st , the Hoosier State, will operate with Amtrak provided equipment. Reserved Business Class seating (2-1, leather seats) is located at one end of the Amtrak café car - This service will no longer include meals or alcoholic beverages. :( The Business Class accommodation charge between Chicago and Indianapolis will be reduced to $21.00 (from $39.00) with a proportionate reduction between other stops.

There is no need to take any action. We will automatically issue you a refund to the method of payment on your reservation. If you have paid with a credit card you will see the refund in 3-7 business days.

If you have any questions please call us at 800-872-7245.

Thank you for choosing Amtrak.



For additional information, please call 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245). Thank you.

Join us on facebook.com/Amtrak, and follow us on twitter.com/Amtrak.


It was good while it lasted I suppose...

Dan in Oxford, Mich.
D.M. Mitzel
Div. 8-NCR-NMRA
Oxford, Mich.

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justalurker66
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Re: Amtrak equipment returning to Hoosier State this March

Unread post by justalurker66 »

The meal is no longer included in the price but some food will be available separately.
For travel in March a dome car is available (not business class). Amtrak is also selling 2 for 1 tickets in March.

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Ypsi
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Re: Amtrak equipment returning to Hoosier State this March

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The Hoosier is using the Amtrak dome in march?
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justalurker66
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Re: Amtrak equipment returning to Hoosier State this March

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Press Release from Monday:
http://www.in.gov/activecalendar/EventL ... _id=255819

Wi-Fi, Business Class and Café Car on the new Amtrak Hoosier State
Promotions and “Great Dome” railcar for launch of revamped service

The Indiana Department of Transportation, community partners and Amtrak announce passenger amenities on board the Hoosier State service when it transitions to modern Amtrak railcars and locomotives on Wednesday, March 1. The train operates four days a week between Indianapolis and Chicago with intermediate stops in Crawfordsville, Lafayette, Rensselaer and Dyer.

Business class
Amtrak will provide Horizon-series coach cars, each seating 68 passengers and including accommodations for passengers with disabilities. A café car with an attendant will have table seating on one end of the car and private seating at the opposite end for 14 Business class passengers. Food and beverages – including alcoholic drinks – will be available for purchase in the café and can be enjoyed at the tables or at each passenger’s seat.
...
Business class is in a curtained area with abundant space arranged with two seats on one side of the aisle and one seat on the other side, with leather seating surfaces, foot-rests and leg-rests. Included is a 25-percent points bonus for Amtrak Guest Rewards members, as well as complimentary coffee, tea and use of the Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge in Chicago, which offers priority boarding. The additional charge each way for business class is $21 from Indianapolis and Crawfordsville, $20 from Lafayette and $14 from Rensselaer and Dyer.

“BOGO” fares, other promotions and a special railcar for March
To mark the transition, Amtrak and INDOT are offering a “buy-one, get-one” fare for the month of March, so two adult passengers can ride for the price of one. See the Deals tab on Amtrak.com for applicable requirements for fare code V216, for purchase starting Tuesday, Feb. 28.
...

Amtrak Great Dome Car
Also, for the month of March, the Hoosier State train will include the only dome car in Amtrak service, a Great Dome. Built in 1955 by the Budd Company for the Great Northern Railway, it carries the name “Ocean View.”
,,,

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dmitzel
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Re: Amtrak equipment returning to Hoosier State this March

Unread post by dmitzel »

Looks like Iowa Pacific's SLRG passenger power is leaving Indy...

https://flic.kr/p/TaQmZ9

Passing through IU right now - heading west.

Sorry about the poor quality iPhone shot - taken from the 8th floor of my client's building on Market Street.
D.M. Mitzel
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Oxford, Mich.

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justalurker66
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Re: Amtrak equipment returning to Hoosier State this March

Unread post by justalurker66 »

Strange. I thought the last run was to Chicago on Tuesday February 28th with the Cardinal covering the evening trip south. I figured that they would just take the set from CUS to some IPH controlled track in Chicago - not back to Indy.

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