13 replies to this topic

[CNJRoss]

Corridor Capital news release:

Corridor Capital selected as the preferred vendor for Indiana’s Hoosier State route

The Indiana Department of Transportation on June 24, 2014 selected Corridor Capital as its preferred vendor to manage and operate the current Amtrak Hoosier State route between Indianapolis and Chicago.

Indiana DOT and Corridor Capital are now in discussions towards an agreement for a changeover in operations commencing October 1, 2014.


News release w/scoring documents.

About Corridor Capital

[CNJRoss]

Corridor Capital could be an interesting operation; I note their homepage features All Aboard Florida!

Capital Corridor, LLC Homepage

Equipment owned

Our Team biographies.

[steve4031]

With a decent schedule this is a great points run.

Edited by steve4031, 26 June 2014 - 10:04 PM.

[CNJRoss]

AP via South Bend (IN) Tribune, 6/29:

Chicago-to-Indy passenger rail route faces changes

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) -- Supporters of a passenger rail line from Indianapolis to Chicago say the upcoming selection of a private company to improve services is just the beginning, with the next step being to press lawmakers to renew their commitment.

SNIP

INDOT is set to announce soon a finalist from four proposals, which include operating the route entirely or providing services such as Wi-Fi or food and beverage.

"The people who we're looking at think they can do it for about the same, maybe less with new cars and Wi-Fi," Zier said.

Read more here.

Capital Corridor still has "wickets" to pass through.

[KevinKorell]

The Hoosier State only exists to maintain a daily train between Chicago and Indianapolis, by running on the 4 days a week that the Cardinal doesn't. And it provides the hospital movements between those cities to ferry equipment in and out of Beech Grove. If the Cardinal did run daily, the current Hoosier State would not be needed. Since the Cardinal is classified as a long distance train, it currently doesn't have Wifi, so why should it be expected on the Hoosier State, which passes through the same places the Cardinal does north of Indianapolis? On the other hand, they found a way to provide it on the Hiawatha Service, Wolverine Service, and Lincoln Service corridors, so it's not impossible. So if the new company does end up providing frequent corridor type service in the Chicago-Indianapolis city pair, then Wifi should be a no-brainer too. The problem may lie in whether the train passes through areas where the phone companies can pick up a signal, or if there are predominantly "dead" areas en route.

[KevinKorell]

Lafayette, IN Journal & Courier, 7/4/14:

Company proposes improvements for rail service

A handful of options from a private company, and some key decisions about government spending, are all that remain between continued service or the end of the line for the Hoosier State passenger rail route.

This item

Expanding round-trip service to seven days a week or increasing the number of round trips from one per day to two are other options on the table, he said. "Of course, as you add more services, the more expensive it is."

Not necessarily. The stations used by one train are also used by any subsequent trains added to the route, so they should not cause more expenses.

[KevinKorell]

Indiana Public Media, 9/1/14:

The private company which will manage the Indy-to-Chicago Amtrak line starting in February is spelling out plans for boosting ridership.

That will be great to have more frequencies between Chicago and Indianapolis. But it is also implied that this firm wants to have rail access between Indianapolis and Louisville, Columbus, and Cincinnati. Story

[CNJRoss]

Lafayette (IN) Journal & Courier, 11/10:

State ends negotiations with Amtrak alternative

 

The Indiana Department of Transportation has ended contract negotiations with Corridor Capital LLC to provide passenger rail cars, marketing and other services for the Hoosier State line between Indianapolis and Chicago, said INDOT spokesman Will Wingfield.

 

Wingfield did not comment as to why negotiations were terminated.

 

But he said the state is looking at its options to continue the service after the Jan. 31 expiration date on INDOT's contracts with Amtrak and the communities along the route.

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

WLFI-TV, Lafayette, IN, 12/3:

Hoosier State Line ‘preferred’ vendor responds to end of negotiations

 

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) – Corridor Capital LLC has posted a “Fact Sheet” after the Indiana Department of Transportation said that negotiations have ended.

 

 

As News 18 reported in November, INDOT said negotiations ended to have Corridor Capital continue to operate the Hoosier State Line between Indianapolis and Chicago beyond Jan. 31. Corridor Capital officials said they found out through news reports that negotiations were over.

 

 

Corridor’s fact sheet targets three specific areas:   .   .   .

 

Continue here.

[KevinKorell]

I see why Corridor Capital issued the fact sheet.  There was a lot of misunderstanding between many parties, and no doubt the media got things mixed up too in reporting it.   The involved parties probably didn't meet enough times together to discuss things.