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Amtrak officials have said they have no interest in moving the Southwest Chief line from its current route, but that doesn’t mean the future of the line is set in stone.
Full Version: Southwest Chief/Articles on potential reroute
La Junta, CO Tribune-Democrat, 11/25/11:
Amtrak officials have said they have no interest in moving the Southwest Chief line from its current route, but that doesn’t mean the future of the line is set in stone.
Here is the article.
Amtrak officials have said they have no interest in moving the Southwest Chief line from its current route, but that doesn’t mean the future of the line is set in stone.
If the chief was switched to the transcontinental line through Amarillo, wouldn't this increase ridership?
QUOTE(steve4031 @ Nov 28 2011, 08:05 AM) 
If the chief was switched to the transcontinental line through Amarillo, wouldn't this increase ridership?
Maybe, but it would be offset by the loss of passengers along the current route, the loss of the scenery through Raton Pass, and the need to do either a backup or a dogleg move from Belen to serve Albuquerque. Taking the longer route via Texas and the move into and out of Albuquerque can give the passenger thoughts of a longer trip. Maybe a good thing to some of us, but to the average passenger they want to get where they are going as soon as possible.
From Lamar, CO Ledger, 1/13/12:
The Southwest Chief, one of Amtrak's premier passenger rail services, serves southeastern Colorado, western Kansas, and northern New Mexico as it travels between Chicago and Los Angeles on a host railroad line of BNSF Railway.
Here is that story.
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Board supports Southwest Chief Rail Service
The Southwest Chief, one of Amtrak's premier passenger rail services, serves southeastern Colorado, western Kansas, and northern New Mexico as it travels between Chicago and Los Angeles on a host railroad line of BNSF Railway.
Here is that story.
Garden City, KS Telegram, 2/22/12:
City commissioners have approved resolutions offering both symbolic and fiscal support to Amtrak's Southwest Chief, amid concerns about the demise of the passenger rail route that serves Garden City twice daily.
Story here.
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City offers support to keep Amtrak service
City commissioners have approved resolutions offering both symbolic and fiscal support to Amtrak's Southwest Chief, amid concerns about the demise of the passenger rail route that serves Garden City twice daily.
Story here.
Garden City, KS
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Advocates of passenger rail service said their aim is to stay on track as they look for funding solutions to keep the Southwest Chief alive and running in this part of the country.
A portion of the cross-country route operated by Amtrak runs through western Kansas, southeast Colorado, and northern New Mexico, but is in danger of being re-routed south if outside sources of funding for the track's maintenance don't surface in the next few years.
That was the message from Amtrak authorities who met with a coalition of communities across all three states at a summit held Tuesday in Garden City, to spell out the funding challenges facing the government-owned corporation and to deliberate where the stakeholders move from here.
http://www.gctelegram.com/news/regional-rail-summit-4-11-12
Progressive Railroading, 4/13/12:
Earlier this week, Amtrak and BNSF Railway Co. officials met with representatives of communities in Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico to discuss the Southwest Chief route that operates daily between Chicago and Los Angeles via western Kansas, southeastern Colorado and northern New Mexico.
Read it here.
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Amtrak, BNSF discuss Southwest Chief route's future
Earlier this week, Amtrak and BNSF Railway Co. officials met with representatives of communities in Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico to discuss the Southwest Chief route that operates daily between Chicago and Los Angeles via western Kansas, southeastern Colorado and northern New Mexico.
Newton, KS Kansan, 4/26/12:
Newton city commissioners voted at their Tuesday meeting to contribute up to $15,000 to a coalition working to prevent the re-routing of Amtrak’s “Southwest Chief” line.
Continue here.
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City votes to support preserving Southwest Chief
Newton city commissioners voted at their Tuesday meeting to contribute up to $15,000 to a coalition working to prevent the re-routing of Amtrak’s “Southwest Chief” line.
Continue here.
KFDI radio, Wichita, KS:
Passenger rail service could shift from western Kansas to Wichita
There are concerns that an effort by Amtrak to maintain passenger rail service from Chicago to Los Angeles may end up bypassing Kansas and two other states.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe has moved its freight operations from a rail line that runs through New Mexico, Colorado and across Kansas. That's creating a financial challenge for Amtrak and its Southwest Chief passenger service in those states.
Amtrak and BNSF want Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico to help with $100 million in needed improvements to the rail line over a 10-year period, but transportation officials in the three states say they won't have the funding because of tight budgets.
Continue.
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Passenger rail service could shift from western Kansas to Wichita
There are concerns that an effort by Amtrak to maintain passenger rail service from Chicago to Los Angeles may end up bypassing Kansas and two other states.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe has moved its freight operations from a rail line that runs through New Mexico, Colorado and across Kansas. That's creating a financial challenge for Amtrak and its Southwest Chief passenger service in those states.
Amtrak and BNSF want Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico to help with $100 million in needed improvements to the rail line over a 10-year period, but transportation officials in the three states say they won't have the funding because of tight budgets.
Continue.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hamps...ding_for_route/
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The route had 354,912 riders during the 2011 fiscal year, a 3.7 percent increase from 2010.
There's plenty of federal money available. The lobbyists just have to locate wasted funds squirreled away and cajole key legislators to re-allocate to Southwest Chief project.
Sloan
On our great westbound journey on the Chief in July as the Fest group travelled towards Albuquerque, our sleeper attendant gave us commentary on board at key points, such as through Raton Pass. She said at that time that the route is endangered. Despite her otherwise postive attitude, she seemed resigned to the notion that the train will be rerouted via Wichita and Amarillo. Basically, enjoy-it-while-you-can.
http://www.abqjournal.com/main/2012/09/05/...fit-clovis.html
Clovis, NM is in Curry County which borders on Texas. Web searches yield no reference to rail service, freight or passenger. I would suspect someone at the Clovis Chamber of Commerce has engaged in wishful thinking.
Sloan
Clovis, NM is in Curry County which borders on Texas. Web searches yield no reference to rail service, freight or passenger. I would suspect someone at the Clovis Chamber of Commerce has engaged in wishful thinking.
Sloan
The Hill, 10/22/12:
Amtrak is considering eliminating its route from Kansas City to Albuquerque, according to a report from The Santa Fe New Mexican.
This is the story.
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Report: Amtrak might eliminate Kansas City-to-Albuquerque route
Amtrak is considering eliminating its route from Kansas City to Albuquerque, according to a report from The Santa Fe New Mexican.
This is the story.
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Government and railroad officials will take a special train ride this week along the deteriorating track that Amtrak's Southwest Chief uses in western Kansas.
http://www.kwch.com/news/kwch-news-rdm-off...0,3420298.story
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A pair of New Mexico legislators is calling on the governor and the state’s congressional delegation to support “the continued viability” of Amtrak’s Southwest Chief passenger train service that passes through Raton and other northeast New Mexico communities twice each day.
Similar memorials introduced in the state House and Senate seek to garner the support to push for federal funding to improve the railroad tracks on which the Southwest Chief travels through Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico.
Similar memorials introduced in the state House and Senate seek to garner the support to push for federal funding to improve the railroad tracks on which the Southwest Chief travels through Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico.
http://ratonrange.com/support-sought-for-c...ern-p4515-1.htm
Hutchinson, KS News, 5/9/13:
The cities of Garden City, Dodge City and La Junta, Colo., this week all approved spending another $20,000 each toward efforts to keep Amtrak's Southwest Chief on its current route through Kansas.
Continue
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3 cities on board to save train; Hutch thinking
The cities of Garden City, Dodge City and La Junta, Colo., this week all approved spending another $20,000 each toward efforts to keep Amtrak's Southwest Chief on its current route through Kansas.
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