Thursday morning rail news:
— Florida passenger service Brightline shut down operations Wednesday and laid off 250 of its 300 employees because of the coronavirus pandemic. In an email to customers, company president Patrick Goddard said Brightline had decided to “suspend service until this situation subsides, and it becomes feasible for us to service the community again.” Goddard wrote that “Three short weeks ago, Brightline was on its way to its best month ever and on a clear path for a record 2020. Today, we recognize that our responsibility is to ‘flatten the curve’ and understand it will take several months for normal business to be restored.” Information on refunds is available at Brightline’s website. The Miami Herald reports that the company hopes to rehire most of the workers when service resumes, and that the cuts were widespread: one of those laid off was Bob O’Malley, vice president of corporate development.
— The $2 trillion economic aid package passed Wednesday night by the Senate includes $25 billion for transit agencies and $1 billion for Amtrak, USA Today reports. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives; majority leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) says the House will convene at 9 a.m. Friday to vote on the bill and he expects it to pass on a voice vote. It will then go to President Donald Trump for his signature. According to a bulletin to its members from the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association, funding details include:
— $1.018 billion in grants for Amtrak, with $526 million for the National Network, $492 million for the Northeast Corridor, and $239 million for state-supported routes.
— $25 billion to transit agencies for operating expenses, with elimination of the requirement that transit agencies use their own funds to receive federal assistance.
— $25 billion in transit infrastructure grants, awarded under a formula based on fiscal 2020 allocations in four areas: Urbanized Area Formula Grants; Nonurbanized Area Formula Grants; State of Good Repair; and High Density and Growing States.
— Amtrak will reduce Missouri River Runner service as of Monday, March 30, and has further reduced service on two routes in the Northeast. The service between St. Louis and Kansas City will cut from two round trips to one, with an 8:15 a.m. departure from Kansas City and a 4 p.m. departure from St. Louis. The Vermonter is ending service north of New Haven, Conn., Monday through Saturday and will not operate on Sundays. The Ethan Allen Express, which normally serves Rutland, Vt., will not operate north of Albany, N.Y. The latest information on Amtrak cuts is available here.
— The Reading & Northern has postponed the April 18 excursion that was to be the first public opportunity to ride behind the F units recently acquired from Norfolk Southern. The planned 230-mile excursion will now be held on two dates, Aug. 1 and Sept. 5. Those holding tickets can contact the railroad at (610) 562-2102 to exchange tickets, or request a refund if there is a problem with the new dates. The railroad describes the trip as one for hard-cord railfans [see “Reading & Northern to roll out F units on April 18 excursion,” Trains News Wire, Jan. 7, 2020].
— Updated at 12:30 p.m. CDT with additional details on Senate aid bill.
I have a sinking feeling that Brightline isn’t going to reopen again until they get their Orlando extension operational in 2022. It isn’t likely that they were turning much of a profit with their 3 current stations, and it is going to be a lot of work to restart the service again (rehiring people, probably retraining them too…). A slow economic recovery would probably be enough for executives to justify delaying the reopening of service until the Orlando segment (and its anticipated profits) comes online.
The other argument is that it will be important to build up a client base before Orlando service begins, or perhaps that there are contracts with local communities for stations and service that would force brightline to reopen sooner, but I don’t see those being strong enough to get trains rolling again before 2022.
Pete Pokorski
I’m sure if those things are announced, they will find their way here. Right now the whole country is focused on the virus, so that is most of the news. Doubly true for us here in NYC.
Pete Pokorski
It is nice to hear about virus, but how about some other news. Like, is Metra getting SD 70 Macs from BNSF, did KCS lease SD 70 -4 from Progress?
Just saw the last southbound ‘Ethan Allen’ at the Saratoga Springs Rail Station, three cars, no passengers got on or off, the conductor brought the engineer some coffee and food from the cafe car.
Michael Moss,
Or looking at it another way, Brightline closed down when the Senate passed a bill that will provide funds to its laid off workers.
Don’t know where else to post this, except in the middle of a reduction-in-service piece – Here’s a worthwhile additional service: https:www.foxnews.com/world/france/-evacuees-coronavirus-patients-high-speed-medical-train
Michael Moss,
No connection since Brightline doesn’t appear to be in line for any bailout money, and I highly doubt any company associated with Richard Branson would take it anyways.
There’s a chart I saw today that actually should make everyone think about this whole shelter-in-place scenario. Basically we have a choice, go back to business as normal after the 14 days as the Donald wants and have potentially 128 million Americans infected within 2 months and the corresponding “end” of the virus around that time…or, stay shut in for 2 months(8 weeks) with the end results being around 14 million infected but the virus hangs around for 2(TWO) years. I know which route I’d take.
Brightline suspends all service the same day that the federal recovery package is approved with money for passenger rail. Wonder if there is a connection.
The VERMONTER and the ETHAN ALLEN are suspended during Vermont’s Shelter in Place period.
This was the right decision by VTRANS and Governor Scott. In the present tragedy Vermont ran the trains long enough for students and other visitors to get home. Now it’s time to be safe and as one of the “Fathers of the Vermonter” I support this temporary measure—alas.
I will be thrilled to hear “all aboard” in a few weeks, but for now Vermont has set an example of Shelter in Place. God’s speed to us all.