WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has granted Union Pacific’s request for more time to respond to Amtrak’s request for action regarding UP’s handling of the Sunset Limited, which Amtrak says has the worst on-time performance in its system.
In a document filed Monday, Dec. 19, UP notes that the board’s procedures do not specifically establish a timeline for response to a filing such as Amtrak’s request for an investigation, but that rules generally provide 20 days, which in this case would mean a UP response is due Dec. 28. UP has asked for an extension to Jan. 30, 2023, and received a statement from Amtrak’s counsel saying Amtrak “does not object to the extension sought” if the board does expect to receive filings in response to the initial Amtrak filings.
On Wednesday, Dec. 21, the STB’s Office of Proceedings granted the extension without comment, although the extension is to Jan. 27 rather than Jan. 30.
In a Dec. 8 filing with the STB, Amtrak asked the board to investigate the Sunset’s on-time performance issues and asked for “damages and other relief” from Union Pacific, saying the railroad’s operating practices are largely responsible for the problems [see “Amtrak asks federal regulators to investigate …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 9, 2022]. It is the first such complaint under a provision of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008, which charges the STB with the responsibility of investigating passenger on-time performance issues.
In a second filing that day, Amtrak proposed procedures to handle the case. UP’s filing says its requested extension is needed “to give UP a reasonable amount of time to consider and address Amtrak’s procedural suggestions and to provide its own constructive suggestions for handling the investigation in a timely, efficient, and fair manner.”
— Updated at 4:05 p.m. on Dec. 21 with STB granting request.
The Sunset Limited lost $41.8 million or $566 per passenger in FY22. Running the train daily would only add to the red ink. The best outcome would be to discontinue all the long-distance trains and focus on existing or potential corridors where passenger trains add value.
UP has to get all the dispatchers stories to sync up. Takes some time.
The answer will be what it always has been.
Too much traffic, not enough staff, getting private cars off the tracks, interference from trying to fit a 17,000 foot consist on a 15,000 foot siding, yard interference due to all of the above.
More foot-dragging. UP makes no effort to conceal the fact that it totally disdains Amtrak.
Make the train daily and see if that helps. Maybe the dispatchers could get some daily consistency.