Wow!
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
Amtrak trains hauled freight through the mid-2000's; lots of speculation online in other forums if you'd like to look.Are there rules preventing freight companies from adding passenger cars to their trains, or vice versa amtrak adding more freight cars? Airlines often add cargo to passenger flights, so why don't railroads?
In other words, Amtrak's Empire Builder hauled quite a bit of mail out of Chicago and MA for points west, loads from Andersen Windows east, and produce in refrigerator cars out of Washington.In the late 90's-early 2000's Mail was handled CHI-MSP in express boxes and then trucked to locations west of there including, Fargo, Grand Forks, Billings and Seattle. For a time, Roadrailers were handled to MSP as a connection off ot train 49 from the Sweeney Mail Facility at Springfield, MA. This was supposed to be a same day connection in Chicago.
As an interesting side note, eastbound 8 handled loads of Anderson WIndows ex MSP.
And then of course there were the Freezers that went to and from Wenachee
Really? Is that why we sat for 4-5 hours in Indiana waiting for freight trains to pass by?You also can't shunt passengers on a siding for hours and hours like you could cargo.
...and there are other references to giving priority to Amtrak service throughout that section (and probably others). Of course, there is wiggle room in the legislation itself, and I'm sure that the contracts that Amtrak has with each of the host railroads have a number of clauses which weaken their ability to enforce priority of service. (Isn't it bizarre how you can sign away your rights with a contract, or basically be forced to because there aren't any other options? Sigh.)(c) Preference Over Freight Transportation.— Except in an emergency, intercity and commuter rail passenger transportation provided by or for Amtrak has preference over freight transportation in using a rail line, junction, or crossing unless the Board orders otherwise under this subsection. A rail carrier affected by this subsection may apply to the Board for relief. If the [Surface Transportation] Board, after an opportunity for a hearing under section 553 of title 5, decides that preference for intercity and commuter rail passenger transportation materially will lessen the quality of freight transportation provided to shippers, the Board shall establish the rights of the carrier and Amtrak on reasonable terms.
BNSF and UP own the lines the Cascades travels on, which is what I'd consider Pacific Northwest. The closest Amtrak is to owning anything is the Point Defiance Bypass tracks, which are currently owned by Sound Transit.(like it already has on the Northeast Corridor between NYC and Washington, and I believe on the Pacific Northwest corridor)
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