City of New Orleans to Orlando?

Forwarded from the Memphis Railfans Yahoo Group. Posted by: “Tom Parker” tscottparker@gmail.com ts_parker Date: Thu Apr 30, 2009 1:12 pm ((PDT))

I received the following from Amtrak today:
NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION 1001 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

As you may be aware, the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of2008 (PRIIA, Public Law 110-432) requires Amtrak to deliver to Congress a plan for restoring rail passenger service between New Orleans, Louisiana, and Sanford, Florida:

Division B, Section 226: Within 9 months after the date of enactment of this Act, Amtrak shall transmit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a plan for restoring passenger rail service between New Orleans, Louisiana, and Sanford, Florida. The plan shall include a projected time line for restoring such service, the costs associated with restoring such service, and any proposals for legislation necessary to support such restoration of service. In developing the plan, Amtrak shall consult with representatives from the States of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida, railroad carriers whose tracks may be used for such service, rail passengers, rail labor, and other entities as appropriate.

Accordingly, Amtrak assembled a team to meet this objective. The group examined multiple service and schedule scenarios and has narrowed the list to three that were the most operationally feasible. These include the former Sunset Limited as it operated prior to Hurricane Katrina; operating the City of New Orleans through from Chicago, via New Orleans, on a daily basis to Orlando; and a stand-alone service operating daily on an overnight schedule between New Orleans and Orlando with connections in New Orleans and Jacksonville.

Amtrak intends to submit a report to Congress based on these three scenarios and the costs associated with them on or before the July 16,2009, deadline. I hope this information is helpful in your evaluation of the possibilities for restoring service east of New Orleans.

Sincerely,

Thomas L. Stennis III Director,

Government Affairs-South