Badger Rails

Wisconsin Association of Railroad Passengers (WisARP)

March-April, 2012

Volume 30, Issue 2

Hiawatha Rail Projects Move Forward

Several projects designed to improve service on the Chicago-Milwaukee Corridor continue to move forward, despite less than enthusiastic support by some State politicians. Assembly of the two 14-car Talgo train sets continues at the firms Milwaukee plant (see photos on page 2 and 3). The equipment is currently in the "static testing" stage, including operation of doors, steps, wheelchair lifts, and electrical and water connections. Following that comes "dynamic testing" outside the shop (likely in mid April), mostly brake and wheel tests. After those tests comes "pre-revenue testing" on the Hiawatha Corridor, to test the equipment at speed and on sample schedules. WisDOT and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) staff will be involved in these runs. Next comes "endurance testing," which may include running the equipment around the State. Following this, the equipment will be cleaned up and enter revenue service, possibly as early as July 1. In service, the Talgo trains will run with standard Amtrak locomotives. Funding for eight locomotives specifically designed to run with the Talgos was included in the $810 million federal grant that was refused by Gov. Walker after his election. Meanwhile, the search continues for a site for the permanent Talgo maintenance facility. Talgo has a maintenance agreement with the State which runs for 20 years, basically the projected life of the equipment, and the State must provide a facility where the equipment can be cleaned and running repairs made. Originally the plan was to use the assembly plant as the maintenance facility, since assembly will end once the four sets under construction (two for Wisconsin, two for Oregon) are completed. (Talgo officials have stated they will look to other States for a future assembly plant location, as no future orders are likely under Wisconsins current political leadership.) Concerns, however, have been expressed about a maintenance facility located miles away from the depot, and the State has instead concentrated on two possible sites: Immediately west of the station on 4.36 acres Further west at 17th Street on 5.97 acres Continued on Page 4

Hiawatha Corridor Ridership Breaks 800,000

For the first time in its history, Hiawatha Service ridership surpassed 800,000 in 2011. The year-end numbers put ridership at 823,163. According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), that is a nearly four percent increase from 2010 when ridership totaled 792,848.
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In addition to the 2011 calendar year record, monthly Hiawatha Service ridership records were set in every month but August of last year. According to Amtraks 2011 fiscal year data, the Hiawatha corridor is the busiest Amtrak corridor in the Midwest and the sixth busiest in the country.

Talgos Taking Shape

All photos taken Feb. 4, 2012 by Eric Godfrey, courtesy of Wisconsin Chapter, NRHS

Facing Page: (top) Wisconsins two trainsets on the shop floor at Talgo Americas Milwaukee assembly plant. Each train will consist of 14 cars, including 11 coaches seating between 30 and 38 passengers, one Bistro car, one end coach with 19 seats and bicycle racks, and one cab car with auxiliary generator. (Bottom) Interior of a Talgo coach is shown to NRHS members on tour. Features include WiFi, sturdy tray tables, reclining seats, electric plugs at each seat, window shades and two over-aisle information display screens in each car. Underside of overhead storage racks is clear to minimize left-behind property. This page (left): A cab car perched on a flat bed trailer, having just been delivered to the plant on Feb. 3, 2012. In operation, trains will run with cab cars facing Chicago, conventional Amtrak locomotives facing Milwaukee. (Below) Talgo shop manager Gary Young demonstrates operation of an onboard wheelchair lift.

Hiawatha Projects from Page 1 Last December 7, the State Legislatures Joint Finance Committee approved $2.5 million for the site search, about half of what WisDOT had requested, and tacked on additional options, using Amtraks Chicago maintenance facility, or doing nothing at all (which would have broken the States contract with Talgo). A public hearing on the two Milwaukee sites was held in January. As of late February, a preferred site had not been publicly identified. Once that does occur, WisDOT will need to return to the Legislature for additional funds to purchase property and construct the facility. Talgo officials are assuming that process will take at least two years, and plan on operating from the 27th Street site during that time. In other Hiawatha developments, construction is scheduled to begin in March, 2012 and be completed in May on platform extensions at the Milwaukee Airport Rail Station (MARS). Amtrak Hiawatha Service will continue to stop at the station during construction. The project will extend the platform and canopy 400 feet to the south, and will also include some tie replacement and replacement of an emergency platform on the north end of the station. The estimated project cost is $678,021, which is funded entirely by a grant from the FRA. Also planned for this spring is the installation of two crossover tracks in the Truesdell, WI area. Included in this project are two tracks where freight cars with defects can be set out for repair; two access roads to the setout tracks; and upgraded signals and communication. Keeping freight trains moving and giving passenger trains additional options for changing tracks around freights should further improve passenger train timekeeping. Amtrak Hiawatha and Empire Builder as well as Canadian Pacific freight trains will continue to operate during construction. The estimated project cost is $11,074,934, which is funded entirely by a grant from the FRA.
More Info at: http://www.dot.state.wi.us/projects/rail.htm

110 MPH Service Starts in Michigan

Beginning Feb. 7, Amtraks three daily ChicagoDetroit-Pontiac, Mich., Wolverine Service trains and the daily Blue Water between Chicago and Port Huron, Mich., began running at 110 mph between Kalamazoo and Porter, Ind. Its the first route outside the Northeast where Amtrak trains can run that fast. Amtrak ran a special train that day between Chicago and Kalamazoo to celebrate. Amtrak owns this part of the Michigan Corridor 97 miles in all, representing about a third of the total 304-mile Chicago-Pontiac route. Trains can run at 110 mph across four segments totaling 80 miles of the 97-mile Amtrak-owned trackage. By 2015, the state expects to have another 135 miles of the route running at 110 mph, between Kalamazoo and Dearborn, Mich. Combined with other improvements to the line planned for Illinois and Indiana, travel times between Chicago and Detroit will ultimately drop from todays 5 hours, 30 minutes to 3 hours, 45 minutes. The current boost to 110 mph shaves just 10 minutes in running time. However, the importance of the 110-mph speed, right now, is that a tangible future for faster U.S. passenger service has finally arrived. The trains operate under a positive train control system built by GE Transportation, and the projects completion was made possible with funding from President Obamas high speed rail grant money. This is just the beginning, said Joseph Szabo, the Federal Railroad Adminitrator. Szabo said work is under way to boost speeds on the Chicago-St. Louis line to 110 mph as well, using federal high speed rail grant money. This is the first step in a buildout of a great system in the Midwest, he said. In the next three years youll see 80 percent of the Chicago-Detroit line and 80 percent of Chicago-St. Louis at speeds of 110 mph. The story here today is about so much more than these 97 miles, Szabo said. Article courtesy of Trains Newswire:
http://trn.trains.com 4

Badger Rails is published 6 times per year by the Wisconsin Association of Railroad Passengers, a notfor-profit Wisconsin membership association. WisARP President is John Parkyn, Stoddard, WI, (608)788-7004, email: jdp@dairynet.com Badger Rails Editor is Jim Sponholz. Please send comments or news items to: badgerrails@gmail.com Please send membership questions and address changes to: Mark Weitenbeck, 3385 S. 119th Street, West Allis, WI 53227 email: weitenbeck@sbcglobal.net Important Links: WisARP on the Web: www.wisarp.org National Association of Railroad Passengers: www.narprail.org Midwest High Speed Rail Association: http://www.midwesthsr.org/ ATalgowheelsetbetweentwocars.Axlelessdesign permitsalowfloorwalkwaythroughoutthetrain. PhotobyEricGodfrey,NRHS.

JoinusinMilwaukeefortheWisARPSpringMembershipMeeting,tobeheldSaturday,March31,2012attheHilton MilwaukeeCityCenter,509W.WisconsinAvenue(ashortwalkfromtheMilwaukeeIntermodalStation). GuestspeakersincludeEdEllis,CEOofIowaPacificHoldings,operatoroffreightandpassengerservicesthroughout theUnitedStatesandGreatBritain.Mr.Elliswillspeakaboutopportunitieshisfirmseesforprovidingprivate passengerrailserviceinthiscountry. WewillalsohearupdatesonHiawathaupgrades(detailedinthisissueofBadgerRails)aswellasplansforstreetcar linesinMilwaukee. Registrationcosts$25andincludeslunch.Pleaseclipthiscouponandsendwithyourcheck(payabletoWisARP)to: WisARP,c/oMarkWeitenbeck,Treasurer,3385S.119thSt.,WestAllis,WI53227 __________________________________________________ ___________ Name #inParty ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Address City State ZIP __________________________ ________________________________________ Phone# EmailAddress 5

March-April, 2012

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