Volume I, No. 13 October IS, 1974 the French design will be built in the Turbos' First Anniversary __----, United States by the Rohr Corp. and are planned for New York-Boston service. In Chicago-St. Louis Service Although the five-car trains with their distinctive, streamlined appear­ Amtrak's two French-built Turbo­ and were leased to Amtrak because ance are capable of speeds of 125 liners, which created worldwide new equipment was not available in miles an hour, track conditions limit attention when they went into service this country on short notice. them to 79 miles an hour on the Chi­ between Chicago and St. Louis, com­ The trains were considered experi­ cago-St. Louis run. pleted their first year of service on mental when Amtrak leased them October 1. from ANF-Frangeco, the French In a recent survey conducted Statistically, the trains are a manufacturer who was producing among 1,325 passengers, 99 percent dream. They have carried about trains for the French National Rail­ said they enjoyed the trip and 97 per­ 200,000 passengers a total of 40 mil­ ways. cent said they would definitely or lion passenger miles on their runs. Reliability and riding comfort of probably take the train the next time The trains have operated 300,000 the Turboliners have rated high with they traveled. miles while achieving a 92 percent passengers on the 284-mile route, and Ridership for the first eight months reliability record and earning the Amtrak has responded by purchasing of 1974 on the Chicago-St. Louis praise of their passengers. the two trains now in service and or­ route, where the two turbos and one The Turboliners were the first dering four more trains for Mid­ conventional train operate each day, foreign-built trains ever to see western routes. increased 32 percent over the same revenue service in the United States In addition, seven trains based on period last year. decisions on equipment to be used on March Target Date For__ -----, the train are still to be made but that it will provide coach and sleeping car Norfolk-Cincinnati Service accommodations as well as lounge and hot food facilities. So far, Amtrak has authorized al­ New Norfolk-Cincinnati passenger Va. in the morning and Norfolk in most $2 million for stations, track service is expected to begin by March mid to late afternoon. and facilities on the new route. It is 1975. The new train will synchronize Lewis noted that the planned ar­ anticipated that operating losses will with the existing Washington New­ rivals and departures at Cincinnati be $1 million for that portion of the port News to Chicago train to provide correspond very closely with those of 1975 fiscal year during which the through service to and from Chicago. the James Whitcomb Riley, Amtrak's train will operate. Amtrak President Roger Lewis, Washington Newport News-Chicago The Norfolk-Cincinnati route was testifying before a Senate Appropria­ train. He said this will allow both designated as a two-year experi­ tions Subcommittee, said the train trains to be linked east of Cincinnati, mental addition to the Amtrak route will leave Norfolk westbound early in where their routes merge, so as to system by the Secretary of Transpor­ the afternoon, pass through eastern provide through service to Chicago. West Virginia in the evening and ar­ By not terminating the new train at tation last June in response to the Second Supplemental Appropria­ rive in Cincinnati around 7 a.m. the Cincinnati, Amtrak will avoid having tions Act of 1974. next day. Eastbound, the train will to build major new servicing facilities leave Cincinnati in the late evening, there, Lewis said. arriving at Welch and Bluefield, W. Lewis told the senators that final Greyhound IAmtrak Ticket Combinations Amtrak passengers are now able to buy combination rail-bus tickets on nine Greyhound routes not served by Amtrak. The new ticketing arrange­ ment enables "one stop shopping" for intercity travelers relying on both buses and trains to reach their desti­ nations. The program, implemented on September 15, is a result of a recent agreement signed by Amtrak Presi­ dent Roger Lewis and Greyhound President James L. Kerrigan (Amtrak News, July 1 issue). -Presently, only Amtrak is selling the combination ·tickets. After January 1, 1975, Greyhound also will be able to sell Amtrak tickets as a service to passengers starting their - Tampa and St. Petersburg, FL, linked by a three-times-weekly Cele­ trip by bus and then proceeding by both Amtrak cities, by bus with Sara­ brity Train and Ogden is a daily stop tfain. sota, Ft. Myers and Naples. on Amtrak's San Francisco-Denver­ The program has been applied to -Albuquerque to Amarillo, Okla­ Chicago route.) some of the more popular rail-bus homa City and Tulsa. (Albuquerque -From the major Amtrak termi­ destinations. In each case the bus and Oklahoma City are both served nus of Boston by bus with Portland route connects with Amtrak service. by Amtrak but not linked directly by and Bangor, ME, and St. Stephen, These are: rail.) N.B., in Canada. - ew Orleans and Jacksonville, -Los Angeles to Las Vegas, Salt -Minneapolis and Omaha, both FL, both Amtrak destinations, con­ Lake City, Ogden, Pocatell<?, Idaho Amtrak stops but without direct con­ tinuing on by bus to (or originating Falls and West Yellowstone. (Los nection. from) Biloxi, Mobile and Tallahassee. Angeles and Las Vegas are now (Continued 017 puge 8, col. I ) items in the July issue were "read Tom Kennedy Ad Most Read most" and "retd some." Items hread some" were categorized as those In Modern RRs/Rail Transit which caught attention but that the A new Amtrak advertisement Amtrak's Manager of General Reser­ reader only partially or just noticed. which debuted in the July issue of vations at Bensalem, P A with the Items "read most" went beyond the Modern Railroads/Rail Transit Mag­ caption: "to head its computerized attention level, the major portion of azine was the most read ad that reservation system, Amtrak chose a those ads were read. month, according to a survey con­ man with 30 years of railroading." Seventy-three percent of sub­ ducted for the magazine by Cahners Approximately two weeks after scribers surveyed had read the Am­ Publishing Co. of Chicago. Modern Railroads/Rail Transit sub­ trak ad, fifty-three percent identify­ The ad was first in a series scribers received the July issue, a ing it as "read most." The second acknowledging the contribution rail­ mail questionnaire was sent from most read ad in the July issue re- road men have made to Amtrak's Cahners asking subscribers to indi­ . ceived a total score of sixty-seven success. It pictured Tom Kennedy, cate what editorial and advertising percent. 2 Labor Relations. He has also served Three New Regional Directors as Assistant Vice President for the Association of American Railroads Report to Pres. Roger Lewis and President of the Trailways Bus System. Regional Managers of the Sales, Service and Operations departments continue to report functionally to Greater local authority over five in Washington when the problem headquarters personnel but report Amtrak services will result from de­ occurs," said Lloyd. - administratively to the Regional Di­ velopment of three new posts in the "In certain instances I've been able rector. Western, Central and Southeastern to solve certain problems that There is no Regional Director for sections of the country. minute. This helps us all the way the Northeast. Because Amtrak's Filling the positions of "Regional around," Lloyd continued. headquarters is located in the region, Director" are Richard M. Boyd, Cen­ The directors play an equally im­ the area is served directly by head­ tral Region; Arthur L. Lloyd, West­ portant role in representing the com­ quarters personnel. ern Region; and Joe G. Matthews, pany to outside groups. They often Southeast Region. They are head­ give speeches before civic groups and Richard M. Boyd quartered in Chicago, Los Angeles clubs, and examine suggestions for and Miami, respectively. additional rail service. The three directors-all with con­ The three directors, all having ex­ siderable railroad and Amtrak ex­ tensive transportation backgrounds, perience-are considered regional are well qualified for the posts. representatives of Amtrak President Richard Boyd in the Central Re­ Roger Lewis and report tlirectly to gion has been with Amtrak since him. early 1972 as Regional Manager­ "These men are responsible for Central, a post similar to the present general coordination of Amtrak in­ position. Prior to joining Amtrak, he terests in their respective regions," was President of the North American said Lewis. "They see to it that dif­ Car Corp. in Chicago and Vice Presi­ ferent departments, such as sales, dent-Traffic and Transportation of operations and services, get together Pittsburgh Plate Glass Industries, Arthur L. Lloyd on local problems." Inc. He first gained railroad experi­ The regional director is also re­ ence with two railroads, the Missouri­ sponsible for the development of the Illinois and the Illinois Central. good name of Amtrak in his region In the west, Arthur Lloyd, as a and for strengthening relationships seventh generation Californian, feels with the various business organiza­ "at home" in his new post. Lloyd has tions. been with Amtrak since October, "He must also anticipate problems 1971 as Manager of Agency, Tour and assume the initiative in correct­ and International Sales. Before join­ ing them," continued Lewis. ing Amtrak he was owner-partner of Central Regional Director Richard the Clift Travel Service in San Fran­ Boyd reiterated Lewis' statement by cisco for 10 years. From 1949 to 1961, saying, "We act as a center for those Lloyd worked for the Western Pacific with complaints and suggestions Railroad in reservations, sales and Joe G.