May 11, 2000
One of Amtrak’s newest trains paid a visit to Arizona on the weekend of May 5-6, giving residents a glimpse at the possible future of inter-city passenger rail service in the state.
The "Talgo" train, featuring high speed capability, panoramic windows, reclining seats, dining and snack cars as well as 17-inch television monitors, took guests on a round trip (Friday, May 5) between Phoenix and Tucson. Amtrak currently operates the Talgo train in the Pacific Northwest.
"We’ve worked with Amtrak and the Arizona Rail Passenger Association (ARPA) to bring the Talgo here because we wanted to give people a chance to see a modern train up close," said ADOT Director Mary Peters.
The Talgo train also was on public display during the Transpo 2000 Fair held Saturday (May 6) at Union Station in downtown Phoenix. The train was the main attraction among a variety of transportation exhibits.
"We know the travel corridor between our major metropolitan areas is going to get more crowded in the coming decades," said Peters. "Although we’re studying putting more lanes on Interstate 10, we want to explore alternatives to car travel. That includes passenger rail."
ADOT has studied the concept of revenue rail passenger service between the Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas. In 1997, with the backing of then-Governor Fife Symington, ADOT and its consultant, Kimley-Horn and Associates, conducted a High Speed Rail Feasibility Study for the Phoenix-Tucson corridor.
The study found that in the near future, providing passenger rail service as a companion to automobile travel between Phoenix and Tucson is feasible. The study findings further recommended that in the initial stage, minor upgrades be made to the existing Union Pacific track and an easily attained conventional diesel-electric locomotive be used with push-pull style passenger cars. An ultimate system, a high speed electric trainset similar to the new Amtrak Acela Express in the Northeast U.S., could be implemented in stages as ridership grows.
The next step for the state in pursuing a potential plan for passenger rail between Phoenix and Tucson would be a more detailed engineering study, known as a Design Concept Report (DCR).
Peters said public support would play a role in any decision to proceed with a detailed study that would more accurately define train system costs.
The Talgo, a Euro-style train built by Talgo, Inc., is able to maintain speeds through curves. The train is designed to travel safely at speeds exceeding 125 miles per hour. Due to track restrictions, the Talgo currently travels at a maximum speed of 79 miles per hour on its Amtrak Cascades run from Oregon to Vancouver, B.C. Track systems in Arizona do not yet support high speed rail travel.
For more information contact:
ADOT Community Relations Office
(602) 712-7355