Amtrak's Hiawatha and Vermonter Routes to Allow Walk-On Bike Serivce

Amtrak has announced that it will now allow for walk-on bike service on its Hiawatha and Vermonter routes.  Amtrak's Hiawatha service originates in Chicago's Union Station and terminates in Milwaukee, WI. The Vermonter route originates in Washington DC's Union Station and terminates at St. Alban's station in northern Vermont (between Burlington and the Canadian border).

I have updated a map mash up that I put together showing routes and stations that now allow for walk-on bicycles (green map markers). Click on each station marker for more information. Please check with the Amtrak website for more details and updates.

Amtrak Routes and Stations

You must reserve a spot for you bike on the Hiawatha service on the Amtrak website or the Amtrak Quick-Trak Kiosks. The cost is $5.

The service is available on Vermonter trains 54, 55, 56, 57 at all station stops from Washington, DC , to St. Albans in Northern Vermont. Advance reservations are required for walk-on bicycle service onboard the Vermonter. A bicycle fee of $20 applies if you're traveling to and from station stops between Washington, DC, and New Haven and $10 if you're traveling between New Haven and St. Albans. Bike reservations cannot be made through Amtrak mobile apps. You must go online to the Amtrak website or the Quick-Trak Kiok's located in Amtrak station.

Amtrak request that you arrive 30 minutes prior to your train's departure to allow sufficient time to maneuver your bicycle through the station and be in position to board. Train cars marked with a "Bike Friendly" sticker can accommodate bicycles. A conductor may also direct you to the appropriate train car. For more details on Vermonter route stations please refer to this link to the timetable link to the pdf file.

Loading Bicycles

The loading of your bicycle is a bit different that California passengers are used to. You will be required to remove the front wheel of your bicycle before hanging it by the back wheel and securing it using the provided strap. Loading instructions will be available in the bike rack area and Amtrak crew members will be available to assist if necessary.

Here is some photos Amtrak provided illustrating how bikes must be loaded in each coach.

The most expensive walk in America.

Water Politics

OK get you Fitbit or other step counter on, we are going to walk one of the most expensive walks in America. Talk is out once again about Northern California's Delta Tunnels also known as the Periphery Canal. There has been some controversy lately because of an interpretation of the original plans of the State Water Project (I'll talk more about that in a later post) in light of the Jarvis-Gann Initiative more commonly known as Proposition 13.

Proponents of the project say that the tunnels are just an add-on to the original project and was covered under pre-Prop 13 laws and therefore should not have to go before the voters. The project its self will originate near the Freeport intake ducts located on the Sacramento river just south of the state capitol. Tunnels will terminate at the Banks Intake Pumps just south of the Discovery Bay development (see vertical green line on the map below). Each tunnel is expected to pump 75,000 gallons of water per second from the Sacramento River. It is estimated that the cost to Santa Clara Valley Water District customers could be about 6% of the project or upwards of $1.8 Billion.

If we assume about 2,000 steps per mile;  a final cost of $30 Billion, and a project length of 35 miles we can expect each "step" of the project to be worth about $428 Million ($30,000,000,000/35)/2,000 =  $428,571.




Additional Reading:

Mercury News Editorial - March 28, 2016

Mercury News - July 22, 2014 - Property Taxes could pay for $25 Billion Tunnels without public vote.

Mercury News - March 28, 2016 - Gov. Brown's $17 bilion Delta tunnels plan faces new hurdle -- a leading taxpayers organization.