Even on the relatively short-haul in-state Piedmont trains in North
Carolina that I mentioned in a previous message above, only perhaps
half the passengers travel the full Raleigh-Charlotte distance. Yet,
as mentioned above, the trains are frequently sold out most of the
way on busy weekends.

Greensboro is the approximate mid-point between Raleigh and Charlotte
and the largest city between those two. The dwell times at the
Greensboro station had to be increased because there were so many
people getting on and getting off that it was otherwise difficult to
maintain the schedule.

The problem with long-distance trains like the Empire Builder and
the Crescent -- both of which are the only passenger trains on their
routes each day -- is that they inevitably cover parts of their route
in the middle of the night. And, only the really hardy and those with
no other options are going to board a train at 3 am, even if it is the
only train serving their town.

These trains badly need a so-called "mirror" train that would operate
on a schedule approximately 12 hours counter to the existing schedule.
That way, each train would serve different towns in the middle of the
night and at least one train would provide reasonably convenient service
for towns on the route.

You wouldn't need more infrastructure for these trains -- just the
equipment and crews.

-- Ernest