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Canadian National responds to Amtrak claim that it shuns passenger trains
It looks like there are nearly as many alpha-numeric characters in the URL as there are pages in the document, and both make you wonder if the KISS philosophy has been forgotten.
“Amtrak fails on most routes nationwide” LOL
There is probably truth on both sides of this case and it sounds logical that a mediator would be more productive than an adversarial battle. Amtrak does have a history of being caught flat footed and not communicating with other parties until there is a crises and then complaining about the other party.
CN has told Amtrak, See you in Court. They won’t win, but it will cost Amtrak valuable political chips, that they need for other priorities.
Mediation seems to be very reasonable way to address some very stark differences in opinion.
Anyone read this report? It was interesting in that the operational issues of running passenger trains involving multiple railroads were discussed.
As a CN shareholder, it is apparent that the Amtrak trains are a tough hurdle. Not only are you dealing with your own operational issues, but also those of other carriers, and also of Amtrak’s.
Obviously, the best way to run passenger trains is on Amtrak controlled track.
Ed
If CN wants to really get Amtrak over the road in a timely manner, remove the passenger locomotives and tack what remains to the back of the closest freight train going in that direction. Then Amtrak will be out of the way at the price of a slightly longer freight. Or if it really wants to go the radical route, tell Amtrak where to go if it doesn’t want to get out of the way of what really pays the railroad’s bills. Amtrak has never paid enough to a railroad to justify its existence on a railroad. The maintenance of way train contributes more profit for the railroad than Amtrak contributes. Without the maintenance train, none of the other trains would run. Without Amtrak, the railroad would run better.
Where does Amtrak get off telling a railroad how to run a railroad? For that matter, where does government get off telling business owners how to run a business? Both Amtrak and government (a bit of redundancy there) don’t have a clue about running business for profit. Government never turned a profit or met a deadline. Never has to. Never will. Just steal more from the taxpayer. Amtrak never has to turn a profit because government will always protect it from loss. It does have to run on time, but when it can’t, blame somebody else, always those evil privately owned for profit freight railroads. If anything, Amtrak should be kissing some major back ends of those people running the freight railroads. Without them, Amtrak would have no place to “operate” and cease to exist unless government pulls another fast one and steals from the taxpayer. Amtrak was created to go away after a few years, after the few passengers that remained had died off due to old age. Instead, it has turned into just another money laundering facility to justify the support of more government workers at taxpayer expense.
Outside the Northeast Corridor and a few other similarly small localities, Amtrak is not needed. Those few people can easily ride on a profitable bus company’s products. Insi
Bottom line…Are Amtrak trains late to stations along the CN route?
Even if AMTRAK might be whining a little here, CN doesn’t like VIA either. They are in “discussions” about service over the soon to be closed Nigara Falls Bridge. GIve AMTRAK a bone here for forcing the STB into this issue to get the operating agreement some more fair tweeking. Again, Europe spanks us on this issue.
Amtrak has performance failures on most railroads because it is treated like a second-clas citizen.
Maybe the fact that the Illinois Central removed miles of track south of Ricton Park, Il. to New Orleans (single track) can cause some delays.
Jeffery
Amtrak is needed! My daughter used it serveal times between Staunton, VA and Colorado Springs, CO while stationed at Fort Carson.
Keep in mind that we are talking about the same CN which, under STB orders to report highway crossing delays exceeding ten minutes along its newly acquired EJ&E, under-reported them by a factor of 100. That ‘see you in court’ from CN just might backfire on them.
Keep in mind that we are talking about the same CN which, under STB orders to report highway crossing delays exceeding ten minutes along its newly acquired EJ&E, under-reported them by a factor of 100. That ‘see you in court’ from CN just might backfire on them.
JEFFERY GUSE: well said my friend!
Things are sure different at Kensington and the South Shore crossing when Amtrak has to stop; fifty years ago in W Johnston times, if the hogger had a green, he didn’t touch a thing. Wish Amtrak crews would tell the details on slowdowns due to new ballast being worked in, as many have no idea of a slowdown on smooth track. Finally, when is CN going to fix that atrocious track in the vacinity of Yazoo City, MS? A recent ride on 58 almost had people thrown around in the diner; I am sure this track endangers freight as well. Worst track since the Napier Junction out of Montreal Windsor back in the mid 80’s.
Amtrak and CN, act like some grown men and women and work on a viable solution. Stop running to Daddy(STB) and telling on each other. You both know what the problems are, now work on a solution.
CP has been a lot easier to work with on passenger issues than CN. CP tries to figure out how to make things work equitably.
When CN decides what they want to do, CN resists compromises, and can become defensive and unreasonable. That is why Amtrak, lacking negotiating leverage, had to go to the STB in the first place and it is still not resolved.
CP has been a lot easier to work with on passenger issues than CN. CP tries to figure out how to make things work equitably.
When CN decides what they want to do, CN resists compromises, and can become defensive and unreasonable. That is why Amtrak, lacking negotiating leverage, had to go to the STB in the first place and it is still not resolved.