Seems here of all places on train forum there should be 100% support of Amtrak. But I have noticed some of the people here are not in the ballpark with me. Huh?
Why is liking Amtrak a prerequisite to being a railfan? Liking UP, BNSF, NS, CSXT, KCS, CP, CN, TFM, all regionals, and all shortlines is not a prerequisite to being a railfan.
I like ice cream, but I don’t like milk.
I sense a presence that I haven’t felt since…
amtrak is a pain in my butt…dispatchers will hold you in the hole for hours becouse the silver supository is still 3 hours out and they dont want to take a chance on you delaying makeing them run even later then they are already!!! and that is for just 2 trains a day…1 in each direction… its a wonder that any freight traffic gets over the road with that silver menous on the loss…the only upside to haveing amtrak is you sometimes can look into the sleepers and see a hot chick in her underware… other then that occational free look…its a waste of a good frieght railroads time…
csx engineer
I wonder how much capacity Amtrak is eating on the Sunset Route.
Count me out of the ball park. You can still be a railfan and not love Amtrak. I believe the Administration’s FY 2006 Budget for Amtrak is not realistic considering they requested a $1.2 B subsidy for FY 2005, and they only received a$1.2 B. Unless the majority whips in both houses of Congress enforce disicpline Amtrak will most likely receive something more than the $360 M FY2006 subsidy, but considering all of the Administration’s spending cuts Amtrak’s subsidy won’t be very much. Clearly Amtrak will have to cut some trains, and my guess is some of the long distance trains will be on the block.
Consider this. Who was the last Representative or Senator to be voted out of office for not supporting Amtrak? When did that happen? Some of us seem to think the public at large are all railfans. I doubt if there are too many people who care one way or the other about Amtrak or intercity passenger rail service in general.
…I believe the public numbers generally have supported the funding of Amtrak over the years.
We all know it needs some improvements…and I for one don’t know what the answers are for that but cutting budget to 360 mil for 2006 will and should bankrupt the system…The Bush Adminstration can then be satisfied. And I for one truly hope Mr. Gunn can shut the complete system down if that happens to be the budget awarded to the system.
CSX engineer…I’m sure that is frustrating trying to get your train over the division and as you say have to wait in the “hole” for too much time…Don’t we all run into situations like that…For example, traveling on some {many}, interstates especially in the Summer months we get behind a dozen trucks or so and then one or two pull out to pass and moving just a bit faster than the others…we sit there trying to get around but, well you know what happens…
I believe this country can afford a rail passenger system of some sort…Let’s improve it and the situation and do a better job. I realize that probably will not happen now with the climate in Washington…
I “like” Amtrak just fine.
But, there comes a point where sacred cows that do not give milk, have to be dealt with responsibly
You are well in your means to being very correct on this subject!
What CSXT said is the DAMN TRUTH too!
From a purely nostalgic point of view, I love passenger trains and would like to see Amtrak continue operating as is. However, as a taxpayer, I am sensitive to how tax dollars are spent and I don’t see that current business case that Amtrak puts forward justifies the expense in the modern era. Create a business case to build short and medium distance high speed trains between major population centers and I am listening. But if you are trying to justify the status quo then I am not on board.
The problem is, passenger railroad operations were never particularly profitable, even before the advent of air travel. And in every other industrialized country, the government runs the railroads–public subsidy of passenger rail is a given.
Although now Bush wants to reduce the federal subsidy for Amtrak to $0–which will make some people happy, but royally screws things up–especially since several Republicans are now vocally opposing this budget elimination.
And passenger train delays, at least in the West, would be much less common if it weren’t for all those big non-mobile Armour yellow things blocking up the tracks…
Wi***here were more takers on my saving the long distance trains thread, but I haven’t seen any takers on my interview the passengers idea. At least I tried. If the trains are saved, it will be a long time before I get to ride them again anyway, if ever.
Passenger trains should provide a “shop window” for the railroad industry as a whole. The present arrangements for Amtrak seem to be viewed as an imposition by the railroads, rather than relieving them of a financial burden, as was the intention in 1971.
Dan, I haven’t noticed any characteristic spelling or grammar yet! The subjects and aopproach seem familiar, however.
Peter
Oh Dan - I have been getting those same vibrations. I thought it might just be an allergy…maybe I should hire a detective…
You don’t like milk??? That’s sacreligious or something like that!
And just to stay on topic.
What’s not to love about Amtrak in Lincoln. You can go east at 4 something a.m. - be at the depot on time, cuz Amtrak is usually not.
You can board going west at 12:30 something a.m. - same rule applies. You can reach your west destination by sitting in the dark for about 8 hours. Denver in the morning is beautiful if you can get your eyes pried open.
Can’t afford to go Amtrak since time is always a problem - don’t have the luxury of traveling just for fun. So for practically the same amount I can fly and therein lies a whole 'nother story (involves Omaha and …)
Now - let’s move on to another really interesting topic - like Why Don’t Engineers Wear Uniforms Instead of Street Clothes and Whose Idea Was It In the First Place to Let The Dress Code Deteriorate!
Move over Dan - I need to sit on the couch!
Moo
Maybe because of the supposed drain of $$$$$$ by Amtrak & that it will never be profitable makes it a scape goat for those who want to see government stop wasting our monies. Maybe a entire revision from the unions to mangaement maybe if the way they operate in order to bring Amtrak in the new century.
I love Amtrak. However, I love the idea of a smaller federal government and lower taxes a whole lot more.
Jay
I like Amtrak and passenger trains and would like to see more of them doing more useful work.
Not sure that the current arrangment for Amtrak is the best way to go. Am also somewhat cynical of current “reform” efforts.
The status quo is just depressing, though.
In short… NO
In Long… NOO.