Now here a friend of Amtrak. We can thank him for Amtrak diner or dinerless tlong distance trains.
I can’t get too excited about this because typically Secretary’s carry out policy of the Executive instead of making it up themselves. Secondly, he had a point to a lot of his complaints even though he did not illustrate them well. I don’t think folks that criticize Amtrak should be demonized, I think they should be listened to.
I agree that folks who criticize Amtrak should be listened to in order to evaluate their positions. In many cases they have valid, and valuable, points.
That said, I fail to understand how finding a job for a 12 term ex-Congressman whose record in that office was somewhat pedestrian (I’m being polite) conforms to the theme of “draining the swamp”.
Swamp is filling rapidly with the unemployed.
Is Martin Whitmer, the transition team leader for transportation and infrastructure, possiby cabinet material?
I really agree with both of Dakguy201’s points. Absolutely, we need to listen to critixisms of AMTRAK’s service ( or the lack there of). Many here are pinning our hopes on the abilities of Wick Moorman to get AMTRAK into a position in all areas as a viable and reliable National Passenger Carrier.
Much of that will come from efforts at the Federal Level, both legislatively, and with positive consistant financial support.
It is to that area I have concerns that abt to be former Congressman John Mica,is NOT someone we need in an authorative position in Washington. He need to take his 20 years as a legislator and go to Florida, retire and drink mohitos on a beach.
Here linked is a recent article published about his career as a derail on AMTRAK’s main line. @ http://www.trainsandtravel.com/amtrak-nemesis-mica-is-in-trouble/
“Amtrak Nemesis Mica Is In Trouble.” by Jim Loomis
The lead in paragraph pretty well lays ‘it’ out. FTA:"…Congressman John Mica (R-Florida) has made a political career out of bashing Amtrak, “America’s soviet
Sam,
I do not understand your logic. If ATK goes away the freight carriers get back the capacity they are forced to give ATK at far less than market value.
That seems like a win for freight carriers, and the economy, to me. How do you see the freight carriers loosing?
Mac
Becaiuse fixing choke points so Amtrak can perform better means that freight will also perform better.
The choke points that I know of are choke points because of ATK, either at current volume or because ATK wants more trains as in CHI-MKW case. If those ATK moves go away so do the choke points.
If you have an example of ATK or the state fixing a freight choke point other than to run more trains, please advise.
Mac
We and Amtrak have been fixing choke holds for a while. Amtrak on time performance improves very little for the dollar s it had paid. I think the case of how BNSF treated the empire builder is a case in point. The millions the class one railroads want so Amtrak can add one daily train is some times outrageous.
Mica joining the Trump team the swamp one, Amtrak zero.
Mac: Agree that IF Rep. Mica succeeds in somehow putting a ‘legislative javalin’ in AMTRAK. The freight railroad would gain that capacity that AMTRAK is currently utilizing. IF it is killed, and simply goes away, that capacity would be theirs, but no value received. The issues seem to be that it is a " Hatfield and McCoy’s" situation. Potentially, no winner and either party winds up spilling blood.
Particularly, in the areas of the East Coast; and Chicago, (West Coast,as well); where there is ‘capacity’ being used to support the many origins and destinations that AMTRAK traffic supports. Even with the mix of ‘various regional services’ municipal and state supported survices. I know that where AMTRAK 'operates ( or ‘subsisizes’(?) those services. The railroads that ‘host’ those passenger services get funds to increase issues of traffic density and volume. Take out AMTRAK and the railroads still get benefits of improvements made to their capacity.
It seems th
John Mica at DOT? I don’t know, The Trumpster likes achievers, and has Mr. Mica actually achieved anything? Just asking here, not being a wise guy.
I won’t be surprised if Mica is appointed Secretary of something, if not transportation.
Trump’s daughter Ivanka says,
“When this property was put out to bid, Congressman John Mica, Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, held a press conference in the vacant building; it was without heat, and in the freezing cold, he admonished the crowd about government excess and noted that the Old Post Office was losing the United States Government between $6-8-million a year. At a committee hearing following our soft opening last month, Congressman Mica said that Trump International Hotel, Washington D.C., is now creating hundreds of jobs and is a stellar example of turning underutilized properties around with the help of the private sector.”
Once again, someone who speaks out against gov’t spending will keep sucking at the government teat. Have to love those hypocrites and the fools who believe them.
Fire lock, John mica had one achievement. He found away to destroy food service on Amtrak.
Mica was one of the main forces in getting Sunrail, Orlando’s commuter rail service, built. Please though, don’t permit those facts from getting in the way of your Mica bash fest.
n012944: Very true. Demonizing supposed enemies and all or nothing thinking are not helpful. Seems to me the main thing Mica did was try to push Amtrak into obeying the law on LD food services. Not sure how that makes him the enemy of modern passenger rail.
all a part of 21st Century politics - trash the demon
Anybody you are not for is the demon.
Sure, that was for Florida. Being a good homeboy doesn’t get him off the hook for the war he has made on passenger service for everybody else.