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Maintenance of Indiana station questioned
The town should take pride in the shack and let high school kids volunteer their time to sweep and shovel.
this sounds like complete nonsense – those municipal employees are making an extra $1000 a month for the town
when they “work” at the station – what do they do in the summer? sweep? on their other duties around town, who is
paying for THAT service? for example, when they sweep main
street, are the local merchants kicking in an extra $100 or $200? (above their taxes)
i think the town has this all wrong – the amtrak maintenance
contract is probably the only thing muni employees do that
generates extra revenue and, excepting winter, how much work is truly involved? and how much extra time? an hour?
like everything else, this is politically motivated – the town
gets a net gain from the contract, period.
Even using the term “Amshack”, that does not even describe the concrete pad and minimal shelter that makes up the station. That station looks more like a flagstop commuter RR stop then an Amtrak station. It should not take more than 30 min or so to sweep and empty the 1 trash can and wipe the glass on the shelter.
This is what Amtrak was paying $1000 a month to Dyer to maintain. https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjbuttons/10639748065/in/set-72157637248483664/ in the background you can see the platform extension under construction
Not every town/city can afford to meet Amtrak’s price. It is what it is.
Forget Dyer and concentrate on an effective route into Chicago. Ridership will never increase to/from Indy or other points until that takes place.
Typical Dyer.They don’t spend money unless they have to.Trust me,I know.I live here
Only the government could spend $12,000 a year to maintain a little metal shack with nothing but chairs in it.
What’s wrong with using community service labor?
Maybe they should open this up to the private sector and if it out the way the state is getting proposals on train service Dyer is getting good deal
Mr. Stricklin: If city workers are unionized, they will probably file a grievance. Or the City Attorney will rule that use of non City workers will cause a liability problem. My City tried to make able bodied welfare recipients rake leaves in the City parks. Union park employees filed a grievance and City backed down.
$1,000 a month!!!
LMAO.
How STUPID is Amtrak?
Oh, it’s Amtrak - bringing new meaning to “stupid.”
Dyer needs to come together as a community and embrace the station. Other communities have done exactly that, and it’s a proven fact that the station will bring business. However, take a Google Earth look at the surrounding area - there’s a Subway restaurant next door, but no path between! Public/private partnerships make good business sense.
Most normal cities would welcome this deal! What the Hell is Dyer IN? A gold plated City!!!
Indot is taking bids to privatize Amtrak’s
Hoosier State…do it and stop the nonsense!