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Sen. Durbin convenes meeting on passenger rail delays
Amtrak took over failing passenger service that freight railroads were abandoning because of government (taxpayer) funds. So Amtrak was an attempt to balance it out. The railroads wanted the government to take over passenger service.
The deal was:
- you, the railroads, want to be relieved of your expensive common carrier obligation to provide passenger service;
- we, the government, will create a semi-public company to do that for you since we believe that passenger rail is socially necessary;
- in return, you railroads will be grateful and allow passenger trains priority over your freight, just like you did when you ran your own.
Just because the deal is now over 40 years doesn’t mean it’s not still a deal.
Actually, it is capital (not capitol, which refers to a building) which built and continues to govern the behavior of RRs. The delays inflicted upon Amtrak are part of the considered strategy of allowing nothing to interfere with the movement of goods. That means, as with the financial industry, that to skirt or disobey legal obligations is considered part of the cost of doing business when caught. Just look at the fines being levied against banks nowdays. Truth be told, the RRs are making a huge strategic error by not expediting Amtrak schedules, as short term gain will be offset by long term payout.
When Amtrak owns the rails, they can operate anyway they want. Till then, oh well
I totally support Amtrak, but as everyone knows, govt. ALWAYS runs at a loss and really don’t care for profit. The RR dumped passenger because is was not profitable, government took it over for a myriad of political reasons. RR operate to make $, and the govt. took the bait. Amtrak and other govt. entities will ALWAYS run at a loss i.e. Everything they operate. I want passenger rail service, but as long as it runs on private RR, Amtrak will just have to suck it up and follow the money makers.
You cannot legislate solutions to some problems. If they really want to increase capacity to avoid delays, there is an object called cash that needs to be exchanged. The odds of that are unlikely in light of the beltway quagmire as well as more pressing national problems. Could there be some compromise between the government and private carriers? Not likely.
Look at the vanishing of the interurbans…historically due to the automobile…if oil becomes scarce that autos require…then all of this will be bumped up as a priority. Otherwise, nada.
Britt do I second that. Sen. Durban, if revenues are so great on Amtrak why are they scaling back! Why do they need the Federal Government (other 49 States) to pay for ILL operations. Freight Companies pay their way, why doesn’t ILL Amtrak!
Paul
Back in the 50’s, Ike got it wrong, and you’ve described the symptom of the error…“Expressways…is impeded by unnecessary truck traffic.”
To summarize, let’s recap…
Capitol built the railroads which were to be used as capitol wanted. That use was almost entirely freight.
Failing commuter services, likewise, long distance passenger services caused governments, city state and federal to get involved, and now the honorable Sen. Durbin wants government to prevail over capitol for track space…after all, it’s the Amtrak law…
Ike should have made the commercial motor vehicle operators finance the interstate Highway systems if they were to have a prior right to use the system; the system had a name which included Defense, but did not include commercial vehicles.
They shouldn’t be clogging the system, inflicting the heaviest wear and tear.
They should be on their own(ed) roads.
Privately owned vehicles and military transport, they have all the rights to the I-highways.
To get the needed track space, do we need an Interstate Railroad (track construction) System, similar to the Interstate Highway’s?
If Amtrak were funded at a level that allowed them to come to the railroads with sufficient money to make it profitable to keep the trains on time, they would do it. Look at the reliable commuter services and see what they pay their host railroads, whether by trackage rights, capital for projects, or on-time incentives.
I like that Durbin cares about corridor passenger rail in Illinois. But I don’t thing the phrase “unnecessary freight train interference” demonstrates a very effective understanding of the problem. It’s like saying “automotive mobility on Chicago area expressways is impeded by unnecessary truck traffic”.
Just when I think,
Austin,
that I’ve got one foot on the lowest rung of the ladder permitting escape from the pool of pitiable abject humility, i screw up by using capitol when I meant capital.
The splash you heard was me falling into the pool…neck deep in it…don’t make a wave.
Seriousely, thanks.
Durbin is a blowhard who likes to throw his weight around. And his weight is for sale. He enjoyed an out of state fundraiser in Milwaukee sponsored by a lobbyist for “Lake Express”, a ferry operator across Lake Michigan. They would love to shut down the Badger, an old C&O carferry that is competition.
Durbin took the money and attacked the Badger service.
He poisons the water between railroads and Amtrak. He got James R. Young, then head of the Union Pacific in a meeting and read Young the riot act about delays to Amtrak between St. Louis and Springfield, IL. If you think that was a good thing you’d better think again. When Amtrak approached the UP about running the Sunset daily the UP told the Feds it would take $400 million to upgrade the route. You don’t read the riot act to someone and make them want to cooperate with you. People do not like being intimidated. Daily service did not happen. But Durbin just loves his perceived power. And he loves to perceive to use it.
Durbin and our Homer Simpson governor, Quinn, want a 3rd round trip between Chicago and Carbondale on the CN. CN doesn’t want another Amtrak train anywhere on its rails partially because of Durbin’s actions. He’s a clout happy fool.
Durbin will very likely get reelected in November. But this time he is running a little scarred. If he looses by one vote it will be mine.
Durbin’s remarks demonstrate only the liberals’ paucity of intellect and surplus of hot air.
Durbin’s remarks demonstrate only the liberals’ paucity of intellect and surplus of hot air.
Durbin’s remarks demonstrate only the liberals’ paucity of intellect and surplus of hot air.
Mr. Drake, Note well the rules for participation: “Please keep your feedback thoughtful, on-topic and respectful. Offensive language, personal attacks, or irrelevant comments will be deleted.” Please don’t participate if you can’t follow the rules. And please only touch the submit button once.
Must be getting close to election time!
From someone who runs these freight trains day between Minneapolis and Fargo, I can tell you that Amtrak causes alot of major delays for all these freight trains. I can understand why CN doesn’t want them. Just across the 232 miles I run, Amtrak several times daily, delays up to 50 freight trains. That’s right, up to 50 trains each time Amtrak is in the picture. The dispatchers do their best to accommodate Amtrak and to cause them as little a delay as possible, but it’s not easy. It means moving alot of freight trains out of their way. It’s not as easy as one would believe. Trust me. I deal with it everyday.
Smug alert!! As a resident of Champaign Urbana, and a passenger train supporter this is all quiet interesting! The final tag line on the TV report was interesting and telling…“Neither the governor nor the senator had any idea where funding would come from!” Remember, Illinois is broke!