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Senator tweaks Canadian National over Amtrak, safety issues
Look for CN to make some stupid reason why these problems occur.
Freight don’t care at all about Passenger, period, they don’t have to do anything the states say, its their right of way. Running passenger in their eye, is a burden they’d rather not deal with, its about moving ad making money, CN runs at their speed and schedule, a passenger train would just be in their way. CN will get their way when the state coughs up billions for repairs and improvements and after that, CN might think about it, just sayin!
With all due respect to my fellow railfans, but Senator Durbin is grandstanding and pandering to his constituents. This is but another example of his typical political gamesmanship.
Why should the State of Illinois pony up over $320 million dollars to fund this extension of Amtrak service? This State is already bankrupt. We do not have monies to spend on questionable projects such as this.
There is a reason why the original “Blackhawks” were discontinued many years ago. It was a marginal service and had marginal ridership. What makes everyone think this will be any different?
I’m sorry, but this one doesn’t fly and funding this during these sad economic times for the State of Illinois is just plain irresponsible.
There are better and more sound ways to spend this kind of money.
As far as CN goes, that is their prerogative. This rail line belongs to a private corporation. It is these to provide efficient, cost-effective and timely service to the many valued customers along the line.
For a solid example, think about Amtrak’s brief foray into providing service to Janesville, WI not that many years ago (Another fine example of money well wasted.)
It should be noted that liberal Eddie Haskel durbin is up for re election this year.He should be more concerned with helping his citizens get back on their feet when it comes to the tornados that his state west of here last November 17,2013
If I ran CN I would tell Durbin to go jump in the river.We would all be better off.
I am sorry, but the “Land Grant” argument, just doesn’t hold water. The US Government, held the railroad industry in a state of “Indentured servitude” for many decades, through over regulation and reduced rates for the Federal Government.
If my memory serves me right, the US Government, sometime during the 1940’s reviewed this and had determined that the railroads had paid their debt for these Land Grants many times over through their reduced rates and subsidized passenger service for lines which were built through the Federal Land Grants program of the 1800’s.
Now having said that, from what I can find, the particular line over which the proposed service on the Illinois Central trackage, was not built under the Federal Land Grants program. So, it would thereby negate the argument that the provision of said program would have applied anyway.
Bottom line here is that the State of Illinois does not have monies available to subsidize and/or construct such a service. As Mr. Perry points out, so poignantly, there are other more pressing needs that should be considered before tis kind of spending takes place.
A subsidy, of $100 per passenger is absurd as pointed out by Mr. Schroeder.
If Amtrak tried to charge $122 per trip for each passenger, we would see empty trains running back and forth for no reason whatsoever. Not even mentioning the waste of energy resources to attain such a level of service.
It just doesn’t wash. Senator Durbin, is flat out pandering with a grandstand move to placate a very small minority of the electorate.
Full disclosure here, I am a retired professional railroader. I do not have any vested interest in this matter either way. And further full disclosure, I am a former CN employee and in no way do my views come as any kind of official statement on behalf of my former employer. I speak for myself as a Taxpayer in the State of Illinois.
Upon further review, I have found that a portion of the IC Line from Chicago to Dubuque was part of the Land Grant (Up though Rockford then West to Galena. However, it appears the lines East from Rockford to Chicago, were not part of any Land Grants. So I stand corrected on that point.
I was involved in the review of both routes from Chicago to Rockford. The bus service out of the Clock Tower Inn at Rockford is every hour to O’Hare Field, about every 2 to downtown for $22. The proposed Amtrak will be 2 times a day and the government will subsidize the trip at the cost of about $100 per person. When the state of Illinois is broke this, to me, doe not seem logical, but then again I am not a senator. The UP will not get their line fixed at taxpayer expense - smart on their part and dumb on ours.
Rick S.
I hate to burst your bubble, John Green but the land was granted to the railroads to provide a service and that included transport for passengers. So CN wasn’t in the US at that time but the former owner of the railroad obtained the right-o-way by the land grant. Sure , you can argue: Well, that happened one hundred years ago. I don’t it the ROW was granted a million years ago, that caveat still applies.