Come on folks, the Bush Administration is trying to end Amtrak. Why are we not writing about that.
d
Welcome to the forum. Try a search and you will find a few pages on the subject.
becoues we are sick of discussing it…
csx engineer
Oh believe me, I’m writing about Amtrak! I’m writing to my Congressman, my Senators, my state Governor, and President Bush himself! If you care about saving Amtrak, you should too! [:D]
I have done everything you mentioned and if you read my article under “Happy Birthday Amtrak” I also point out some of the problems with Amtrak that need to be seriously looked at. But the main problem with Amtrak is lack of funding and surly on board personel.
There are quite a few A/trak threads just search the 1st few pages of threads & you will find them [:D][:o)]
Because many of us have come to believe that these tax funded betterments have spoiled us as true and strong Americans.
In the ownership era of America, passenger trains should only be run for those that can afford to hook a private car to the locomotive - not to those of us that can only reserve a seat in someone else’s railcar.
I also find it equally sad.
Once the federal mandate for service is gone from the tracks of the class one railroads via the elimination of Amtrak, the peoples access will also be gone for any economical train service.
Jim
One of the great attributes of being an old timer on the list is encouraging newbie’s just getting their feet wet.
This is not how we do that Mr. CSXEngineer. In the spirit of A. C. Kalmback, guide this new fellow to some links to old threads on the subject.
It was your above made statement that brought me back home to Prodigy’s railroad forums that turned me into the adversary that I became! Help him, don’t badger him!
No need to be so pesimisstic.
Time after time Amtrak is saved at the last minute. I’ve witnessed this since the 70s.
Plus Amtrak has increased in popularity. I honestly don’t think that we’re going to lose all of the long distance services, especially since trains like the Crescent and Silver “Series” are running with heavy loads!
Let the idiotic political process play out. It’s a process in which logic does not apply! I’m thinking more and more that Amtrak won’t be so badly hacked to pieces as many believe. I’m glad that after Mr. Bush leaves office, Norm Mineta will likely follow behind closely!
I am kind of with Antonio on this one. I don’t think Amtrak is going anywhere. I know no one likes to give Bush any credit on this forum—that doesn’t bother me one way or another, as I am a-political. But, I and others on this forum have long said Amtrak needs to go in one direction or the other—this contention seems to be the gravamen of Jim Wrinn’s opening article in Trains this month, though Mr. Wrinn clearly favors the expansive direction for Amtrak.
Bush’s stated contention is reform or kill Amtrak. I couldn’t agree more.
That having been said, I don’t think Amtrak is going anywhere. As Mr. Wrinn noted, they are not going to kill Amtrak in the midst of skyrocketing gas prices and increasing highway and airport congestion.
I hope Bush really does stir up the pot with Amtrak. It needs some stirring. Most particularly, Amtrak needs to be better coordinated with other forms of transportation.
Gabe
I would like to see Amtrak emerge from all this political struggle and eventually turn into it’s own class one passenger railroad. Some of us hate to fly.
Amtrak’s creation was political. It was corporate welfare at its finest. Absolve the railroads of passenger service responsibility. If it was a non-political item, it would have been given a funding source with guidelines. It wasn’t, the people that created Amtrak believed it would be dead in less than ten years. These were jet aged transportation planners. THE EXPERTS at the time.
Jim
Yes, Amtrak’s creation certainly was political. But, I don’t know what your definition of “corporate welfare” is, but I don’t see how any stretch of the imagination renders Amtrak “corporate welfare.” Most railroads regard Amtrak as a corporate pain in the backside. If the railroads (I assume the corporations to which you are referring) had their way, they would have just discarded the passenger train altogether and be done with it.
Why do railroads have a
Oh, All of the sudden now your the nice guy?
Lest not forget, “we turned him into an adversary.”
Before little Jim was corrupted by us, he was a gentle young lass who would open doors for little old ladies and help the blind to see. But, due to our corruption, he is now throwing his Nobel Peace Prize at people.
To think, one of his first posts he was so nice and polite (that is when he scurrilously criticized Mark’s photography in Mark’s article about the demise of the Southern Pacific). But, we had to corrupt him.
I am so overwhelmed by guilt.
Gabe
Yes there are a few of you & that is why A/trak is great for those who are fearful of the great blue yonder. [8D][:)][:p]
[quote]
Originally posted by Nuclearwinter
Im my opinion so long as the freight RRs dispatch A/trak it will NEVER be a 1st class RR outside of the NEC! [:D][:p]
[quote]
Originally posted by gabe
[
Yup, I’m not a nice guy, all newbie’s beware! I’m only sucking up to you to try and get a new sphere of influence, so I can take over the editorial board at Trains. Its a plot.
Jim
Yea, I have been a little too harsh on Jim lately. He has apologised for his “salty toung” on another thread and made me feel a bit guilty. I am willing to put it in the past. But Jim if you read this Please leave the politics alone. I understand that you have your views and I have mine. Discussing them here is going to lead to more bad feelings.
I knew you were plotting something, But I had no idea how ambitious your plans were.
Just kidding.
peace [8D]