Weather causes Amtrak to put another one on the ground 09-29

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-09-29-amtrak-derailment_x.htm

This has got to be causing a real problem in equiptment shortages, with all the wrecks this year.

Sorry, but I’m not a Amtrak basher. But I just read the head lines this morning and put it on here. Was still asleep, apparently.

2

Sounds more like the boulders put it on the ground, not Amtrak…

Ed

3

Should have checked this out 1st[;)][;)]

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=46216

[quote]
Originally posted by railroad65

4

I hate to quibble, but… Amtrak didn’t put the train on the ground. It would be more correct to say that a rock slide occurred, and an Amtrak train went on the ground. Ditto for Amtrak hit a car in Connecticut: no, a car went through the crossing gates and was hit by an Amtrak train.

I have the same problem with the rather common headline ‘a car went out of control and hit a tree’. No. A driver lost control of his car, which then hit a tree.

This may sound like a trivial quibble, but it isn’t. One needs to say what one means…

5

I couldn’t agree with you more Jamie.

6

Or my favorite: “Yesterday’s rain caused 15 road accidents.”

I used to think that was only a Southern California phenomenon, since we don’t get a heckuva lot of rain down here, but on business travel to areas that do get a lot of rain, I heard the same idiot line when it rained and people were smacking into each other all over the place. Given that it is possible to drive a car safely on wet pavement, it’s not the rain causing the accidents.

OK, time to get off the old soap box. [soapbox]

7

[2c] on the subject:

Very poor choice of words - Amtrak was the unfortunate victim of a rock slide. How in the world can anyone turn this around and expect anything other than rebuttals. Good grief! Apparently Amtrak 'basher’s are waiting in the “wings” in order to seize the moment - right or wrong - to condemn our only national passenger rail service.

I traveled Amtrak from St. Louis (Kirkwood) to Kansas City, MO yesterday on one day round tip. Train was in excellent condition - friendly and courteous crew - and arrived in KCity right on the button - 1:30 PM. The return trip was 35 minutes beyond the scheduled arrival at Kirkwood - got in at 8:35 PM and didn’t hear one complaint, although my guess is there were some.

Amtrak’s future may be tenuous and the detractors many. Congress can take care of the former, and quite frankly, the latter bunch turns me OFF.