Western Railroad Discussion > Union Pacific targeting American Public

I live very close to the Amtrak station in Omaha. All summer long, I watched online and at the depot, as every daily Zephyr fell hours behind schedule as soon as it touched UP rails. Then, magically, in late August the delays stopped. I don't think it was a coincidence that the week often 7+ hour delays suddenly stopped just happened to be the exact week that most schools and universities ended their summer break. Since that week the Zephyr as performed pretty well for on-time performance... until yesterday when it was ten hours late. Once again, I don't think it's a coincidence that it just so happened to be two days before Thanksgiving. UP is targeting the American traveling public, trying their best to ruin as many vacations and family events as they can, in an attempt to reduce ridership. This practice which they have clearly adopted literally makes me sick to my stomach, just because I thought UP was better than that. I dont mean to single out UP here, but of all the class I's, save for CN, they just seem to be the most blatant about it. I think UP might benefit from some business ethics advisors, and if that doesn't change their clear contempt for the American public, maybe we should start enforcing the rules and contractual obligations that were established on behalf of the American people when the major railroads joined Amtrak 50 years ago.

Tom Loftus
Omaha, NE

Where do the space lasers enter into this story?

Lol, you are giving the UP way to much credit. 

OmahaTom Wrote:
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> I live very close to the Amtrak station in Omaha.
> All summer long, I watched online and at the
> depot, as every daily Zephyr fell hours behind
> schedule as soon as it touched UP rails. Then,
> magically, in late August the delays stopped. I
> don't think it was a coincidence that the week
> often 7+ hour delays suddenly stopped just
> happened to be the exact week that most schools
> and universities ended their summer break. Since
> that week the Zephyr as performed pretty well for
> on-time performance... until yesterday when it was
> ten hours late. Once again, I don't think it's a
> coincidence that it just so happened to be two
> days before Thanksgiving. UP is targeting the
> American traveling public, trying their best to
> ruin as many vacations and family events as they
> can, in an attempt to reduce ridership. This
> practice which they have clearly adopted literally
> makes me sick to my stomach, just because I
> thought UP was better than that. I dont mean to
> single out UP here, but of all the class I's, save
> for CN, they just seem to be the most blatant
> about it. I think UP might benefit from some
> business ethics advisors, and if that doesn't
> change their clear contempt for the American
> public, maybe we should start enforcing the rules
> and contractual obligations that were established
> on behalf of the American people when the major
> railroads joined Amtrak 50 years ago.

I'm sure Gardner has something to do with this conspiracy.

Yeah man

---

Wow.  I guess you haven't seen the on-time massacre that was the Empire Builder, Southwest Chief and others this summer.  Union Pacific isn't alone in the bad handling of Amtrak.  But, I wonder.  If Union Pacific's goal was to "ruin as many vacations and family events as possible" they why don't they just horribly delay Amtrak every single day.  I too think your giving UP too much credit.  They don't really care about Amtrak at all, one way or another.  They delay when necessary to prevent delays to freights and let it go whenever it won't.

I rode Amtrak across country twice this summer.  BNSF and UP handling wasn't perfect, but it wasn't terrible.  Neither was CSX.  Now Norfolk Southern...that's was a true travesty.   There handling east of Chicago was horrible on both the Capitol Limted and Lake Shore Limited.  But again, it wasn't due to some deep conspiracy to kill Amtrak.  Instead it was simple apathy.

I think Amtrak is a bigger enemy to itself than what the Class I railroads are doing to it.  Mechanical issues seem to be biggest cause for delays.  On my summer trip, the biggest delays were due to Amtrak mechanical issues and passenger behavior issues (we lost 45 minutes alone dealing with a drunk passenger at Gallup, NM (for those wondering, it was eastbound in the morning!).

i think that is when some elongated passing tracks come into service, we still have PSR trains pulling apart and getting in the way crew issues and the list goes on

It's interesting that UP on Tehachapi seems to have problems on the single track sections between the nice 2MT
runs, a conspiracy? One wonders.

Out 

Don't the Class I's get incentives for Amtrak on-time performance in their districts?  If so, maybe they are not worth it, or the RR's simply don't care.

they used to , but  not lately, the contracts that rewarded that may have been gone for 20 years or more is my guess

There are many nights when #4's long run from Victorville to Lenwood is quicker than Lenwood to the Barstow depot which
is but a few miles. It's just those darn old freight trains getting in the way. 

Out 

SpringedSwitch Wrote:
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> I'm sure Gardner has something to do with this
> conspiracy.

Haha. Such obsession with defending him, even in jest. Most people here in the Western Railroad Discussion don't care about him. Reveals more about you than him, or the Union Pacific.

OmahaTom Wrote:
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> UP is targeting the American traveling public, trying
> their best to ruin as many vacations and family events
> as they can, in an attempt to reduce ridership.

I have difficulty agreeing with that statement, but you pointed out an interesting pattern on the delays vs. school days. Could be coincidence, but who knows? In the Empire of Lies, people shouldn't dismiss things right away.

dan Wrote:
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> they used to , but  not lately, the contracts
> that rewarded that may have been gone for 20 years
> or more is my guess

Amtrak still makes on time incentives payments to the host railroads...when they qualify, of course.

I am really trying hard to figure out if this post is serious or not.  If it is, there might be a shortage of tin foil in the Omaha area.

Earth to Omaha:
Maybe the days of vacation coincide with the days that UP (and others) cannot fill vacancies.
If the UP could come up with a strategic plan (a big if) I am confident it would include running all trains according to a plan that avoids re-crews, etc.  That might increase their profits and bonus payments.

The correct explanation is always much simpler than the conspiracy theory.  My guess is UP tried to ram through more freight before the holiday because of the impending slow down, and they did it without regard for passenger trains.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/22 16:00 by radar.

As if a huge railroad such as the UP would give a thought to a few Amtrak trains with a few hundred passengers on their railroad at any one time.   If they wanted to mess up peoples' vacations,  they'd need to find a way to mess with the airlines.  Just sayin'

Interesting thread. I can;t determine whether it's serious or not.  Anyway, #5 &6 run on the BNSF through Omaha, not the UP.  Neither one is a saint here.  

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/22 18:36 by ntharalson.

ntharalson Wrote:
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> Interesting thread. I can;t determine whether
> it's serious or not.  Anyway, #5 &6 run on the
> BNSF through Omaha, ot the UP.  Neither one is a
> sait here.  
>
> Nick Tharalson,
> Marion, IA

Thank you, Nick. I was hoping someone would point this out.