Passenger Trains > Railway Age editirial on Mica -Shuster Amtrak billl

Mica/Schuster bill: Reagan-Gingrich-Bush redux?

It seems as though every few years, the White House or somebody in Congress tries to dismantle Amtrak. In the 1980s it was Ronald Reagan and White House Budget Director David Stockman. In the 1990s it was the Newt Gingrich-led Republican Revolution, which prompted Amtrak itself (under the leadership of the late, beleaguered George Warrington) to attempt a "Glide Path to Self Sufficiency." In the past decade, it was George W. Bush and Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta. Yesterday, we were introduced to the latest "Let's Pull Amtrak Apart, Throw All the Pieces Into a Blender, Dump it Out, and Get People Who Have No Idea What They're Doing Attempt To Glue it Back Together" bill.

Love the "popular name" for the proposal!

Full Text:

http://www.railwayage.com/breaking-news/mica-shuster-eye-passenger-rail-competition-3234.html

Strong words of support from what many view as the quasi-official trade magazine of the railroad industry. I wonder if that's the longest editorial in Railway Age history? Has to be right up there!

Most revealing line in the editorial:

"Republicans are plowing full steam ahead to abolish Amtrak, hand over the conductor’s cap to the USDOT, and auction off Amtrak’s assets to the highest bidder on Wall Street (and we all know Wall Street is just so evil!"

Therein lies the true motivation behind Mica's lust for Amtrak's NEC. Floridajoe got it right in quoting Boardman:

"The Northeast Corridor is not just a piece of real estate." --- to me, this is an understated way of admitting that Mica's plan is actually a "land grab" of Amtrak's property, which is intended to destroy Amtrak and benefit handsomely Mica's Developer lobbyists and friends.

John Webb
Trinidad, CA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/11 09:17 by Winnemucca.

swirsk53 opines:
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> In the past decade, it was George W.
> Bush and Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta.
> Yesterday, we were introduced to the latest "Let's
> Pull Amtrak Apart, Throw All the Pieces Into a
> Blender, Dump it Out, and Get People Who Have No
> Idea What They're Doing Attempt To Glue it Back
> Together" bill.

I think your characterization has it backwards. The idea that "...People...[would] Attempt to Glue it Back Together" is bunk. Through this bill, Messrs. Mica, Shuster et al clearly seek to drive a stake of finest oak deep into Amtrak's heart. And if their bill passes, there would follow nothing like any "glue the pieces back together" effort later. Moreover, Mica and Shuster know exactly what they are doing.

Watching this play out is where the fun lies.

Well, OK, but lets not forget the enemy within. How-a-bout that whole retro, back to the 50's lets carry express thing, hows the express thing doing for them.

Delay the passengers, compete with the host railroad, the 40 mph train to Janesville, the express cars that would not stay on the tracks.

How-a-bout that whole lets junk all the heritage cars and rely on these basically uncomfortable coaches for long distance trains. Jam your luggage in the small storage area or shlep it up this little narrow staircase and then sit in these uncomfortable seats.

How-a-bout that wonderful coach dining experience when you get the last call and the crew is banging every piece of crap around and making sure you know you are inconveniencing them by not eating from snack lounge.



Bob

lowwater Wrote:
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> Strong words of support from what many view as the
> quasi-official trade magazine of the railroad
> industry. I wonder if that's the longest editorial
> in Railway Age history? Has to be right up there!


Mr. Vantuono is never lost for words!

I for one read part of that article and the guy hits the nail on the head. Besides, how many "excuses" have they've been throwin' at us over the years that Amtrak's not worth it and "We got somethin' better planned" which probably would be worse than what's goin' on now with Amtrak!

Winnemucca Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Most revealing line in the editorial:
>
> "Republicans are plowing full steam ahead to
> abolish Amtrak, hand over the conductor’s cap to
> the USDOT, and auction off Amtrak’s assets to
> the highest bidder on Wall Street (and we all know
> Wall Street is just so evil!"
>
> Therein lies the true motivation behind Mica's
> lust for Amtrak's NEC. Floridajoe got it right in
> quoting Boardman:
>
> "The Northeast Corridor is not just a piece of
> real estate." --- to me, this is an understated
> way of admitting that Mica's plan is actually a
> "land grab" of Amtrak's property, which is
> intended to destroy Amtrak and benefit handsomely
> Mica's Developer lobbyists and friends.

Yup, FloridaJoe was all over it in the other thread. What is really pathetic is how a real estate guy (Mica), and car dealership guy (Shuster) get to become Committee Chairmen of things they have no expertise on? Based strictly on seniority? (wow, I can almost accuse them of being pro-union!) I try very hard to avoid partisan politics, but it seems the Republicans lack anyone with expertise in transportation! Remember, Bush's transportation secretary was a Democrat, Norm Mineta. I would not be surprised if they are hiding their incompetence behind this exercise of quasi-capitalism.

After this needless storm blows over, maybe they'll become as quiet as Darrell Issa has become.

cchan006 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> (snip)
>
> After this needless storm blows over, maybe
> they'll become as quiet as Darrell Issa has
> become.

Issa's been running hearings looking at the administration's sale of AK-47 rifles to the Mexican drug cartels. More important than the Amtrak inspector general issue. Weapons sold in 2009 and 2010 were found at the murder site of a US Border Patrol agent by Mexican drug dealers.

Frank Lautenburg had the Amtrak police chief, TSA administrator Pistole, and TSA mass transit head Lord in front of his committtee this week. The Senate is looking at Amtrak security issues, and the possibility of a Spanish style train bombing.

Chief O'Connor is calling for more officers, more dogs, and "upgraded security networks" for passenger rail. It was on C-SPAN.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Frank Lautenburg had the Amtrak police chief, TSA
> administrator Pistole, and TSA mass transit head
> Lord in front of his committtee this week. The
> Senate is looking at Amtrak security issues, and
> the possibility of a Spanish style train bombing.
>
> Chief O'Connor is calling for more officers, more
> dogs, and "upgraded security networks" for
> passenger rail. It was on C-SPAN.

Because we all know that Amtrak passengers are the enemy and must be thorough-goingly treated as such. (/sarcasm)

Amtrak security is comedic. The only controlled platforms are 30th St. and Washington Union Station and the Amtrak level of New York, which is pure theater for those who don't know about the LIRR and NJT concourses - everywhere else, you just walk out and get on the train whenever you feel like it, no questions asked. So why bother at all? It far more likely that any act of terrorism will involve a planned derailment than a terrorist-passenger putting themselves in harms way. The money would be better spent on fencing, track/signal inspection, and right of way intrusion detection.

Yeah instead of harassin' innocent railfans because of the threat to our nationa security!

The skunks are showing their true colors. 2012 is coming.