Passenger Trains > Amtrak Considering Extended Outages At Penn Station

Weekday commuters enjoyed the NJT weekend-service levels and diverted LIRR trains so much during the last derailment that Amtrak's thinking about doing it full-time starting soon.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/25/nyregion/penn-station-repairs-amtrak.html

now there are wire problems on the tracks between Sunnyside Yard and
the East River tunnels.

How long does it take to spell "Penn Central" using some of the
letters in "National Passenger Rail Corporation"?

Penn Central is irrelevant to the conversation, as are the failures of any private entity.

The problems plaguing NYP and its environs are entirely the fault of poor public management and the lack of proper fiscal support from the state and federal governments.

To put it more succinctly, the failures of Penn Central were accountable to their shareholders. The failures of NJT, Amtrak and the LIRR are accountable to us, the public.

Posted from iPhone

Robertjohndavis is focused on why these things fail, but what they do have in common is lack of infrastructure investment and lack of accountability for the people who decide to make or not make investments plus some maintenance lapses perhaps.
No PC shareholder would or could invest like that and no politician who risks increased spending will be safe in the next election.

Public agencies are often shielded from direct accountability until the wheels fall off, etc.

Look at the amount of money spent on schools which produce 60% drop out rates. And graduates who can't read.

Posted from Android

railstiesballast Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Robertjohndavis is focused on why these things
> fail, but what they do have in common is lack of
> infrastructure investment and lack of
> accountability for the people who decide to make
> or not make investments plus some maintenance
> lapses perhaps.
> No PC shareholder would or could invest like that
> and no politician who risks increased spending
> will be safe in the next election.



For sure. Although, I expect that at least in the northeast, pro-infrastructure politicos will do well in the near future.

Even if that's wrong, at least we can still fire them. The PC shareholders were beyond reach. ;-)

Posted from iPhone

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Public agencies are often shielded from direct
> accountability until the wheels fall off, etc.
>
> Look at the amount of money spent on schools which
> produce 60% drop out rates. And graduates who
> can't read.
>
> Posted from Android

No different than the private companies that let the wheels fall off 50 years ago, except we are the shareholders.

Public transit can work (as proven around the globe) and private passenger service without heavy government investment can't (as proven around the globe). So, we're paying either way.

Pick one and let's get the job done.

Posted from iPhone

Robertjohndavis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Public agencies are often shielded from direct
> > accountability until the wheels fall off, etc.
> >
> > Look at the amount of money spent on schools
> which
> > produce 60% drop out rates. And graduates who
> > can't read.
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
> No different than the private companies that let
> the wheels fall off 50 years ago, except we are
> the shareholders.
>
>(SNIP)

When the rates no longer supported the amount of investment required, and freight wasn't available to cross subsidize, the privately funded service stopped. All over the country.

Amtrak bills NJ Transit $60 million a year for use of Penn Station, Amtrak should be doing something with the money. That's more than a million dollars a week. LIRR also pays a bundle.

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> now there are wire problems on the tracks between
> Sunnyside Yard and
> the East River tunnels.
>
> How long does it take to spell "Penn Central"
> using some of the
> letters in "National Passenger Rail Corporation"?

You can blame your right leaning friendly neighborhood Congress!! If Amtrak had the appropriate level congressional support from a budgetary standpoint and competent management, Amtrak would be in much better shape and my late Wife would have had a larger paycheck. I might have to agree, The National Railroad Passenger Corporation is headed down the way of the mighty Penn Central😣😥😟😯😞😬😵.

SantaFeRuss

Posted from Android