Passenger Trains > Trump 2020 budget proposal - WSJ Article

Wall Street Journal summary sounds a lot like the bustitution model for long distance - 

The administration would reduce funding for Amtrak, while calling for the railroad to replace trains with bus service on some of its long-distance routes. Amtrak officials have said they believe the railroad should focus on running train service on intercity corridors, and previously proposed replacing parts of one long-distance route, the Southwest Chief, with a bus. That proposal was fiercely opposed by representatives of the affected states, and Amtrak agreed to continue running the existing train route through 2019.

Deja Vu all over again as Yogi Berra would have said. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/11/19 10:56 by swirsk53.

How obvious can you get!

Just imagine--Trump puts out a budget which is a mirror image of what Anderson has already announced is his "reorganization" plan (no long-hauls--with the smoke screen of more corridor trains).

I consider this as hard evidence that Anderson is just a stooge for the Trump administration (You don't need any railroad experience for his, do you.).  Ah, the Swamp!

Thank God, the President's budget doesn't mean much.  Congress totally ignored his Amtrak budget for this year--by a wide margin, and gave Amtrak a very nice budget (Trump budget was ZERO.)    Good chance the same will happen for 2020.



 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/11/19 11:27 by ronald321.

2020 domestic spending caps are lower and 2011 budget rescission rules could cut more. That is a bigger problem

Anderson is taking input from Gardener, who worked as a staffer for several Senate Democrats. I don't think he answers to Trump. But what we have is an attack not only from within management, but an attack from the political Left, or at least an NEC-obsessed fool. Boardman hired him. 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/11/19 12:05 by joemvcnj.

this is new article posted on the WSJ website on 3/11/19. 
 

The President's budget proposals are usually dead on arrival when they are delivered to Congress.
What the President submits usually bears very little resemblance to what Congress sends back for his signature.
It's the Authorization Bills that counts.

Totally true in recent decades.  Congress holds the power regarding Amtrak funding so get busy and contact your reps and senators if you want to make a difference.

-John

Amtrak has never requested to shutdown half the network though. That’s the part we have to overcome. 

One of the nice parts about the fragmentation of media is people can select TV which agrees with them, select print which agrees with their current beliefs, and never have to think about anything. No challenges, no questioning.

The best part is it works or all kinds of folks.  NRA, Earth Justice, Neo-Nazi, Freedom Caucus, AOC fans, supporters of Catholic bishops, etc. 

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 2020 domestic spending caps are lower and 2011
> budget rescission rules could cut more. That is a
> bigger problem
>
> Anderson is taking input from Gardener, who worked
> as a staffer for several Senate Democrats. I don't
> think he answers to Trump. But what we have is an
> attack not only from within management, but an
> attack from the political Left, or at least an
> NEC-obsessed fool. Boardman hired him. 

Boardman mentioned in a sidebar conversation that Gardner was assigned to him via a certain Congressman from the Northeast. He did not willingly hire him, and he did not always know what the heck Gardner was upto, nor what the similarly foisted CFO was upto. According to a different source, which I am not at liberty to disclose, ultimately the CFO managed to serve Boardman with a fait acompli after having maneuvered the removal of the Diner from the Star. Last year Boardman clearly said that everyone should carefully study what Gardner is saying and doing because he is the primary guiding light within Amtrak on where they wish it to go.

All hearsay, but I have reason to believe such.

It's the same song and dance, i'm actually getting tired of this every year, and what's worse are the Chicken Littles on here who cry, "Ride 'em now!" everytime crap like this shows up!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/12/19 15:35 by ProAmtrak.

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Anderson is taking input from Gardener, who worked
> as a staffer for several Senate Democrats. I don't
> think he answers to Trump. But what we have is an
> attack not only from within management, but an
> attack from the political Left, or at least an
> NEC-obsessed fool. Boardman hired him. 

What evidence do you have that Gardner is from the "political left?"  The fact that he worked as a Senate staffer is not necessarily indicative of his ideology.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/11/19 18:10 by RuleG.

Mr Gardner's background via his Amtrak bio suggests an uncommonly well prepared individual.  Worked on the NEC improvement project for Amtrak.

Worked for  Guilford and Buckingham branch in various operating and managerial roles, worked for a senator and a representative, was a senior staff member on the House Transportation Committee, etc. 

Given Amtrak's situation, I'd be hard pressed to think of much more preparation that would be of assistance in his current role..

https://www.amtrak.com/stephen-gardner

Consistent with his commentary on the proposed Green New Deal in which he ridiculed the idea of riding a train to California.

ProAmtrak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's the same song and dance, i'm actually getting
> tired of this every year, and what's worse are the
> Chicken Littles on here who Cry, "Ride 'em now!"
> everytime crap like this shows up!

Well, if you’re tired of this happening every year you should write to your US Senators and let them know you want a long term funding source in place for the national network.  Especially your Republican Senator (McSally), as the President’s budget reflects the view of Elaine Chao/Mitch McConnell DOT.  If enough people from enough states do that, the Senate will find some other program to go after....otherwise, I would hedge the bet by riding ‘em now.  It’s not like the folks in charge at Amtrak haven’t told you what the plan is.

Dave



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/12/19 10:01 by DavidP.

Trump's budget and Gardener's wishes are not identical and I do not believe they are in cahoots.

Trump's budget last year has $0 for the LD network. Now they have several hundred million for transition expenses from trains to buses, so more is budgeted en toto . Either way, it will go to the garbage. Trump's budget in general landed with a louder thud than usual. Amtrak is the last reason why.

Gardner did say he wants some LD trains for "experience", not a train-off for all 15. He does need some place to dump NEC fixed costs. He is a Northeast Korridor Kid who has no regard for rural areas or their train operations. Amtrak will not have the votes in the Senate, which is by definition more representaitive of rural areas than the House, for any NEC rebuilding or for Gateway if he stays on that course. He evidently learned nothing from the SW Chief battle.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/12/19 07:59 by joemvcnj.

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> He evidently
> learned nothing from the SW Chief battle.

You mean the battle where Amtrak was granted an extra $50 million dedicated to continued operation of the Southwest Chief? Quite the loss. They may hope they lose more battles like that. Maybe that was the plan all along?

prr60 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> joemvcnj Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > He evidently
> > learned nothing from the SW Chief battle.
>
> You mean the battle where Amtrak was granted an
> extra $50 million dedicated to continued operation
> of the Southwest Chief? Quite the loss. They may
> hope they lose more battles like that. Maybe that
> was the plan all along?

That particular battle also brough six senators and a bunch of representatives from different parties into an agreement to preserve a common train. Not a bad outcome, if they keep an eye on it.
. 
Mr Anderson and Mr Gardner aren't dolts, they can count noses and YEA votes.  It's clear Manchin got $$ for Amtrak for his constituents.  Whether people like Shelby and Jones can do the same for Alabama, or Sinema and McSally can do the same for Arizona is anyone's guess.

prr60 Wrote:

> You mean the battle where Amtrak was granted an
> extra $50 million dedicated to continued operation
> of the Southwest Chief? Quite the loss. They may
> hope they lose more battles like that. Maybe that
> was the plan all along?

I do not think his inaction-then action was a ploy to get the money, but an attempt to kill the train. Anderson sat on the $3 million for about a year until language was written into the current budget law stating he must run the route.The $50 million was not an operating subsidy, but capital funding for track repairs and maybe PTC. There is a growing list of such grants for the route over several years, that being the latest.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/12/19 10:55 by joemvcnj.

prr60 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> joemvcnj Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > He evidently
> > learned nothing from the SW Chief battle.
>
> You mean the battle where Amtrak was granted an
> extra $50 million dedicated to continued operation
> of the Southwest Chief? Quite the loss. They may
> hope they lose more battles like that. Maybe that
> was the plan all along?

There was really no "extra" $50 million. $50 million from the National Network line was specifically designated for spending on the Southwest Chief.

prr60 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> joemvcnj Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > He evidently
> > learned nothing from the SW Chief battle.
>
> You mean the battle where Amtrak was granted an
> extra $50 million dedicated to continued operation
> of the Southwest Chief? Quite the loss. They may
> hope they lose more battles like that. Maybe that
> was the plan all along?

Their plan was to dismantle Amtrak, simple as that, corridors only and screw the rest of the country!

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