Passenger Trains > Interesting WSJ video about Amtrak

https://www.wsj.com/video/amtrak-facing-rural-backlash-over-proposal-to-cut-long-distance-routes/F2E6CBB0-A3F4-4AF2-8D3C-D4878C21165D.html

Did laugh at the reporter’s reactions in the sleeper car, and at the external pan shots of the old American Orient Express. But thought the video was well done.

Congress needs to make some decisions about the long term funding of Amtrak and what it’s mission should be. And they need to quit kicking the can down the road. But I doubt they will.

Doubt it would fly, but we coul create a “regional” Amtrak that works with states on shorter routes like NEC or Pacific Surfliner. And then have a different funding mechanism and organization to run the long distance trains like the Zephry or Crescent. Long distance could cover some of the same routes as the regional, say operate over the NEC to New York. But the regionals become like the regional airlines such as Skywest that are feeders to the long distance trains. Or overlap to provide more frequencies in key areas. It would also make it easier to see where the “costs” are and maybe prevent some of the accounting tricks.

Nathan

They mentioned that same old myth.   The Northeast corridor is profitable.

 

Any proposal that begins with "Congress needs to make some decisions" faces an uphill battle.

Posted from Android

Arrogance all over the face of Stephen Gardner.  He needs to work for 40 hours on #3 from Chicago to Los Angeles as a sleeping car attendant and/or a coach attendant, and then I want to interview him...........

bluesboyst Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They mentioned that same old myth.   The
> Northeast corridor is profitable.
>
>  
And then they told us it would take 40+ BILLION in maintenance, that we will pay for, not Amtrak.  I only have a bachelors degree in Accounting and I know that does not add up.

MEKoch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Arrogance all over the face of Stephen Gardner. 
> He needs to work for 40 hours on #3 from Chicago
> to Los Angeles as a sleeping car attendant and/or
> a coach attendant, and then I want to interview
> him...........

He also needs to work on his hairpiece.

atsf121 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Congress needs to make some decisions about the
> long term funding of Amtrak and what it’s
> mission should be. And they need to quit kicking
> the can down the road. But I doubt they will.

No, Congress and the Executive branch need to make a long term national passenger rail policy.

Until such time, funding and other policies and directives to Amtrak are nothing more than Band-Aids being applied to a trauma patient.

I just viewed the video. I thought it was well done overall, and reasonably fair and balanced. Gardner had his say and scored some points, but so did the long-distance service advocates like former Meridian mayor and Amtrak board member Roberts. The reporter played it down the middle overall. Some details were missing, such as that meals were included only for sleeping car passengers. The videography was good, and the visuals painted a fair and pretty positive picture of Amtrak service, and were in alignment with the reporter's commentary.

Gardner is a true-believer on his (and Anderson's) service plans, and is clearly fully invested in their ideas. His arguments are cogent. As with true-believer types, he doesn't let much from the other side in through any chinks in the armor. Like TO member ME Koch, I did find his manner a bit arrogant and off putting, but again that's a characteristic of the true-believer. Not a word from Anderson; I don't think I even heard his name mentioned. Gardner is clearly the carrying the water for the boss (or is it vice-versa?). But, I guess that's part of his job.

There is one absolutely crucial piece of supporting data that Gardner never goes near, and the WSJ reporter unfortunately missed asking about: will the freight railroads allow the expansion of regionalized services that Anderson and Gardner envision? Correct me please if I am wrong, but I don't think I have seen one substantive piece of evidence offered by Amtrak that they would. Nor have I seen anything that the freight railroads would step up to the plate and state that they are on board with such plans. I can (reluctantly - he should have done his homework better) give the WSJ reporter a one-time pass for missing this. Folks outside the railroading community (be they active railroaders or just fans) are pretty oblivious to what it takes to get the freight railroads on board with passenger service over their lines. Much less the cost, both economically...and politically. I've lost count on how many times I have spoken to advocates of new Amtrak service (including political types) who say, "I had no idea how difficult and complex this would be." Yup. There are quite a few on this board who know what a demanding, steep, uphill battle it can be. Do Gardner and Anderson? Frankly, I have serious doubts that they do.

Anderson and Gardner are either not showing their hand that they have freight railroad support, or they have some tool at hand through with which they (think?) they will bludgeon the freight railroads into compliance. Or, they have some high-value chips with which they think they can strike the Grand Bargain to get the freight railroads on board. Such as: give us these regional routes, and we'll help to see that Congress doesn't re-regulate you in the aftermath of shipper discontent with PSR implementations. Or, give us these regional routes, and we'll help smooth the path for the long discussed, big east-west unified system mergers (whatever form that they take). Everyone loves the Grand Bargain: nothing so brightly burnishes an executive's or a manager's resume. And for politicians, they are the absolutely golden key to media adulation...and the treasure trove of influence, political standing, favored committee assignments...and votes!!...that are hidden behind door number 3.

Or, are they are being willfully ignorant (don't know...don't want to know...you know, we'll work it out) about what it will take? Or (this will satisfy the conspiracy theorists), maybe they will go with the plan, run into many obstacles, then throw up their hands and say that, well, we tried, but this can't be done. Oh well. And with the long-distance trains abolished, money magically appears for reallocation to the beloved Northeast Corridor. And once again the northeastern megalopolis wins...and the rest of the country loses. Chuck Schumer and his buddy Richard Blumenthal will be in nirvana. Message to flyover country: we don't care. Sorry.

Whatever the case (and certainly there can be other scenarios), Anderson and Gardner have staked out their positions sufficiently and consistently enough that it's time to start showing their cards. They need to provide solid evidence that their regionalized service plans can in fact be implemented, and can in fact work. If they don't, then Anderson very seriously besmirches the rest of his successful career in the airline business. And Gardner will show himself to be just another wormy ex-congressional aide and political hack. I think they are both much better than such viewpoints. But actions speak volumes, and time will now tell.

I continue in my strong support of the national network and long distance trains, particularly absent any good evidence that the regionalized system is factually achievable. Messrs. Anderson and Gardner, it's time to start backing the theory with facts and evidence. Or put the plans back into a binder on the bookshelf. The ball is in your court.

MC
Muskegon, Michigan

(Edited 7/17/19 11:15 am EDT)



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/17/19 08:29 by ironmtn.

In my view expecting Congress to enact statutues that set a consistent, rational, and fiscally responsible "intercity passenger rail policy" is a fool's errand. Yes, Amtrak might be "out of control" but look at a scores of other similar zombie programs that lurch on, year and year, with Congress doing seemingly little to influence their direction. Its occasional forays into "policy" leads to results like the PRIIA, which many observers believe was outsourced and ghost-written by Amtrak management.

Amtrak is of course structured as a government-sponsored corporation, with its own Board of Directors. Congress erected the structure, fills in the broad strokes, votes an annual appropriation, and then essentially refuses to get its hands dirty, aside from holding oversight hearings and the occasional meetings with management. Congress does so precisely because it doesn't want to be in the policy business. Congress does this all the time in delegating broad powers to the bureaucracy--and Amtrak is no different. There's limited time and attention to give to a $1.5 to $2 billion expenditure in a government that spends $1.2 trillion a year on "discretionary" items.

It's up to the Board and the management hired by the Board to run the corporation, and set the policy. The fact that Amtrak historically has been specularly poor at setting policy (or is it that we simply disagree with that policy direction?) in large part stems from the make-up and character of its Board of Directors. Change that, and you can change the corporation. This is where Congress does have a role, and the Senate has so far flatly refused--thanks to "holds" from individual Senators--to install any of the current President's appointees.

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/17/19 08:49 by Dcmcrider.

You know we really need to give Amtrak a break as they have been trying to get the railroads to hold up their end of the Rail Act....As in ontime scheduling or at least some kind of decent scheduling. Amtrak & the FRA have been fighting the railroads and the ARA for at least a decade in both Federal and Supreme Courts. Last I seen was the Supreme Court decided Amtrak was NOT a government business and could NOT impose it's will upon a private enterprise (the railroads). How can Amtrak run a business when they have no control over where the damn trains are or when will they arrive at a destination?? How can Amtrak schedule crew changes when they have no idea where a change may take place?? I'm not surprised Amtrak is giving up on long distance trains and excursions.

Read this....
https://www.railwayage.com/regulatory/scotus-to-aar-no-writ-of-certiorari/?RAchannel=intercity

Well done Video, it popped up on YouTube suggestions. My take away is the impression of dumping the Western long distance market but expand the Eastern Regional market, saying this was to support the Rural population. Something of a surprise to me as there's 'rural' in the west as well, but a lot fewer people in that 'rural' as well. Agree that there was no mention of the owner RR's having a stake in the schedule and delays.

Scary ending statement (didn't write it down but it sounded like), 'can't guarentee results but we're doing it'.

That last statement you posted says what me and few others have been saying, Anderson is trying his hardest to dismantle Amtrak!

I think the writing is on the wall. Goodbye LD routes. Hello NE Corridor maintenance and upgrades.
And hello new Bus Routes for some cities. They'll be cheaper to subsidize, I suppose.