Passenger Trains > Amtrak on Here & Now (WBUR/NPR) Monday 12/2

Just heard an announcement that CEO Richard Anderson's attempt to make AMTRAK profitable will be the subject of WBUR's "Here & Now", A mid-day radio program which is syndicated by NPR. I expect that the show will also be available as a podcast after it airs.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/19 06:26 by clem.

He once again took swipes at the SW Chief, and the tri-weekly LD trains!

I guess the latest chapter in "Smoke and Mirrors". It's not likely a subject he'd get onto with many educated listeners present, or the show would get shut down pretty quick. The audience he does count on are those along the NE Corridor, many of whom are already convinced that national network trains are the big drain from previous hot air.  I'm sure you won't see this same show performed in California, Kansas. Colorado, New Mexico, West Virginia, Montana.....(etc.)  Of course Gateway, Portal Bridge, Baltimore Tunnels and ROW maintenance in his mind are coming from Santa Claus and increased subsidies from states like Vermont, Maine, Illinois, etc.

Incredulously, he put in a plug for airline travel!

KQED, the San Francisco Bay Area NPR outlet, is broadcasting it today at 11:00 AM PST.
PRSL-recall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>  I'm
> sure you won't see this same show performed in
> California, Kansas. Colorado, New Mexico, West
> Virginia, Montana.....(etc.)

Whoops, guess I was wrong on CA. I know your State has a lot of beefs with Amtrak (justified ones). I guess this must be an NPR decision for who carries it.
Anyway, a Bloomberg article has weighed in on this subject at https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-11-21/amtrak-isn-t-about-to-turn-a-profit

https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2019/12/02/amtrak-train-ceo-travel

He’s back with a vengeance and doubling down on lies. I used to say “skewed” facts it’s outright lies now. 
7 passengers a day ride the SWC, really? Upgraded meals? Vocal group that wants to ride for days at 45 mph? Fly it’s cheaper and faster. There’s some really shady stuff going on with him, Gardner, the Board and I’m assuming Administration officials. I wish Congress would ask to see Anderson’s pay contract and bonus targets. It’s beyond disgusting at this point.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/19 12:18 by Flyer92122.

Two years on the job and he has learned nothing. He is either a congenital liar or is very stupid. 

Flyer92122 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2019/12/02/amtrak-
> train-ceo-travel
>
> He’s back with a vengeance and doubling down on
> lies. I used to say “skewed” facts it’s
> outright lies now. 
> 7 passengers a day ride the SWC, really? 

Assuming he's talking about the half-baked bus plan, the actual number is 59 pax on/off per day at the "missed" stops Amtrak wanted to bus-bridge.

Lamy 9,731
Las Vegas 4,630
Raton 7,392
Trinidad 5,635
La Junta 7,373
Lamar 1,588
Garden City 7,056

Total 43,405 
Divide by 730 annual train movements = 59 pax

--FY18 numbers from Amtrak's "State Fact Sheets."

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA

And that included reduced Boy Scout movements due to wild fires ? 

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> And that included reduced Boy Scout movements due
> to wild fires ? 

Yes, that would have included the summer of 2018 when activities at Philmont Scout Ranch were curtailed by the wildfires.

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA

59 and 7 are not even close. Any CEO who continuously lies and is confused about basic company practices should be relieved of his duties immediately. Fortunately Congress is on to him, unfortunately Congress is just as disfunctional. In all seriousness I’m beginning to think he’s showing some sort of cognitive decline especially considering his agressive outbursts. If he was this incompetent at Delta he would have been shown the door in short order. Not the same man at all. He’s being made a fool of by someone and causing irrevocable harm at the same time. Eerily similar to “America’s mayor”. 

Dcmcrider Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Flyer92122 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2019/12/02/amtrak-
>
> > train-ceo-travel
> >
> > He’s back with a vengeance and doubling down
> on
> > lies. I used to say “skewed” facts it’s
> > outright lies now. 
> > 7 passengers a day ride the SWC, really? 
>
> Assuming he's talking about the half-baked bus
> plan, the actual number is 59 pax on/off per day
> at the "missed" stops Amtrak wanted to
> bus-bridge.
>
> Lamy 9,731
> Las Vegas 4,630
> Raton 7,392
> Trinidad 5,635
> La Junta 7,373
> Lamar 1,588
> Garden City 7,056
>
> Total 43,405 
> Divide by 730 annual train movements = 59 pax
>
> --FY18 numbers from Amtrak's "State Fact Sheets."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/19 14:31 by Flyer92122.

Let's have him stand by the track when the SW Chief blows by at 79mph on class 4 track!  Antiquated track?  Give me a break!

And for once, Amtrak didn't try to suppress the Thanksgiving traffic on the Southwest Chief.......they allowed a third sleeper line to play out and extra coaches. I don't recall this last Thanksgiving and even the one before. When Boardman was at the helm, yes the extra cars on the SWC happened at Thanksgiving. 

Maybe Chicago and/or LA simply decided to do it without middle or upper management consultation ? What we do not know is if Stephen Gardner prepped him for this interview. So much for "data-drive" decisions. More like "data-drivel".

mp51w Wrote:
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> Let's have him stand by the track when the SW
> Chief blows by at 79mph on class 4 track! 
> Antiquated track?  Give me a break!

Doesn't it hit 90MPH in places east of KC, making it the fastest means of ground transportation between there and CHI, also rivaling average speeds with the NEC without massive government capital infusion into trackage ? 

I find his comments about the dining car being "elitist" and only for the rich sleeping car passengers a but strange.  Wasn't that done under your administration Mr. Anderson?

FloridaTrainGuy Wrote:
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> I find his comments about the dining car being
> "elitist" and only for the rich sleeping car
> passengers a but strange.  Wasn't that done under
> your administration Mr. Anderson?
Yeah!  That was a little out of touch with reality too!

FloridaTrainGuy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I find his comments about the dining car being
> "elitist" and only for the rich sleeping car
> passengers a but strange.  Wasn't that done under
> your administration Mr. Anderson?

It is a bit elitist.  Every time I have traveled coach I have had some of my meals in the diner.  I didn't eat every meal there.  Honestly, just sitting there all day, you don' use a lot of calories.  I generally eat two meals a day and maybe a light snack.  I guess Anderson just thinks coach customers don't enjoy a plate lunch or dinner while they travel.

John

I have mentioned this before in other threads and I think it is probably the best solution.  He wants to consolidate all of the food services into one car.  I think they should experiment with a multi-level car (e.g., Bombardier or Kawasaki) for this.  Convert a few cars into a food service car with a lounge on the top level, Sleeper Dining Room at one end and a Coach Cafe at the other.  Dining areas could be partially on the mezzanine level and partially on the lower level.  A kitchen would be in the center of the lower level serving out of both ends.  Drinks could be sold out of the lower level kitchen or a small bar could be upstairs if warranted.

And if this proves successful, build a whole new bi-level car that matches the Viewliner II or Amfleet replacement with the same design concept.  It could be very attractive with a "dome" lounge on the upper level, a "First Class" or "Sleeper Class" dining room on the mid level at one end and a coach cafe with tables and tray service at the other end.  Kitchen in the middle of the lower floor to serve out of both ends.

Try this on the Lake Shore Limited which really needs a change in the existing food service.  This would also be a great train to try a 24 hour food service experiment.