Passenger Trains > Article by George Chilson, in Beech Grove community paper

Article by George Chilson to residents of Beech Grove IN and employees of the Amtrak shops there.  In jpg image form.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/22 13:59 by GenePoon.

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Glad to see the former NARP chair with strong language for the Anderson era management, and for it's continuation under present leadership.  I just wish the current RPA would get tough with Amtrak.

Amtrak has $66B over the next 5 years -- just for the asking.

More precisely - all they have to do is make project applications to the DOT (like for new equipment) -
and billions are just sitting there, ready to fund these projects.

Gardner hasn't asked for a dime..

It appears one has to resign their position or not get re-elected to the council at NARP-dba-RPA to speak the truth about Amtrak. I dropped my membership 3 years ago after 39 years and never looked back, disgusted with their incompetent, insular, snooty, and authoritarian behavior from the board and staff, and seeing themselves only as management's consultant, not consumer advocates, dumb enough to think they actually have a seat at Amtrak management's table.   



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/22 06:37 by joemvcnj.

Good job George! Joe, let me point out that George is a member of RPA. He is quite effctive here using that membership as credibility for his point of view. Joe, I suggest that you rejoin and advocate for your viewpoint in the organization. George had shown us that he is much more effective inside the organization that outside throwning rocks.

"....60 Superliners currently sitting in storage...." 

CPMorris Wrote:
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> "....60 Superliners currently sitting in
> storage...." 

Like Frisco Northern of the early 80s: Put locomotives in storage then proclaim that a power shortage prevents running trains (that they don't want).

TAW

OnTime Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Good job George! Joe, let me point out that George
> is a member of RPA. He is quite effective here
> using that membership as credibility for his point
> of view. Joe, I suggest that you rejoin and
> advocate for your viewpoint in the organization.
> George had shown us that he is much more effective
> inside the organization that outside throwing
> rocks.

I can make phone calls, fax letters, and stage Zoom calls with various Congress people, I don't have to follow any script, stick with any else's priorities, remain moot on certain topics of which there are many, and refrain from calling out BS. There are advantages to removing bureaucratic shackles.  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/22 10:27 by joemvcnj.

So, these Superliners are not awaiting insurance settlements? That's the standard reply when I ask about the repair schedule.

Posted from Android

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> So, these Superliners are not awaiting insurance
> settlements? That's the standard reply when I ask
> about the repair schedule.
>
> Posted from Android

Not at a high number of 60 cars! This is the first time - if credible - that we've seen a "count" on the number of Superliners actually sidelined and sent to storage at Beech Grove. We heard from at least two people here that this wasn't the case, despite pictures and other descriptions of Beech Grove being a "parking lot." The cars not being operated this summer compared to pre-COVID had to be stored somewhere. 

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > So, these Superliners are not awaiting
> insurance
> > settlements? That's the standard reply when I
> ask
> > about the repair schedule.
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
> Not at a high number of 60 cars! This is the first
> time - if credible - that we've seen a "count" on
> the number of Superliners actually sidelined and
> sent to storage at Beech Grove. We heard from at
> least two people here that this wasn't the case,
> despite pictures and other descriptions of Beech
> Grove being a "parking lot." The cars not being
> operated this summer compared to pre-COVID had to
> be stored somewhere. 

I haven't been up to the Amtrak Auto-Train Sanford facility this Summer, but it is usually packed with off season SuperLiner cars. In previous years, I've counted, and posted here, upwards of 15 cars (with numbers) on their various storage tracks.  I'm sure some are being cleaned, serviced, repaired, etc, but that's a lot of rolling stock.

A slew of cars at Hialeah, others at Sanford, Chicago, Beech Grove, New  Orleans (?), Bear, after a while it turns into a significant number of potential train sets.

George is no longer in management at RPA, that is stated near the top of the first post.

They did not see eye to eye.

TAW Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CPMorris Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > "....60 Superliners currently sitting in
> > storage...." 
>
> Like Frisco Northern of the early 80s: Put
> locomotives in storage then proclaim that a power
> shortage prevents running trains (that they don't
> want).
>
> TAW

And that mindset is one of the tenets of the Cult of PSR.

Regards

Posted from iPhone

mundo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> George is no longer in management at RPA, that is
> stated near the top of the first post.
>
> They did not see eye to eye.

That is another way to say he failed to get elected. :)

I bet because he knew 2hat was up, when Ross Cwpon was there they were more vocal about Amtrak's decisions compared to how Jim Matthew's is doing things!

Posted from Android