Passenger Trains > Evan Stair: Amtrak Meltdown Will Take Years to Correct

Missing Sightseer Lounges, missing baggage cars, worn out locomotives and Superliners, insufficient H.R. staff to hire and train maintenance/onboard crews.

This is truly a meltdown that will require a new Amtrak Board of Directors and executive staff to repair. This is a meltdown that will take years to repair.

Indeed, we believe some meltdown issues are due to more than just incompetence. Some issues are due to malicious intent. This intent is to de-emphasize the interregional system Amtrak calls Long-Distance trains such as the Southwest Chief.

There is a general understanding that Amtrak has turned its back on the national network. The national network includes long-distance trains (those that operate on routes of greater than 750-miles) and short-distance corridors (those corridors of less than 750-miles).  At the risk of being called a 'conspiracy theorist' the only part of the system that gets any attention is the Northeast Corridor. Some have started using the acronym "Nothing Else Counts" (NEC).

Remember, I believe in the Power of the People. We must uplift these issues to members of Congress. Understand that Amtrak does not consider those who use the trains their customers. They consider Congress and the various states that provide supplemental service their customers.  I use this lookup tool to identify U.S. Senators and U.S. Representative:

www.GovTrack.us  

Yes, I am a broken record, but I believe in Government of the People, for the People, and By the People.  

Obviously, we don't push sunshine. Some of this is incompetence by those Amtrak hired from the aviation sectors, some of it is malfeasant actions, directing attention away from the national network.

 We have recourse. Amtrak only listens to Congress and the states that support supplemental service. We encourage everyone to contact your two U.S. Senators and U.S. Representative. Ask them to get involved.   www.GovTrack.us  
 
-Evan Stair, President, Passenger Rail OK, Passenger Rail Kansas

I strongly agree that Amtrak is in Meltdown - and the reason is either total incompetence, and/or malicious intent.

Incompetence started with Anderson, and his service downgrades, and continues under current management.

Malicious Intent  might be inferred by the sudden invasion of all those Delta Airline executives.

What bothers me the most is -- how can a company with BILLIONS of dollars guaranteed  to it for years to come,
allow  itself to melt down.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/22 06:51 by ronald321.

ronald321 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I strongly agree that Amtrak is in Meltdown - and
> the reason is either total incompetence, and/or
> malicious intent.
>
> Incompetence started with Anderson, and his
> service downgrades, and continues under current
> management.
>
> Malicious Intent  might be inferred by the sudden
> invasion of all those Delta Airline executives.
>
> What bothers me the most is -- how can a company
> with BILLIONS of dollars guaranteed  to it for
> years to come,
> allow  itself to melt down.


Malicious intent fostered by a pandemic. The wrong people are in charge. 

For once GenePoon I agree with you. Thanks for posting Even Stair's comments. Very appropriate. I called my Congressional reps (Rep. Huffman and Senators Feinstein and Padillia) yesterday with my complaints. Very similar to what Mr. Stair has posted. I will be calling and emailing them again soon. We all should be.

I call Gardner's technique "Passive Aggressive", a contrast form Richard Anderson's bombastic style that got him backlash, and possibly pressure to take a hike.  

ronald321 Wrote: > ...  Incompetence started with Anderson ... 

WHO put Anderson in his seat?

Moorman and the Coscia-run NEC centric board. I think Moorman had buyer's remorse once he saw Anderson behave the way he did.

Posted from Android

I almost think Moorman had someone pulling his strings. He said in front of congress the long distance trains basically break even. Then 6 months later when Anderson was on board Moorman had an interview that was  as anti long distance train as I lve heard. Moorman also approved the overhaul of the Parlour cars that Anderson quickly rescinded. Just doesn't add up.

Anyone consider that Wick,  ex-NS CEO,  saw a way to finally rid NS rails of passenger trains?  Just because he ran some steam trips doesn't mean he was a fan of  passenger rail.   And does anyone think anyone in Congress is getting swamped with pro-Amtrak communications,  or any at all in most districts?

masterphots Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anyone consider that Wick,  ex-NS CEO,  saw a
> way to finally rid NS rails of passenger trains? 
> Just because he ran some steam trips doesn't mean
> he was a fan of  passenger rail.   And does
> anyone think anyone in Congress is getting swamped
> with pro-Amtrak communications,  or any at all in
> most districts?

I think Wick got his PV's stranded with Anderson's stupid rules. 

Flyer92122 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I almost think Moorman had someone pulling his
> strings. He said in front of congress the long
> distance trains basically break even. Then 6
> months later when Anderson was on board Moorman
> had an interview that was  as anti long distance
> train as I lve heard. Moorman also approved the
> overhaul of the Parlour cars that Anderson quickly
> rescinded. Just doesn't add up.

Moorman also surprised me with some rhetoric about the Southwest Chief that Anderson ended up trying to put in effect - the bus-bridge between KC and Albuquerque. 

But don't forget he said he was going 'by the rules' and everyone knew he was trying to dismantle the LD network, no wonder he got those nicknames!

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/23/22 18:15 by ProAmtrak.

Boy do the posters here love taking the word of irrelevant people like Evan Stair or the clowns over at “Corridor Rail.” Maybe you all enjoy the misery.

Posted from iPhone

What rock are you hiding under? Amtrak is imploding and management appears to be in over their head for whatever reason. It's irrelevant they're just in over their heads.

Glad to see we don't give a get out pass to Wick. You know, posters said he would be the next Claytor "Messiah"..

All he did was show up, frown, and issue a new safety slogan... Said he had changed the safety culture, BS...

Would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when he went home to tell the wife the s*** storm he had walked into.. He sure ran fast, didn't me.

Wolverine350 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Boy do the posters here love taking the word of
> irrelevant people like Evan Stair or the clowns
> over at “Corridor Rail.” Maybe you all enjoy
> the misery.
>

Irrelevant eh. You know absolutely nothing about him.

He lead a 3 state grassroots effort with emphasis on 6 senators from both parties, including Senator Moran, that saved the Southwest Chief. No NARP didn't do that.

You got your threads pulled yesterday by calling people "clowns", so why don't you just give it up until you are willing to learn and start dealing with facts.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/22 17:16 by joemvcnj.

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wolverine350 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Boy do the posters here love taking the word of
> > irrelevant people like Evan Stair or the clowns
> > over at “Corridor Rail.” Maybe you all
> enjoy
> > the misery.
> >
>
> Irrelevant eh. You know absolutely nothing about
> him.
>
> He lead a 3 state grassroots effort with emphasis
> on 6 senators from both parties, including Senator
> Moran, that saved the Southwest Chief. No NARP
> didn't do that.
>
> You got your threads pulled yesterday by calling
> people "clowns", so why don't you just give it up
> until you are willing to learn and start dealing
> with facts.

I’ve interacted with him, not impressed at all. He views trains as a novelty and not actually as a viable form of transport, just an economic development.

The horror, my precious “threads” got taken down. Lol

Posted from iPhone