Passenger Trains > Cars at Amtrak Beech Grove Shops

Photo of cars sitting around doing nothing at Amtrak's Beech Grove Shops.  Photo by Alan Buck.

Nothing costs like expensive assets NOT earning their keep, but then neither does Amtrak's top management earn theirs...not to mention the obscene bonuses they got.

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GenePoon Wrote:
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> Photo of cars sitting around doing nothing at
> Amtrak's Beech Grove Shops.  Photo by Alan Buck.
>
> Nothing costs like expensive assets NOT earning
> their keep, but then neither does Amtrak's top
> management earn theirs...not to mention the
> obscene bonuses they got.
You are 100% correct, again, the wrong people are in charge of Amtrak.  Remember these old sayings," garbage in, garbage out" and "you can't make chicken salad our of chicken poop."
John in White Marsh, Maryland

$2,377,164 in mucky-muck bonuses, at $35K per car to reactivate, that's enough money for 68 cars. 
I hope their cafeteria serves only pepperoni pizzas, cheeseburgers, and flex dining slop - all microwaved of course. 

This wouldn't happen under a privately run company, which would need every wheel turning
to keep everyone working and customers happy. Oh well, not going to change anytime soon.

Does this image have a date? Current and reflecting things as they are now, or sometime in the past?

MC

jeff56 Wrote:
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> This wouldn't happen under a privately run
> company, which would need every wheel turning
> to keep everyone working and customers happy.

Class one's dead lines, with trains sitting waiting on power, disagree with this statement.

It looks like summer.  If you zoom in, you can see leaves on trees in the top left part of the image.  Then the question is, which summer?  2022?  2021?

ironmtn Wrote:
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> Does this image have a date? Current and
> reflecting things as they are now, or sometime in
> the past?
>
> MC

What some of we train fans have been calling "downgrading", and "bad management" - 
was, and is, DELIBERATE,

If Gardner were to fix all these cars, or to restore full dining car service -- he would be increasing cost,
and thereby jeopardize his future compensation.

I have read that, over the last few years, Gardner has received close to a million dollars in bonuses.

So, under current compensation policy for Gardner,  I doubt Amtrak has any future growth prospects.

jeff56 Wrote:
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> This wouldn't happen under a privately run
> company, which would need every wheel turning
> to keep everyone working and customers happy. Oh
> well, not going to change anytime soon.

Private sector answers to Wall Street or Berkshire Hathaway, has thousands of locomotives, furloughed train crews, and shuttered shops, and that was before Covid with PSR.

Amtrak does not.

Amtrak has always had cars stored at Beech Grove. This picture and post tells us absolutely nothing.

I see a few of the brand new Viewliner bag dorms.

Posted from Android

ironmtn Wrote:
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> Does this image have a date? Current and
> reflecting things as they are now, or sometime in
> the past?
>
> MC

I don't think the date matters.  There are too many cars stored pending repair or upgrade then and now.

The big problem occured a couple of years ago when too many Amtrak employees were let go.  Now they're having a hard time replacing them.

Perhaps they need to contract out repairs, but private shops are probably also short handed.

Stan Praisewater

cabsignaldrop Wrote:
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> I see a few of the brand new Viewliner bag dorms.

They possess 10. 4 for the Crescent, 2 for the Cardinal. The haven't figure out a more efficient way to use them.

Why are the Viewliner car even here in Beech Grove? Their "base" is Hialeah, FL. I am sure there's a reason for the season, but just saying, unless MAJOR overhaul, it wouldn't be at Beech Grove. 

Parked/mothballed 

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> cabsignaldrop Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I see a few of the brand new Viewliner bag
> dorms.
>
> They possess 10. 4 for the Crescent, 2 for the
> Cardinal. The haven't figure out a more efficient
> way to use them.

Sounds like enough for a daily Cardinal

Posted from Android

Perhaps Mr Buck, who took the picture, could tell us if it represents current conditions (or at least when it was taken).

sagehen Wrote:
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> ironmtn Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Does this image have a date? Current and
> > reflecting things as they are now, or sometime
> in
> > the past?
> >
> > MC
>
> I don't think the date matters.  

Of course it does.  Was in taken in late spring 2020, when the country was going through lock downs?  Was it taken yesterday?  The date is huge in this context.

Either date there will be cars there needing work and not being used.

Stan Praisewater

Any current satellite pictures?

Posted from Android