Passenger Trains > Amtrak Public Board Meeting

For those who have signed up to attend virtually check your email. I received the attendance materials yesterday via email and have reports of others that did as well.

I received mine as well, and just saw the message this morning and completed the registration process.

MC

Is this is like any other board meeting where you are allowed a limited time
to make your statement.  The board pretends to listen and will not
reply to anything you say. Serious speakers will be overshadowed
by those wasting time whining about the lack of 20 round trips a day
between Podunk and Smallville, etc.

What is the real reason for meeting in St. Louis?  Low priced first class
air fare, big sports game, primo escort services?  One would think that
Chicago, the hub of the spokes, would be the logical meeting point.
The board probably did not want the swarms from 14th St. showing up
telling truths and naming names is public.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/22 05:59 by Englewood.

I'm signed up also.

This is such a strange Public Zoom broadcast.  And, why in St. Louis?

And, why will Mayor Pete, the Sect.of Transportation, be there?

Also, there will be an audience -- as tickets were available, if you wanted 
to attend in person.

Would they go to all this time and expense, for just another run-of-the-mill photo op?

 

Secretary Buttigieg is on the Board. As was Ms Chao when she was Secretary

Posted from Android

ronald321 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> And, why will Mayor Pete, the Sect.of
> Transportation, be there?

He owns the company.


> Also, there will be an audience -- as tickets were
> available, if you wanted 
> to attend in person.

For the audience laugh track.


> Would they go to all this time and expense, for
> just another run-of-the-mill photo op?

Yes. Sadly. They give bonuses to top execs during a downturn in revenue, decimate the core of the workforce, and all while their frontline employees struggle with skyrocketing inflation and inadequate wages frozen under an expired contract.

Tone-deaf.

What’s wrong with St. Louis? It hosts three Amtrak routes none of which are NEC routes. They probably just wanted to meet somewhere that wasn’t in the northeast and someone there may have been interested in hosting it. St. Louis can easily be reached by people in the Chicago area who may want to go and they’re also offering virtual attendance. There is literally no obstacle for anyone who wants to attend this. Kind of funny we’re finding a reason to complain about the setting and looking for a nefarious reason that they are hosting it in a perfectly fine Amtrak served town that isn’t in the northeast.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/22 08:09 by lordsigma.

The real issue here seems to be that all of us who see whats going on, are tired of the corporate lying and "cover up". 

At the top levels of most companies. public or private, its "thats my story and im sticking to it".   Unfortunately, honesty isnt worth a rats ass in this country, other than maybe in a court of law.   If they tell the truth, they stand to lose their bonusses, and risk being sued by stockholders, or any others who feel wronged by managements poor decisions.  Even if the lawsuits are frivolous, its still a huge PITA to be dragged into court and have to defend yourself.

I'm signed up. I had thought the Board would be listening to short statements, but, it looks like it will be what Amtrak calls a "Q and A session". Maybe better since they are promising Answers. Not that I anticipate anything more than evasive non-answers. It is still important to participate in this event because it is an opportunity for some clueless the Board members (and the listening public and media) to hear protests framed as Questions over Amanagement's ongoing operational meltdown.

I think the most productive questions will be those that are short and sweet and stick to the issues and problems rather than making unprovable accusations regarding intent - asking what the timeline is for restoring stored equipment to service for example or when Amtrak plans to return pre pandemic capacity rather than going off on rants or making unprovable accusations aimed at specific executives. Obviously people can say what they want but I think hard hitting questions that stick to the issues and don’t make it personal will be the most effective in getting the point across.

Sharing stories of poor on board experiences I think are also a worthwhile thing to do.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/22 11:05 by lordsigma.

I've been thinking of possible questions to the Amtrak Board. Here are some:

How often do you take an overnight long-distance train?

Do you use Amtrak.com to make your reservations and purchase tickets or does some one on your staff do this?

Have you ridden an overnight  Amtrak train with your accommodation in a car directly behind the noise and fumes of a locomotive without an intervening baggage car?

Does Amtrak plan to use additional budgetary financial resources to accelerate the rate of repairs to medium and long distance trains?

I would love hear what others might be asking. Possibly, if, before I have the opportunity, someone asks one of my questions I could ask one of yours.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/25/22 12:29 by OnTime.

pdt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The real issue here seems to be that all of us who
> see whats going on, are tired of the corporate
> lying and "cover up". 
>
> At the top levels of most companies. public or
> private, its "thats my story and im sticking to
> it".   Unfortunately, honesty isnt worth a rats
> ass in this country, other than maybe in a court
> of law.   If they tell the truth, they stand to
> lose their bonusses, and risk being sued by
> stockholders, or any others who feel wronged by
> managements poor decisions.  Even if the lawsuits
> are frivolous, its still a huge PITA to be dragged
> into court and have to defend yourself.

Wow, it really feels like you are pushing an agenda.....

A suggestion is that you try to frame your questions such that the possible answers are yes, no, or I don't know.
Gordon

lordsigma Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think the most productive questions will be
> those that are short and sweet and stick to the
> issues and problems rather than making unprovable
> accusations regarding intent - asking what the
> timeline is for restoring stored equipment to
> service for example or when Amtrak plans to return
> pre pandemic capacity rather than going off on
> rants or making unprovable accusations aimed at
> specific executives. Obviously people can say what
> they want but I think hard hitting questions that
> stick to the issues and don’t make it personal
> will be the most effective in getting the point
> across.
>
> Sharing stories of poor on board experiences I
> think are also a worthwhile thing to do.

Agree with this strategy. One needs to also deliver this in a calm, cool, and level headed manner......

Just because the busiest Amtrak routes are in the Northeast doesn't mean the Amtrak public board meetings always have to be in the Northeast. It's almost like saying this-if you have a close friend who lives like 60 miles away from you and they aren't in a position to travel all 60 miles so you choose a location about 30 miles. By Amtrak having a meeting in St. Louis, they can easily get their own employees from all over the country.

Frame a simple question like:

For several years, in all seasons, the trains have become dirtier and dirtier on the outside. what are Amtrak's plans for putting car washers back in service?

Or:

Amtrak is short of long distance superliner train cars on many routes and demand for seats has soared. Yet it has dozens of cars awaiting work at Beech Grove shops. Does Amtrak have plans to release a list of the car numbers, and the work required to bring each back to service? How many cars were returned to service in the past three months?

Just a heads up people about Amtrak. It's not just the long distance network that is short on cars. The corridor routes are as well. Even before COVID-19 started, Amtrak didn't have enough of its own capacity to assign their own rolling stock to all of the holiday extra trains running in the Northeast. In addition, there is still a crew shortage systemwide. That explains why they are still not running their pre-pandemic schedule on every route, even the Northeast Corridor. Right now, if you are doing a daytrip to Boston or leaving Boston in the early evening to head points south on any Amtrak NEC train, then you are out of luck. On the West Coast, people are still waiting for the brand new Siemens Venture cars to enter revenue service on the San Joaquins, at least the coaches. Still not a fan of the absense of a cafe car on that route but that's a different story.

Another question: How much revenue does Amtrak estimate it has not earned on account of available cars, in good working order, not being added to sold out trains?

And another similar one: How much revenue does Amtrak estimate it has not earned due to the lack of skilled mechanical employees who had been laid off at the beginning of the pandemic?

Another note: I know many of us are justifiably enraged (myself included) at the sheer incompetence Amanagement has shown over the past three years. That said, it would be best if we kept our comments respectful and informative. Ravings and name calling will accomplish nothing. for those who can't keep their feelings under control it might be best not to participate. There will be many "ears" listening (journalists, congressional staffers, politicos) and they will not be impressed with out of control rants.

Can't wait to hear how this'll turn out, especially some of the arguments Ronald321 has mentioned, and the thing is will The Amtrak Board actually listen and get into action on anything that comes up!

All these questions you all want to ask. But, will they answer them? They're not obligated to if they don't have an answer.