Passenger Trains > 97 municipal hold and mechanical assessment

Good morning,

Every morning there is at least one, and often more, trains with significant delays due to a "mechanical assessment."  Today it is 97, and it is now over 3 hours late.

It is pretty bad when this is a regular part of business.  But that is where we sit today.  Is there anything that can be done?  I ask that sincerely.  RPA is clearly not the answer.  My congressman is inept, and my senators are detached.  I have little faith in any of them.  Ideas?

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/29/26 04:50 by Chessie1963.

Move to Japan?

They are not that receptive to immigrants...from what I have heard.  I also have a language barrier of sorts.  

I honestly think that if we start pushing this, we may get traction.  Hmm.  I may be able to get to Duffy, and I have thought about it.  Let me see if I can do that (I am serious).  

I will update if and when I reach him.


restricted_speed Wrote:
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> Move to Japan?

#22 from Friday has endured some 12 hours of various 'mechanical assessments'.  The train has a UP lead, Amtrak 4-42, and a Charger.  One fiasco after another.  And, yes Chessie, it is a frustrating time for passenger rail advocates.  Amtrak, Congress, and the railroads don't seem to care.  The railroads are filled with their own challenges.  The RPA has been a joke, a non issue, an isolated out of touch fantasy land for years.  

To:  Chessie1963

Don't worry, I won't give you a smart-alek answer like restricted_speed's "move to Japan".

I agree with you---the Long Haul trains often subject innocent people to unbelievable delays .

We can't expect Politicians to correct things--because it's not their job,  They have done a very
good job of granting Amtrak funding.  It's not their job to run Amtrak efficiently--or even be aware
of hideous delays.

AmManagement and the freight railroads are responsible for the delays--so, only they can fix it.
But, neither of them seem to care--frt.railroads don't like passenger trains--and AmManagement are
cost-cutters interested in bonuses.

So, we're kind of stuck with lousy service on the long hauls.  Things are not nearly as bad on 
NEC, or the State supported short hauls.

PS:  no one ever ask the rail Unions their view why all these "mechanical assessments" are happening.
Their members maintain this equipment--and probably have a good idea why.


 



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/29/26 07:05 by ronald321.

ronald321 Wrote:
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> Don't worry, I won't give you a smart-alek answer
> like restricted_speed's "move to Japan".

My response is not as "smart-aleky" as it may appear (although I do appreciate the compliment - thank you). The problems that Amtrak has would never occur in Japan because of the culture differences. In this country we just do not have what it takes as a society to provide the level of integrity, pride, accountability and service that Japan has on a routine daily basis. Amtrak has had its moments over the years, and I'm glad I was able to experience a lot of those times and had many good trips. But it's mostly all just a memory at this point.

Oh and Chessie is also right about moving to Japan. It is not straight-forward to do so. I know because I looked into it.

ronald321 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> To:  Chessie1963
>
> Don't worry, I won't give you a smart-alek answer
> like restricted_speed's "move to Japan".
>
> I agree with you---the Long Haul trains often
> subject innocent people to unbelievable delays .
>
> We can't expect Politicians to correct
> things--because it's not their job,  They have
> done a very
> good job of granting Amtrak funding.  It's not
> their job to run Amtrak efficiently--or even be
> aware
> of hideous delays.
>
> AmManagement and the freight railroads are
> responsible for the delays--so, only they can fix
> it.
> But, neither of them seem to care--frt.railroads
> don't like passenger trains--and AmManagement are
> cost-cutters interested in bonuses.
>
> So, we're kind of stuck with lousy service on the
> long hauls.  Things are not nearly as bad on 
> NEC, or the State supported short hauls.
>
> PS:  no one ever ask the rail Unions their view
> why all these "mechanical assessments" are
> happening.
> Their members maintain this equipment--and
> probably have a good idea why.
>
>We used to have an organization that stood up for passengers and could exert pressure on Amtrak.   It was called RPA, but it disappeared.
>  

Back when Congress was less owned by billionaires and large corporations, there were various caucuses which rode herd on various government activities.  Military bases, ship building, farm loans and credit, passenger railroads, etc. While the result was an unwieldy collection of unneeded airfields, bases, loan programs, etc stuff got done. The  President and Tip O'Neill could have a few drinks and hammer out a tax bill in less time than it took to drain a few bottles of premium Scotch.

Unfortunately, many folks have accepted that governments exist for the benefit of folks with enough money to buy one. Amtrak isn't on the list of stuff anyone important really cares about. 

Move to Europe. 

"Move to Japan" - "Move to Europe", is advice to run away if you don't like it.

A fellow fan once advised me to "stay home if you don't like it"

The real solution is for the freight railroads to correct "Freight train interference" --
and AmManagement to correct "Mechanical Assessment" (with more spending on maintenance).

Of course, neither one has any intention of doing this. So, until they do, we're kinda stuck.

My "move to Japan" comment is a polite way of saying that things are unlikely to change here.

IMO Amtrak has run its course, much like a lot of other things in our country.

ronald321 Wrote:---the Long Haul trains often
 subject innocent people to unbelievable delays .
Yes, and subject innocent on board employees
to unbelievable abuse from passengers.
 

I'm genuinely puzzled by the RPA's total silence on Amtrak's mechanical issues. Not even so much as a really weak comment. It just doesn't seem to make sense, no matter how you cut it.

NPRocky Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm genuinely puzzled by the RPA's total silence
> on Amtrak's mechanical issues. Not even so much as
> a really weak comment. It just doesn't seem to
> make sense, no matter how you cut it.

Myself also.   It is as if RPA has no contact with Amtrak whatsoever, but is devoted merely to running meetings, which they publicize endlessly.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/30/26 08:20 by Eggenberger.

This.

Victor Baird

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Back when Congress was less owned by billionaires
> and large corporations, there were various
> caucuses which rode herd on various government
> activities.  Military bases, ship building, farm
> loans and credit, passenger railroads, etc. While
> the result was an unwieldy collection of unneeded
> airfields, bases, loan programs, etc stuff got
> done. The  President and Tip O'Neill could have a
> few drinks and hammer out a tax bill in less time
> than it took to drain a few bottles of premium
> Scotch.
>
> Unfortunately, many folks have accepted that
> governments exist for the benefit of folks with
> enough money to buy one. Amtrak isn't on the list
> of stuff anyone important really cares about. 

Wow!  I just logged back on and I am suprised at the life of this thread!  

I do appreciate the replies, even those that tell me to move!  Some of them made me laugh.  And I guess, in this case, that is probably the best option. 

Good evening, all.  

To:  amtrakbill

I don't doubt some passengers on a 20 hour (or even 7 hr) late train, might be
abusive to the crew -- not realizing these delays are very hard the crew also.

My only experience was to witness the terrible yelling and shouting the gate agents
received at Newark Airport when storms caused big backups in flights.

 

Civility, nevermind chivalry, are long gone in America.  It is a shame.

ronald321 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> To:  amtrakbill
>
> I don't doubt some passengers on a 20 hour (or
> even 7 hr) late train, might be
> abusive to the crew -- not realizing these delays
> are very hard the crew also.
>
> My only experience was to witness the terrible
> yelling and shouting the gate agents
> received at Newark Airport when storms caused big
> backups in flights.
>
>  

Much of RPA's leadership, of course, is fascinated by the politics of rail passenger service, which to me is an utterly crashing bore, mostly vastly-overcomplicated talking and game-playing. It may indeed need attention, but so do these really serious service and operational issues, and those don't seem to be getting much of anything for some reason.

Isn't it true that RPA members get a 10% discount, long since discontinued for AAA members and get AGR points awarded for dues?

There's your answer, follow the money, conflict of interest, compounded with general incompetence.

Full disclosure: my membership lapsed 7 years ago, and never regretted it. It's a top down, authoritarian Amtrak fan club and Amtrak PR arm out for ceremonies and fundraising. A few State ARPs also seem to emulate their behavior, with high leadership overlaps.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/31/26 05:37 by joemvcnj.