Amtrak is responsible for Amtrak. During my career, CSX fought a battle with Amtrak for Amtrak to supply their own Conductor and Engineer on their trains and not use CSX employees, eventually Amtrak did crew their trains. Virtually all operational communications between Amtrak and CSX is handled by the CSX Passenger Operations Desk that is manned 24/7/365. Amtrak, by contract, is expected to fuel their equipment to prevent delay to CSX operations. In the case of mechanical breakdown CSX will supply freight power to move Amtrak trains - if Amtrak has HEP issues, that is beyond the ability of CSX to provide assistance. From experience, Amtrak Crew Management has difficulty in dealing with Amtrak crews, especially as crews approach the Hours of Service law and getting relief crews in place.
Thanks. That explains a lot. Amtrak is a federally controlled organization, not a private corporation where success is based on efficiency, pride, and merit. As a defense contractor, I had daily interaction with government employees from top technical up through second and third level management. The apathy and inefficiencies were pervasive. Please understand that there were many individual contributors who were dedicated to their job missions. Sadly, they had little support or encouragement from their superiors. Consequently, they did their daily best performing assigned tasks, then went home to more pleasant homes, libations, and hobbies.
I love the graceful lines that EMD created with that locomotive design. A pity that GE didn't do the same with their P series.
Since Amtrak was created to fail by Congress - its continued existence for over 50 years is a testament to its employees pride efficiency and merit. Its leadership in those three areas has always been questionable.
It's unfortunate that NS's Wick Moorman was only a "transitional CEO" for ATK in 2016. He did a superb job with NS, and ATK would have been greatly blessed with is leadership. I've lost count of the CEOs that ATK has hired in recent history.
Having a Daylight painted locomotive without a matching trainset is visually jarring. SP had the same issues with their Daylight painted power on their non-Daylight runs - The Lark, The City of San Francisco, The Sunset Limited etc.
At least they painted a scarlet stripe on their stainless Sunset cars. (although it was not quite Daylight Red)
From 10/18/1987, grimy Amtrak F-40PH 344 leads the westbound Crescent into Birmingham, AL. PV Virgina City is bringing up the markers.
Love the old baggage car like in your pic, Hardcoaler! Which I have a question; why is Amtrak's newer baggage cars come in the "Heritage 1" scheme, when everything else is in the newer scheme, but older equipment?
Looks like an ex Southern Pacific Sunset Limited baggage dorm in the consist. Here is one serving on the AOE.
An Amtrak Acela stopped outside my window for about an hour or more this afternoon. I'm guessing something was blocking the track ahead. Fairly clear shot over the fence: Video from my window showing Shinkansen and the Eastern end of the Layout I like the juxtaposition.
Two Amtrak trains ahead of schedule on the same day?!? In heavy snow, Amtrak 7 arrival ahead of schedule: Amtrak 8 ahead of schedule, arriving in Minot:
Times sure have changed but a photograph of a passenger train pulled into a lit up depot at night is still one of the neatest sights you can see. Doug
I wholeheartedly agree. I wish there were less distracting foreground "stuff", but I shouldn't complain. Here's another couple from Saturday night. Servicing: Runaround by a stack train: