http://www.cnn.com/2005/TRAVEL/11/09/amtrak.gunn.ap/index.html I wonder if my dream of taking my family on a trip in a sleeper car is just that
Here's the official notice from the board, dated November 9, 2005. November 9, 2005 • Page 1 of 1 A Letter From Amtrak Chairman David Laney to Amtrak Employees Dear Amtrak Employees: The Amtrak Board of Directors announced today the release of David Gunn, its President and Chief Executive Officer for the past three years. The Board has named Chief Engineer David Hughes as Acting President and CEO to run the railroad as we conduct a national search for Amtrak’s next leader. Together with your hard work, David Gunn made important operational improvements during his tenure. Now, as we look to the future our priorities are changing and Amtrak requires a different type of leader who will more aggressively tackle the company’s significant financial, management and operational challenges. Earlier this year, Amtrak’s Board and management prepared a blueprint for comprehensive reform as part of our fiscal 2006 grant request to the Congress. The good news in this strategic plan is that we can improve Amtrak, upgrade service in the vital Northeast Corridor, expand rail services in densely populated and increasingly congested corridors across the country, and bring more economic discipline to Amtrak’s long distance services. These reforms and others envisioned will require fundamental change, hard work and consistent support. They also require a leader who has the organizational, financial and management skills needed to help transform Amtrak into a more sustainable and high performing company. Both chambers of Congress have passed 2006 appropriations for Amtrak that recognize the importance of an effective intercity rail travel system, while demanding much needed reform. The Board is committed to pursuing these reforms, and to working closely with the Congress, the Administration, state governments and other essential partners to make sure we get this right, and get it done. Putting Amtrak and intercity passenger rail service on a more stable and stronger course is our highest priority and in all of our interests. We look forward to working together in the critical months ahead. Sincerely, David M. Laney, Esq. Chairman Please distribute at all safety meetings and post on all employee bulletin boards. Between you, me and the fencepost, Gunn was not willing to toe the Bush Administration's line on running Amtrak on what consists of a shutdown budget. And Norman Mineta, who sits on the board, doesn't seem to be crying any tears over this move. It should be interesting to see how this plays out when the pro-Amtrak supporters hear of this, and get all worked up.
This is a big shock to me. I suppose it shouldn't be with Bush and Mineta trying to crush Amtrak. [ November 09, 2005, 03:24 PM: Message edited by: E-8 ]
sd70mac, I edited your post to remove your personal unfavorable opinion of President Bush. We can't cross the line quite that far (please), lest it becomes a political topic rather than a railroad topic - then a flame war. Thank you. Charlie
Does anyone know how many time the government has "restructured" Amtrak? I believe ultimately Amtrak will only live on in the Northeast Corridor simply because i don't think the government, no matter who is president, can go on throwing money at a national passenger railway system that has never made a dime in 30 years. As much as we railfans like passenger travel, would it be more wise to spend the 1.2 billion elsewhere such as education or Social Security? I hope I haven't made this thread get too political, it's just my opinion.
Pat- If you look at it carefully, passenger trains as taken altogether, hadn't made money in a long time, before AMTRAK. Yes. Some individual trains did hang in there financially. As a whole, no. Look at the non-public records. On an annual basis, almost everyone lost money. GN, NP, CB&Q, MILW, etc. That's why the RR's were so happy to hand them off. Expectations of them making money after May 1, 1971, are then quite baseless. As much as I want to see passenger trains, I believe it will have to be stopped here. And let local authorities take on a route, if they so desire. There are regional endeavors that are hanging in there quite well. I believe this is the future. CalTrans, Metra, SEPTA, etc. Boxcab E50
The only thing new is the history you don't know. (Harry Truman) The problem is knowing just where in the future of history you are at this time. Airlines effectively destroyed the North Atlantic passenger liner ship traffic. Trucks took LCL loads away from the railroads. The interstate highway system took passengers away from trains for short haul service; the airlines probably did the same for long haul passenger service on trains. Will email put the post office out of business? Will telephone lines ever reappear to carry telephone messages? All of that and petroleum prices are up. All of those things will repeat themselves in a slightly different form. If we knew what that was, we could make a bundle. I don't really have an opinion on Amtrak and the future, but it surely will be different from what it is now. [ November 09, 2005, 07:14 PM: Message edited by: sapacif ]
For the record, there have been attempts by administrations past (both parties, too) to "restructure" Amtrak. Even during the Carter administration, we saw train-offs (don't remember the Lone Star, do ya? Didn't think so). Our government, and our country as a whole, has been somewhat shortsighted for many years thanks to the long-ago days of cheap gasoline and the building of the Interstate Highway System. Personally, I think the airways can only take so may airlines (and they're not doing too well financially, last I saw). Oh yes, bus lines- only one left, and it ain't too rich either. What we need is a viable intercity transportation policy- one would think that the appearance of $3.00-per-gallon gasoline would spur things along. Political sniping is not and never has been the answer. We know what is wrong- what is needed is clear and cool heads addressing the problem, whether we stay with conventional passenger railroading or move on to more advanced technology (say, independent high-speed rail lines or maglev). Folks from the private sector, government, and industry are needed.
Some of the problems come down to one reason. Amtrak does not generally run on their own rails. They are run on freight lines with freight trains. Freight trains go slow, they break down, and all the other factors that involve moving freight. As a result the only trains that really run on a schedule (amtrak) end up being delayed for a variety of reasons. Passengers wait, they get upset, they vow to never ride again, etc.... The problem that Amtrak trains anywhere usually don't run on schedule prevents passengers from riding. Today is a different world from 50 years ago. People in general are more Go Go GO, than before, and Airlines make going from Point A to Point B quick. I guess what I am saying is that the reasons the Northeast Corridor is so successful is that it is Amtrak-owned and trains keep their schedules better. Im not real educated when it comes to passenger and Amtrak (im learning! ) this is just what comes to mind to me from simple observation.
Yes, if at all possible go. You will most likely come away as dismayed as we did after taking two cross-country round trips in one year. Any corporation in the world with as many bad additude lazy employees as Amtrak carries (note I did not say employs), would have folded long ago. But you can't fire what is essentually a government employee easily. Especially when there are lawyers lining up to make racial cases out of every firing when in reality it almost never has anything to do with race. Many employees on the trains should be charged a ticket to ride instead of given a paycheck. Poor service, poor additudes, late and cancelled trains...Someone needs to get the government out of the running or this will just continue until they eventually lose all ridership on cross-country trains. My trips were not unique. There are many sites out there where passengers share their poor experiences on Amtrak.
No mode of PUBLIC transportation has EVER made a PROFIT anywhere in the World. That's why it is called public...it is sponsored for the GOOD of the PUBLIC, not for personal PROFIT! No airline could make a profit if it had to own and maintain terminal buildings, airport taxi and runways, and air traffic control. No bus company could make a profit it it had to own and maintain terminals, roadways, and highway patrol. So why do our Congressional and Executive leaders expect a Public Transportation System using rails to make a PROFIT? I apologize for the RANT, but GIMMEE A BREAK....!!!!!! [ November 10, 2005, 08:36 PM: Message edited by: Hytec ]
Well said Hytec, THe airlines in the US are not making money, the highways don't pay for themselves (they are not Tollways and would you use them if they were...) but Amtrak is expected to make money, go figure. It is a shame that some employees with Amtrak are so shocking in cumstomer service but one can understand to HUGE lack of morale that would exist in a place that the govt wanted to shut down some 3yrs ago. working today..... soup queue tomorrow. I've been to the US 3 times now and every occasion possible travelled on Amtrak, some bad experiences but alot of good ones and a lot of countryside I would never have seen if I jumped into a sardine can for a ride at 36,000ft but I know for sure that if Amtrak was closed down, I would never go back. Rail transportation has it's place in modern society and there are quite a few people who realise that and use the service...... but don't tell Minneta
Because they live off sound bytes. Because they never studied railroad history. Because virtually none are businessmen. They believe that their incessant talking will somehow create that mythical profitability. Boxcab E50
