Hello To Everyone!

[Anonymous]

Hello to everyone out there in railroad land. Hope everyone's holidays were filled with happiness and many blessings. For all of us public service employees whom had to work during these days, I APPLAUD YOU ALL[:D]!! You; we; I am the reason why this country doesn't stop, and that's something to be very proud of[^]!

Now for some railroad news. Recently, I have seen some scribblings in the cabs of the high speed trains' locomotives (power cars), and it has really made me think how serious this whole budget issue revolving around Amtrak really is. The acromym for ACELA was broken down like this: (A)mtrak (C)ollapses (E)mployees (L)oose (A)ll. When I read this several times over, it made me think of how big businesses (and our own government) are oblivious to the plight of us workers who make them profitable in the first place[8]. I mean, how much of a profit margin does any company need before they can say it's comfortable[:(]?? When I look back at what happened to those workers at Conrail who sacrificed so much in order to turn around a shambles of a railroad, into one that was the envy of all the other larger systems, only to have it parcaled away like tra***o them, make me furious[:(!], and sad[V] at the same time. If this is what is to happen to Amtrak, then I really feel sorry for all of us railroaders and enthusiasts alike[V]! If any one of us can recall 11 September 2001, and what our country had to endure those first few critical hours, then some one out there would appreciate what "WE" Amtrak employees "HAD" to do!! At the time, my ex wife was staying with our oldest daughter, who was married to a soldier stationed at Fort Myer in Arlington, Virginia. I was spending that day with her and my son when the plane hit the Pentagon. I escorted them back to the Army post. As I was explaining to the MP
at the gate that they needed to get back to our daughter's apartment on post, she turned to me and said, "I quess you won't be going to work tonight?" I replied, "Are you kidding! Did they crash into Union Station?" She said, "No."
I said, "So what makes you think, they're going to shut down? Even if they blew up Union Station in DC some how, as long as they had another way to turn trains around, they will. Heck, they'll probably bus us to Baltimore if things were
that serious." She thought I was joking, but I wasn't. As the flames and the smoke from the Pentagon, were visable through the night, I was on the job, making sure we had extra trains available, when needed. Amtrak and the rest of the railroad industry was the only transportation entity that this country could relie on when this country WAS IN NEED, and what was our thanks for it...A KISS MY BEHIND[B)], from our President and our congress. They continually short change us when it comes to federal dollars to keep us operating[8]! Now,
I know there's waste in this company, but look at how much our government waste on thing that don't benefit any human being nor humanity in general[:o)]. How can we be held accountable for wasteful practices, when the airlines (which were bailing our with our tax dollars) were going bankrupt long before the events of 11 September 2001, due to wasteful spending practices[:o)]. If some one out there doesn't see a problem with this scenario, please by all means, tell me I'm wrong[|)]. We need everyone out there in railroad land to call
their respective government representatives, from local to federal, and let them
"KNOW" that we "NEED" a more balanced federal transportation budget, that provide more spending on/in our nation's railway industry, "ESPECIALLY" on the issues regarding Amtrak[:(!]!! "WE NEED TO HAVE A 'R E A L' WORLD CLASS PASSENGER RAIL NETWORK ACROSS THE UNITED STATES!!" Tell
them, "If you can spend money on nonsense, then you can spend money on Amtrak!"

Well, time to come down from my soap box. To all you railroaders and rail lovers everywhere...Have A Blessed Day! I'll be back in a few days...later[;)].


Glenn
A REAL RAILROADER...A TRUE AMERICAN[:D]!!!!!!!!!!!

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[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by gfjwashdc


Amtrak and the rest of the railroad industry was the only transportation entity that this country could relie on when this country WAS IN NEED, and what was our thanks for it...A KISS MY BEHIND[B)], from our President and our congress. They continually short change us when it comes to federal dollars to keep us operating[8]! Now,
I know there's waste in this company, but look at how much our government waste on thing that don't benefit any human being nor humanity in general[:o)]. How can we be held accountable for wasteful practices, when the airlines (which were bailing our with our tax dollars) were going bankrupt long before the events of 11 September 2001, due to wasteful spending practices[:o)]. If some one out there doesn't see a problem with this scenario, please by all means, tell me I'm wrong[|)]. We need everyone out there in railroad land to call
their respective government representatives, from local to federal, and let them
"KNOW" that we "NEED" a more balanced federal transportation budget, that provide more spending on/in our nation's railway industry, "ESPECIALLY" on the issues regarding Amtrak[:(!]!! "WE NEED TO HAVE A 'R E A L' WORLD CLASS PASSENGER RAIL NETWORK ACROSS THE UNITED STATES!!" Tell
them, "If you can spend money on nonsense, then you can spend money on Amtrak!"

Glenn
A REAL RAILROADER...A TRUE AMERICAN[:D]!!!!!!!!!!!

I wholeheartedly agree.

There is NO reason this country could not have a Class ONE passenger railroad IF it really wanted to. But we must convince Congress of this fact. Amtrak has been short-changed financially since its inception. Now it is time for the Government to step in and actually help the railroad achieve this. Double track where necessary, add signals, do the things that are necessary to cut down congestion and improve on-time performance. Help the railroad add the capacity needed. It is unfortunate that in the 50s, 60s, 70s that the railroads cut back employees, trackage, and the things necessary to improve service. Now they are again needed but we don't have them. Let's face it. The railroad management of the recent past "blew it". Their short sighted conquest of the might $$$ lead them down a one-way track into cost cutting, line closures, employee layoffs and firings. Now that experienced railroad workers are needed, many are gone. Now that more capacity is needed, it is not there. Now because of short sighted management goals, they are in a pickle of a mess.

What happened to the spirit of the railroads that built this country? What happened to the governments's willingness to help the railroads achieve success? World War II was the finest hour for the American railroads. Since then they have been in a steady decline.

Thankfully, I can get on Amtrak locally. Many can't. However, the only direction I can go is North/South. Should we need to "win the west" again. I could not do it from here on a passenger train. That is UNLESS I took a round about route.

It is not time to cut back funding for the railroads, or Amtrak. It is time to increase funding and return to a comfortable level of passenger travel. Many will not fly. The bus is no longer a reasonable alternative either. The passenger trains were a safe mode of transportation. It is time to return to that safety and comfort which the passenger train can provide.

I applaud the American Railroad Worker of today. I wi***here were more of you. Hopefully in the near future things will change for the better. We must convince Congress of this.

[eolafan]

Glenn, may I respectfully suggest that MOST Americans would work as hard as you did after 9-11, not for the thanks, but simply because it was the partriotic and RIGHT thing to do...no other reason. Guys and gals from my generation volunteered to go to Vietnam, not because they expected a parade when they returned (they certainly did not get that!), but simply because they thought they had a responsibility to go. Now, I can only assume you worked longer than normal hours after 9-11 for similar reasons, not to get a pat on your back...or am I wrong? Hope not!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by eolafan

Glenn, may I respectfully suggest that MOST Americans would work as hard as you did after 9-11, not for the thanks, but simply because it was the partriotic and RIGHT thing to do...no other reason. Guys and gals from my generation volunteered to go to Vietnam, not because they expected a parade when they returned (they certainly did not get that!), but simply because they thought they had a responsibility to go. Now, I can only assume you worked longer than normal hours after 9-11 for similar reasons, not to get a pat on your back...or am I wrong? Hope not!

I don't want to start an argument with you mr. Eolafan, But i don't beleieve what you read and what I read are the same things, Glen was never asking for a pat on the back, a hand shake or anyhting of the sort
As far as i'm concerned he did everything for the right reasons, and he has my Congradulations.

If i were working, on that day, i would have put in extra time too, pretty much the same can be said about everyone here.

A first class RR would be a great thing, no two ways about that.

[eolafan]

Kevin, no argument from me on that point, I also congratulate him and all others who worked their bunns off on that day and many others. What I was referring to was the last sentence in his first paragraph that ends "...and what was our thanks for it, a kiss my behind".

[Anonymous]

President BUSH NEEDS to REALSIE AFTER 9/11 AMTRAK IS IMPORTANT TO THIS COUNTRY THEY PRETTY MUCH WERE THE ONLY THINGS MOVING AND look at the Lake Shore Limited had over 500 Passengers that night also it's so sad the way ACELA has turned out people thought it could save Amtrak but it didn't it sadly took a stubberon Geroge EL STUPIDO Bu***o scrach out $100 Million Dollars and he's a bum and won't give them the full $1.812 Billion Gunn wants

[JoeKoh]

yes the potential is there for railtravel. it beats spending hours waiting for a plane!
stay safe
joe