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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]!!!!!!!!!!!<div align="left"></div id="left">
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