Where Do I Sign On The Dotted Line?

[wallyworld]

Last night I finished reading the May Issue of Trains. I was struck by the contrast between the two main articles. One was about the headaches of running long expedited trains on the woefully maintained and now long defunct Rock Island. The other was the 24 Billion dollar rail investments undertaken by the Swiss Government, of which 55% will be paid for by taxes on truck traffic. In the same issue, there was a article about the level of increasingly troublesome deferred maintenance that are long overdue on Amtrak routes. Interestingly enough, I read the forum as usual with this morning’s coffee and read the thread on UP tying up auto traffic due to switching issues versus highway crossings. I was struck by how this country has become a “Third World” backwater in the lack of viability, legitimacy or flexibility in surface transportation policy.
It’s not a new revelation for me but what astounded me was yet another example of Europe in general being so far out in front of us that they are riding TGV’s when we poke along on 19th century alignments, they have for the most part electrified their mainlines and our shining example, the Northeast Corridor, is over 70 years old. Are there any effective lobbying groups in DC or organizations that are trying to change this pathetic lack of policy? If I find one…sign me up…I’ve about had it with ranting …it’s time for me to put my money where my mouth is.

[AntonioFP45]

Very realistic grasp, WalleyWorld!

Looking at U.S attitudes, it seems that the higher ranking corporate and government leaders are satisfied with the status quo and, if anything would prefer to "minimize" investment in our rail infrastructure. People like Norm Mineta, John McCain and as much as I respect him, the President, have the facts available to them, often right under their noses, but they choose not to act to help the situation. Apathy? Ignorance? Or a combination of both!

American railroads are at fault to the degree that for the most part they play the role of the "fly on the wall". Unlike the 1940s and 50s, Class 1 and Class 2 railroads today choose to maintain a very low profile and try to stay out of the public eye. As stated on the Illinois tax thread, U.S railroads are often recognized in a negative light when there are train wrecks, grade crossing mishaps, or someone is late for work due to a 100 car freight train traveling at 20 mph at a crossing.

Hopefully these highly compensated executives (who also live in fear of the stockholders) will wake up eventually and realize that connecting with the public might not be such a "horrid idea". Too bad that the Prime Osborns, Graham Claytors, McGinnis's, and Lou Menk's are retired and basically not heard from. These guys, for the most part, seemed to enjoy showing off their railroads.

[1]Operation LIfesaver [2] steam programs
[3] Railroad pros from all ranks visiting schools
[4] More Public Open House events at major rail shops
[5] Aggressive lobbying for tax breaks on safety upgrades, double tracking main lines where Amtrak runs, infrastructure renovation in areas that are blighted.

These things are done now, but VERY SPARSELY. As expensive as it is, the railroads would beneift and the majority of these expenses could be written off at tax time. Stockholders would likely welcome these types of efforts and could be persuaded to publicly endorse these efforts to their senators.

Peace out, Amigos![:D][8D][:)]

[Anonymous]

You also have to keep in mind that europe and the norht america are on two totally different pages.

Though I support passenger railtravel, europe in comarison is much more densly populated than north america as a whole.

We are better of to compare europe to the upper east coast of north america than all of north america as a whole.


There's just too much empty space out there to say that we should be at the same level if not higher than the europeans when it comes to railway infastructure.

My [2c]