Both railroads have executive trains. The route is on tracks belonging to them. Will they realize the public relations value to doing the Marine Corps this big faivor?
They probably do David, but here's the thing, the Marines should ask them.
And they should do it like this: Send a contingent to CSX and NS headquarters wearing dress blues, and ask for a meeting with the CEO's of the respective 'roads.
The Susquehanna's done a "Toys for Tots" train in New Jersey, and still does.
Here's a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHIJBAP9l_I
PS: It's got a rock music background, for today's railfans I suppose. I don't mind it but some may want to turn down the volume a bit.
daveklepper Both railroads have executive trains. The route is on tracks belonging to them. Will they realize the public relations value to doing the Marine Corps this big faivor?
It certainly would be a project with potentially national public relations implications. Toys for Tots has been a Marine Corps charity for some years, and is a terrific resource to provide Christmas toys for those children that might not have a Christmas present.
Here is a link to Charity Navigator and its listing for Marine Toys for Tots Foundation:@ https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=4047
With 'Precision Scheduled Railroad' I am surprised that CSX still supports the Santa Train through Applachia - with the current management I don't foresee them taking on any other 'public service' projects.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACD With 'Precision Scheduled Railroad' I am surprised that CSX still supports the Santa Train through Applachia - with the current management I don't foresee them taking on any other 'public service' projects.
Nor should they, this is a very well funded Charity and I am pretty confident the Marines can find an alternative to fill the gap if they use their jarheads.
Hey! Watch that "jarhead" stuff! You don't see me using terms like "squid," "doggie," or "zoomie" do you?
Well anyway, here's an idea. If they can't make the collection by rail they can try a nice, big, dramatic "six-by" convoy. That'll get people's attention!
CMStPnP BaltACD With 'Precision Scheduled Railroad' I am surprised that CSX still supports the Santa Train through Applachia - with the current management I don't foresee them taking on any other 'public service' projects. Nor should they, this is a very well funded Charity and I am pretty confident the Marines can find an alternative to fill the gap if they use their jarheads.
Just to also note: HQ USMC supports another charity, primarily, for the children of the deployed Marines and Navy personnel along the East Coast, each Christmas season. "Gunny Claus" . Each year he's activated for the Christmas Season, and travels to the bases along the East Coast. His Face Book site is : Gunny Claus; 1st Reindeer Division, Marine Corps Base North Pole [ With the support of other personnel and families at the bases visited] http://www.gunnyclaus.org
CSX is very adept at laying PR Turds - Looks like Amtrak is emulating this portion of PSR.
I just thought of someone else the Marines could ask, New Jersey Transit. NJT runs from Hoboken to Port Jervis along the old Erie mainline with lots of stops along the way.
NJ Transit could really use the good publicity right now, they're an absolute mess!
Firelock76NJT runs from Hoboken to Port Jervis along the old Erie mainline with lots of stops along the way.
Well, no they don't; it's officially Metro-North above Suffern.
But that's two large agencies that could benefit greatly from the publicity to share the expense...
Overmod Firelock76 NJT runs from Hoboken to Port Jervis along the old Erie mainline with lots of stops along the way. Well, no they don't; it's officially Metro-North above Suffern. But that's two large agencies that could benefit greatly from the publicity to share the expense...
Firelock76 NJT runs from Hoboken to Port Jervis along the old Erie mainline with lots of stops along the way.
Well yes, you're correct, however NJT does run to Port Jervis on Metro-North trackage, just as Metro-North runs to Hoboken on NJT trackage. I was just trying to keep it simple for everyone.
And you're equally correct Metro-North would benefit from the publicity as well.
CMSP&P: You miss the point entirely.
1. Just because a well-funded charity is well-funded should not mean in any sense that they should pay for what another charity gets for free. A charity is still a charity. Funds paid for transportation mean less funds to do good work. In this case the staff is all-volunteer, too.
2. I am less concerned about helping the charity, although that is important, then the Damage to the Rail Industry as a whole from this important annual event moving from rail to highway. Soime of these Marine volunteers are going to end up in important positions in industries in civilian life, after their service is completed. Their positive outlook on rail will mean more traffic to rail.
NS's and CSX's expenses coujld come from the advertising budget and do more good than any adds anywhere.
Should I write letters to the CEOs of CSX and NS and to Toys-for-Tots?
Firelock76Firelock76 wrote the following post 5 days ago: Hey! Watch that "jarhead" stuff! You don't see me using terms like "squid," "doggie," or "zoomie" do you?
At least he didn't use one of the terms Navy Seals use(d) for Marines!!
Does the Marine Corps perform any specialized missions that can't be performed by any of the other armed forces? After all, they aren't needed to repel boarders anymore and amphibious operations are invariably performed by joint task forces.
As you know, the Marines are actually part of the Navy. I'm pretty sure there is still a Marine presence on many larger Navy ships.
I suppose you could call the Marines the Navy's Army (let me get my flak jacket). The Seals notwithstanding, I do believe it's still a matter of water = Marines, dry land = Army, even if there is some crossover.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
tree68The Seals notwithstanding, I do believe it's still a matter of water = Marines, dry land = Army, even if there is some crossover.
Then how do you explain what they do with Harriers and Ospreys?
Overmod tree68 The Seals notwithstanding, I do believe it's still a matter of water = Marines, dry land = Army, even if there is some crossover. Then how do you explain what they do with Harriers and Ospreys?
tree68 The Seals notwithstanding, I do believe it's still a matter of water = Marines, dry land = Army, even if there is some crossover.
The Marines close air support.
Regarding the original topic. see both the Trains Newswire and NS James Squiers' announcement on the NS website.
Thanks for the "heads-up" on this David, I'd missed it entirely.
And thank you Bennett Levin and Norfolk-Southern!
I'd say "raspberries" to "Delta Dick" of Amtrak, but I doubt he even cares.
From Mike:
Ben is Hebrew for Son, often, as in English, used in place of Man.
tree68I suppose you could call the Marines the Navy's Army
Actually specifically referred to in the past and in other Armed forces as the Naval Infantry which is another term for Marines.
OvermodThen how do you explain what they do with Harriers and Ospreys?
tree68 is basically correct. Marines specialize in amphibious assault worldwide and a Marine MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit) roughly mirrors the function and structure of an Army Airborne unit. Marines assault from the Oceans and Air using Naval assets (aircraft carriers and such), Army assaults from the Land or Air using the USAF (land bases) and Airborne forces.
The Marines are centered around their Infantry branch and that is why you see crossed rifles on their enlisted rank insignia. The Army is the same, centered on the Army Infantry branch. All other branches of the Marines including the aviation branch support the Infantry. Likewise for the Army.
Marine Infantry is structured down to the squad level with heavier firepower than the Army Infantry is because the Marines are primarily for assault and move on to the next objective. The Army is for assault and occupy and deal with natives.
Marines are more streamlined logistically than the Army. For example the Marines attend training in a lot of cases on Army posts. Marines rely on the Navy for their medical right on down to the Naval Corpsman that accompanies Marines into battle. The Army has it's own medical branch and it's own combat medics. I think in the Marines the chaplains are all Navy as well. In the Army they are another Army branch. So many times you hear folks in Congress state how financially efficient the Marines are. Well, IMO not so much, they sponge a lot off the Navy and Army, that is accounted for under the Army or Navy column budget wise.
BTW, unbeknownst to most taxpayers.......The Army has it's own small fleet of Naval Ships as well for sealift and amphibious assault. Though I heard or read somewhere that finally this many years after WWII they were going to sell off the amphibious landing craft......not sure if they have done so or not. Army amphibious operations on land stopped in the late 1980's or early 1990's I believe and they are entirely reliant on bridging water obstacles now. In the past and in Vietnam the M113 armored personell carrier was amphibious and so was one or two light tanks.......yeah they floated. The Bradley IFV was intended to be amphibious but the Pentagon changed that after repeated amphibious accidents with it's equipment.
So those are some of the differences from my learning experiences long ago.
In 1943, my older (by about 15 years) brother-in-law, Lenard Kasle, was called from his position as Raform Rabbi at Beth Elohim, Chrleston, South Carolina, to be a Navy Chaplain at the Camp Lejaune Marine base in North Carolna. He wore a Mavy Uniform, but his office assistant and Chapel care-taker (man) and his secretary (woman) wore Marine uniforms.
I posted the interesting adventures of my visit several years ago, and Doug Riddel wrote on it about 20 years ago in his Rail News column.
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