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The End of Amtrak

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The End of Amtrak
Posted by dbasenberg on Monday, May 2, 2005 9:06 PM
Come on folks, the Bush Administration is trying to end Amtrak. Why are we not writing about that.
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Posted by jeaton on Monday, May 2, 2005 10:02 PM
d

Welcome to the forum. Try a search and you will find a few pages on the subject.

"We have met the enemy and he is us." Pogo Possum "We have met the anemone... and he is Russ." Bucky Katt "Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future." Niels Bohr, Nobel laureate in physics

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Posted by csxengineer98 on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 3:19 AM
becoues we are sick of discussing it...
csx engineer
"I AM the higher source" Keep the wheels on steel
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Posted by rich747us on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 4:13 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by dbasenberg

Come on folks, the Bush Administration is trying to end Amtrak. Why are we not writing about that.


Oh believe me, I'm writing about Amtrak! I'm writing to my Congressman, my Senators, my state Governor, and President Bush himself! If you care about saving Amtrak, you should too! [:D]
When there's a tie at the crossing.....YOU LOOSE! STOP, LOOK, LISTEN, AND LIVE! GOD BLESS CONRAIL!</font id="blue"> 1976-1999 (R.I.P.)
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Posted by passengerfan on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 7:24 AM
I have done everything you mentioned and if you read my article under "Happy Birthday Amtrak" I also point out some of the problems with Amtrak that need to be seriously looked at. But the main problem with Amtrak is lack of funding and surly on board personel.
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Posted by spbed on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 7:29 AM
There are quite a few A/trak threads just search the 1st few pages of threads & you will find them [:D][:o)]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dbasenberg

Come on folks, the Bush Administration is trying to end Amtrak. Why are we not writing about that.

Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR  Austin TX Sub

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 7:55 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by dbasenberg

Come on folks, the Bush Administration is trying to end Amtrak. Why are we not writing about that.


Because many of us have come to believe that these tax funded betterments have spoiled us as true and strong Americans.

In the ownership era of America, passenger trains should only be run for those that can afford to hook a private car to the locomotive - not to those of us that can only reserve a seat in someone else's railcar.

I also find it equally sad.

Once the federal mandate for service is gone from the tracks of the class one railroads via the elimination of Amtrak, the peoples access will also be gone for any economical train service.

Jim

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 8:12 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by csxengineer98

becoues we are sick of discussing it...
csx engineer


One of the great attributes of being an old timer on the list is encouraging newbie's just getting their feet wet.

This is not how we do that Mr. CSXEngineer. In the spirit of A. C. Kalmback, guide this new fellow to some links to old threads on the subject.

It was your above made statement that brought me back home to Prodigy's railroad forums that turned me into the adversary that I became! Help him, don't badger him!
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Posted by AntonioFP45 on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 8:40 AM
No need to be so pesimisstic.

Time after time Amtrak is saved at the last minute. I've witnessed this since the 70s.

Plus Amtrak has increased in popularity. I honestly don't think that we're going to lose all of the long distance services, especially since trains like the Crescent and Silver "Series" are running with heavy loads!

Let the idiotic political process play out. It's a process in which logic does not apply! I'm thinking more and more that Amtrak won't be so badly hacked to pieces as many believe. I'm glad that after Mr. Bush leaves office, Norm Mineta will likely follow behind closely!

"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"

 


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Posted by gabe on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 8:51 AM
I am kind of with Antonio on this one. I don't think Amtrak is going anywhere. I know no one likes to give Bush any credit on this forum—that doesn't bother me one way or another, as I am a-political. But, I and others on this forum have long said Amtrak needs to go in one direction or the other—this contention seems to be the gravamen of Jim Wrinn's opening article in Trains this month, though Mr. Wrinn clearly favors the expansive direction for Amtrak.

Bush's stated contention is reform or kill Amtrak. I couldn't agree more.

That having been said, I don't think Amtrak is going anywhere. As Mr. Wrinn noted, they are not going to kill Amtrak in the midst of skyrocketing gas prices and increasing highway and airport congestion.

I hope Bush really does stir up the pot with Amtrak. It needs some stirring. Most particularly, Amtrak needs to be better coordinated with other forms of transportation.

Gabe
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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 8:55 AM
I would like to see Amtrak emerge from all this political struggle and eventually turn into it's own class one passenger railroad. Some of us hate to fly.
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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 9:16 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by gabe

I am kind of with Antonio on this one. I don't think Amtrak is going anywhere. I know no one likes to give Bush any credit on this forum—that doesn't bother me one way or another, as I am a-political. But, I and others on this forum have long said Amtrak needs to go in one direction or the other—this contention seems to be the gravamen of Jim Wrinn's opening article in Trains this month, though Mr. Wrinn clearly favors the expansive direction for Amtrak.

Bush's stated contention is reform or kill Amtrak. I couldn't agree more.

That having been said, I don't think Amtrak is going anywhere. As Mr. Wrinn noted, they are not going to kill Amtrak in the midst of skyrocketing gas prices and increasing highway and airport congestion.

I hope Bush really does stir up the pot with Amtrak. It needs some stirring. Most particularly, Amtrak needs to be better coordinated with other forms of transportation.

Gabe


Amtrak's creation was political. It was corporate welfare at its finest. Absolve the railroads of passenger service responsibility. If it was a non-political item, it would have been given a funding source with guidelines. It wasn't, the people that created Amtrak believed it would be dead in less than ten years. These were jet aged transportation planners. THE EXPERTS at the time.

Jim

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Posted by gabe on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 9:31 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by SP9033

QUOTE: Originally posted by gabe

I am kind of with Antonio on this one. I don't think Amtrak is going anywhere. I know no one likes to give Bush any credit on this forum—that doesn't bother me one way or another, as I am a-political. But, I and others on this forum have long said Amtrak needs to go in one direction or the other—this contention seems to be the gravamen of Jim Wrinn's opening article in Trains this month, though Mr. Wrinn clearly favors the expansive direction for Amtrak.

Bush's stated contention is reform or kill Amtrak. I couldn't agree more.

That having been said, I don't think Amtrak is going anywhere. As Mr. Wrinn noted, they are not going to kill Amtrak in the midst of skyrocketing gas prices and increasing highway and airport congestion.

I hope Bush really does stir up the pot with Amtrak. It needs some stirring. Most particularly, Amtrak needs to be better coordinated with other forms of transportation.

Gabe


Amtrak's creation was political. It was corporate welfare at its finest. Absolve the railroads of passenger service responsibility. If it was a non-political item, it would have been given a funding source with guidelines. It wasn't, the people that created Amtrak believed it would be dead in less than ten years. These were jet aged transportation planners. THE EXPERTS at the time.

Jim




Yes, Amtrak's creation certainly was political. But, I don't know what your definition of “corporate welfare” is, but I don't see how any stretch of the imagination renders Amtrak “corporate welfare.” Most railroads regard Amtrak as a corporate pain in the backside. If the railroads (I assume the corporations to which you are referring) had their way, they would have just discarded the passenger train altogether and be done with it.

Why do railroads have a "responsibility" to provide passenger service? I don't know what you do for a living, but from what I gather from your personality, I am willing to bet it doesn't involve a lot of work for which you get nothing in return.

And, as for the "experts" being wrong, they weren't. The only thing that has kept Amtrak going is political momentum. It hasn’t been given enough funding and direction to develop into an efficient mode of transportation to survive on its own.

Gabe
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Posted by chad thomas on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 9:35 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by SP9033

QUOTE: Originally posted by csxengineer98

becoues we are sick of discussing it...
csx engineer


One of the great attributes of being an old timer on the list is encouraging newbie's just getting their feet wet.

This is not how we do that Mr. CSXEngineer. In the spirit of A. C. Kalmback, guide this new fellow to some links to old threads on the subject.

It was your above made statement that brought me back home to Prodigy's railroad forums that turned me into the adversary that I became! Help him, don't badger him!


Oh, All of the sudden now your the nice guy?
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Posted by gabe on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 9:41 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas

QUOTE: Originally posted by SP9033

QUOTE: Originally posted by csxengineer98

becoues we are sick of discussing it...
csx engineer


One of the great attributes of being an old timer on the list is encouraging newbie's just getting their feet wet.

This is not how we do that Mr. CSXEngineer. In the spirit of A. C. Kalmback, guide this new fellow to some links to old threads on the subject.

It was your above made statement that brought me back home to Prodigy's railroad forums that turned me into the adversary that I became! Help him, don't badger him!


Oh, All of the sudden now your the nice guy? Or is this your way of sucking in new blood to beat up on?


Lest not forget, "we turned him into an adversary."

Before little Jim was corrupted by us, he was a gentle young lass who would open doors for little old ladies and help the blind to see. But, due to our corruption, he is now throwing his Nobel Peace Prize at people.

To think, one of his first posts he was so nice and polite (that is when he scurrilously criticized Mark’s photography in Mark’s article about the demise of the Southern Pacific). But, we had to corrupt him.

I am so overwhelmed by guilt.

Gabe
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Posted by spbed on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 9:45 AM
Yes there are a few of you & that is why A/trak is great for those who are fearful of the great blue yonder. [8D][:)][:p]

Originally posted by Nuclearwinter

Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR  Austin TX Sub

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Posted by spbed on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 9:47 AM
Im my opinion so long as the freight RRs dispatch A/trak it will NEVER be a 1st class RR outside of the NEC! [:D][:p]

Originally posted by gabe
[

Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR  Austin TX Sub

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 10:00 AM
QUOTE: Oh, All of the sudden now your the nice guy? Or is this your way of sucking in new blood to beat up on?


Yup, I'm not a nice guy, all newbie's beware! I'm only sucking up to you to try and get a new sphere of influence, so I can take over the editorial board at Trains. Its a plot.

Jim
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Posted by chad thomas on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 10:00 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by gabe

QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas

QUOTE: Originally posted by SP9033

QUOTE: Originally posted by csxengineer98

becoues we are sick of discussing it...
csx engineer


One of the great attributes of being an old timer on the list is encouraging newbie's just getting their feet wet.

This is not how we do that Mr. CSXEngineer. In the spirit of A. C. Kalmback, guide this new fellow to some links to old threads on the subject.

It was your above made statement that brought me back home to Prodigy's railroad forums that turned me into the adversary that I became! Help him, don't badger him!


Oh, All of the sudden now your the nice guy? Or is this your way of sucking in new blood to beat up on?


Lest not forget, "we turned him into an adversary."

Before little Jim was corrupted by us, he was a gentle young lass who would open doors for little old ladies and help the blind to see. But, due to our corruption, he is now throwing his Nobel Peace Prize at people.

To think, one of his first posts he was so nice and polite (that is when he scurrilously criticized Mark’s photography in Mark’s article about the demise of the Southern Pacific). But, we had to corrupt him.

I am so overwhelmed by guilt.

Gabe


Yea, I have been a little too harsh on Jim lately. He has apologised for his "salty toung" on another thread and made me feel a bit guilty. I am willing to put it in the past. But Jim if you read this Please leave the politics alone. I understand that you have your views and I have mine. Discussing them here is going to lead to more bad feelings.
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Posted by chad thomas on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 10:05 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by SP9033

QUOTE: Oh, All of the sudden now your the nice guy? Or is this your way of sucking in new blood to beat up on?


Yup, I'm not a nice guy, all newbie's beware! I'm only sucking up to you to try and get a new sphere of influence, so I can take over the editorial board at Trains. Its a plot.

Jim



I knew you were plotting something, But I had no idea how ambitious your plans were.

Just kidding.

peace [8D]
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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 11:05 AM
QUOTE: It was your above made statement that brought me back home to Prodigy's railroad forums that turned me into the adversary that I became! Help him, don't badger him!


Keyword here is Prodigy's railroad forum. Not, Trains forums. Before AOL, just after regional bulletin boards, came Prodigy. It was the nation's first nationwide computer service.


QUOTE: Lest not forget, "we turned him into an adversary."


Again, please read Prodigy's railroad forum.

QUOTE: Before little Jim was corrupted by us, he was a gentle young lass who would open doors for little old ladies and help the blind to see. But, due to our corruption, he is now throwing his Nobel Peace Prize at people.


Actually, the corruption was first done in Dan Crews's train store in Sparks, NV. A discussion of cab forwards came up and a fellow that seriously read Bob Church's work on the subject couldn't believe someone like me had something to offer which was over and above what Mr. Church wrote.

What this fellow didn't realize was that I'd just gone through most of Espee's Employee Timetables and Special Instruction on a specific Espee line. I'd also interviewed some operating employees and been given documents which proved beyond a reasonable doubt that classes of this type of locomotive operated over that branch. He shouted me down.

QUOTE: To think, one of his first posts he was so nice and polite (that is when he scurrilously criticized Mark’s photography in Mark’s article about the demise of the Southern Pacific). But, we had to corrupt him.


Mr. Hemphill's choice of photos, or Trains choice of photos, for that article, were at best lame. In this day and age, with so many good photographers around, some with histories over 30 years why was the article not supported with the best the railfan community could offer, that was the *** .

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it! Sorry, I set you off, I'll try and be a better poster. Hopefully less adversarial.

Your Friend In Reno,

Jim
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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 11:13 AM
QUOTE:

Yup, I'm not a nice guy, all newbie's beware! I'm only sucking up to you to try and get a new sphere of influence, so I can take over the editorial board at Trains. Its a plot.

Jim



QUOTE: I knew you were plotting something, But I had no idea how ambitious your plans were. Just kidding.


That makes me laugh, thanks Chad of the MODOC.

Jim


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Posted by gabe on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 11:18 AM
Many people assert their expertise on here all of the time. Many people disagree with other people on here. I do it all of the time.

I was just, sternly, shown the limitations of my own knowledge concerning tunnel motors (to my embarrassment, as I now realize I read the article that should have shown the errors of my ways), but it wasn't done in a way that deliberately put me down. There is disagreeing/educating people and there is being offensive.

I though the photos were awesome, but you are certainly entitled to your opinion regarding photos. Perhaps, if you said, I don't like Mark's particular photo because x, y, and z, then I would have thought you were just arrogant rather than deliberately offensive.

Gabe
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Posted by oltmannd on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 11:47 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by csxengineer98

becoues we are sick of discussing it...
csx engineer


Not me! In fact, I'll have Amtrak, Amtrak, Amtrak, Amtrak, Amtrak, baked beans, Amtrak, Amtrak, and ham. (cue the singing Vikings and fade the audio)

-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/

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Posted by gabe on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 12:10 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by oltmannd

QUOTE: Originally posted by csxengineer98

becoues we are sick of discussing it...
csx engineer


Not me! In fact, I'll have Amtrak, Amtrak, Amtrak, Amtrak, Amtrak, baked beans, Amtrak, Amtrak, and ham. (cue the singing Vikings and fade the audio)


Wow Don,

Even your subconscious brain associates Amtrak with pork (AKA ham).

Sorry couldn't resist.

Gabe
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Posted by oltmannd on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 12:31 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by gabe

QUOTE: Originally posted by oltmannd

QUOTE: Originally posted by csxengineer98

becoues we are sick of discussing it...
csx engineer


Not me! In fact, I'll have Amtrak, Amtrak, Amtrak, Amtrak, Amtrak, baked beans, Amtrak, Amtrak, and ham. (cue the singing Vikings and fade the audio)


Wow Don,

Even your subconscious brain associates Amtrak with pork (AKA ham).

Sorry couldn't resist.

Gabe


Now, that's scary!

-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 2:10 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by gabe

QUOTE: Originally posted by oltmannd

QUOTE: Originally posted by csxengineer98

becoues we are sick of discussing it...
csx engineer


Not me! In fact, I'll have Amtrak, Amtrak, Amtrak, Amtrak, Amtrak, baked beans, Amtrak, Amtrak, and ham. (cue the singing Vikings and fade the audio)


Wow Don,

Even your subconscious brain associates Amtrak with pork (AKA ham).

Sorry couldn't resist.

Gabe


Gabe,

Our government spends more on offshore company subsidies then it spends on Amtrak. Yah, McDonalds needs a break today in a foreign land - before a domestic traveler on Amtrak.

Gabe, you want to talk pork, Amtrak is but a fly in the eye compared to corporate pork served up by congress.


Jim

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Posted by ajmiller on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 2:23 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by oltmannd

QUOTE: Originally posted by csxengineer98

becoues we are sick of discussing it...
csx engineer


Not me! In fact, I'll have Amtrak, Amtrak, Amtrak, Amtrak, Amtrak, baked beans, Amtrak, Amtrak, and ham. (cue the singing Vikings and fade the audio)


Sorry we're all out of Amtrak, Amtrak, Amtrak, Amtrak, Amtrak, baked beans, Amtrak, Amtrak, and ham.

Would you like some Amtrak, Amtrak, Amtrak, baked beans, Amtrak, ham, Amtrak, and Amtrak with eggs instead?


Am-trak Am-trak
Am-trak Am-trak
Lovely Amtrak! wonderful Amtrak!
Am-trak Amtra-a-a-a-a-k!
Am-trak Amtra-a-a-a-a-k!
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Posted by gabe on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 2:26 PM
I wasn't altogether serious. Although, one would be naive to believe that pork doesn't play a part in Amtrak development--often to the detriment of Amtrak. I am sure Amtrak hates it as much as I do. If they know they are only getting 1.5 Billion dollars of funding in a particular year; it really has to burn to have pork force x amount of those dollars into areas that aren't as needing of capital as compared to others.

I think David Gunn was hinting at this problem during his recent talk on the problems with Accela.

Gabe
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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 3:00 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by gabe

I wasn't altogether serious. Although, one would be naive to believe that pork doesn't play a part in Amtrak development--often to the detriment of Amtrak. I am sure Amtrak hates it as much as I do. If they know they are only getting 1.5 Billion dollars of funding in a particular year; it really has to burn to have pork force x amount of those dollars into areas that aren't as needing of capital as compared to others.

I think David Gunn was hinting at this problem during his recent talk on the problems with Accela.

Gabe


Well Gabe,

Welcome to the political land of government funding. Now, if those politicos that designed this Amtrak that absolved capitalist from their responsibilities a funding source, none of what we have watched or will watch would be necessary.

Amtrak today would be happily operating, just like the post office!

Jim

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