Mica again going after food service

[John WR]

daveklepper

And I presented my reasons why LDT's should continue, and my advise concerning food service is intended to make them more cost-effective.

Yes you did, Dave.   

As I see it, Joe Boardman is correct.  Amtrak's current system was agreed to back in 1971.  Congress should honor the agreement it made back then with the American people.   So far Congress has done so but Congress does have a history of backing away from its own agreements so I am not optimistic that it will honor this one.  But Congress may just continue to operate Amtrak.  

To argue that Amtrak should be revised to a system that is better suited to today's needs is based on a false assumption that Congress is committed to a rational system of transportation for the country.  But there is no evidence that such a commitment exists.  Rather, we have many Members of Congress who are using Amtrak to fight personal political wars to secure their own renomination in the face of challenges in their own districts, challenges from single interest groups.  Amtrak is one way to deflect these challenges.  The good part of this is that the Congressmen who use Amtrak this way need Amtrak so they can have something to attack; they don't really want to loose that can to kick down the road.  The back thing is that it is a hugh distraction for Amtrak and severely limits what the agency can do.  But consider Amtrak's "suspension" (which seems to be a defacto abandonment) of the New Orleans to Jacksonville segment of the Sunset Limited.  The money saved there has not been used to improve or add to any other Amtrak service.  It has just been lost.   There is no reason to believe that any other reduction in Amtrak service will result in anything but a loss.   

In the meantime we continue to build roads that create problems rather than solve them.   For example, the coast line of my state (New Jersey) suffered a lot of destruction due to Hurricane Sandy.  Our Republican Governor, Chris Christie, went on TV to denounce the Republicans in the House for refusing to send money to rebuild fast enough.   His attack worked and we are getting money to rebuild.  The problem is that some areas should not be rebuilt because the danger of future storms is too great.  But they are being rebuilt and the Federal Government is providing the money to rebuild the roads that were washed out and will be washed out again.  And the new roads will not be smaller or less expensive.  And they will be rebuilt to serve housing that does not qualify for Federal aid, second homes and rental property.   No problem.  Just build the roads until we have another storm.  

So people who believe in a rational system have a choice:  Fight for Amtrak as it is or see Amtrak, all of Amtrak, abandoned.

John

[schlimm]

John WR

So people who believe in a rational system have a choice:  Fight for Amtrak as it is or see Amtrak, all of Amtrak, abandoned.

John

In your opinion.  For some of us, the opposite is true.  Adapt to the changing needs of current times 42 years post Amtrak creation or face extinction.  And let me be totally clear about the financial question.  I do not favor a user-fee system for many elements of infrastructure, whether passenger rail or interstate highways.  I do favor user-fees to cover most above-the-rail costs, but I do see the public interest as being best supported by government assistance in infrastructure costs, as has been the case in so many projects historically.

[daveklepper]

Of course there is another thought:  Maybe no really good caterer wants the business?   And so we are stuck with unreasonable meal costs or lousy food service as an alternative?

If I knew people in the airline catering business, I'd ask the question.   The business might be there if a caterer came up with a good workable proposal.

[John WR]

You are right, Schlimm.  It is my opinion.  And I am aware that you and others here do not share my opinion.   I have no problem with that.  But it is still my opinion that a lot of people who are anti Amtrak as well as anti a lot of other things have a hidden agenda that it all about getting in or staying in political office.  If I didn't believe that I would be a lot closer to you on this issue.  

John

[schlimm]

John WR

You are right, Schlimm.  It is my opinion.  And I am aware that you and others here do not share my opinion.   I have no problem with that.  But it is still my opinion that a lot of people who are anti Amtrak as well as anti a lot of other things have a hidden agenda that it all about getting in or staying in political office.  If I didn't believe that I would be a lot closer to you on this issue.  

John

That i agree with.  It is an important distinction which i hope you see i clarified in my post.   And yes, i am aware of the "hidden agenda."

[blownout cylinder]

I think we did this topic to death here...time to lockity up the thread.