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According to the Energy Institute at UT, "to date, oil and gas regulators and other experts in groundwater protection have found little evidence of a direct link between fracing and groundwater contamination, but no comprehensive study of the technology and its effects has been conducted."     UT's studies to date have found some environmental problems with fracing, but in many instances they appear to be similar to the problems associated with the traditional methods of oil and gas exploration, i.e. surface water contamination because of poor well head practices. UT is collaborating with Syracuse University, the Environmental Defense Fund, and the EPA, as well as others, to help determine the long term consequences of fracing. This is their spelling and apparently is interchangeable with fracking. More information can be found at the Institute's website.  What this has to do with Amtrak, by the way, escapes me?   I just returned from Alpine, Texas, which is the gateway, at least according to the locals, to the Big Bend country.  It is a stop and crew change point for the Sunset Limited. The station has a brand new station platform, which Amtrak had built with a portion of its ARRA funds. It is a dandy. Looks great.  But it seems a bit over the top for a thrice a week train.   As I frequently do when I am in Alpine, I just happened to be at the station when Number 2 came through Monday night.  Wow, I thought, getting on and off the train will be much better from the new platform.  Before it was constructed, people were directed to board the train from the middle of the street, which the train blocks while it is changing crews.   There is a sign on the east end of the new station platform instructing passengers not to board the train beyond the yellow line, i.e. don't go beyond the edge of the platform into the cross street. Not to worry about warning signs. The train crew detrained and entrained the sleeping car passengers in the middle of the street. Just like they did before the new platform was commissioned. So much for the new platform.   As noted in another post, Amtrak's management doesn't seem to get it. Allowing the crew of the Sunset Limited to board sleeping car passengers from the middle of the street is just one example. The real problem with Amtrak lies in the fact that the CEO is bureaucrat who has spent most of his life in a non-competitive agency environment where customer service is pretty low on the totem pole.   The tone for an organization starts at the top.  If the CEO doesn't understand competitive markets and customer service, it is not likely to trickle down the organization.  Amtrak has some effective employees, but it has too many lackadaisical folks who don't understand customer service.  Until that changes, Amtrak does not have a terribly bright future.
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