Hopefully that will help, but institutional inertia is tough to overcome. To paraphrase Lincoln's comment on General McClellan, "Amtrak's got a bad case of the slows,"
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
Maybe Boardman's strategy of splitting appropriations requests into three operating lines will wake up congress but in no way should we be too optimistic. Just three western senators is not enough ?
http://www.kob.com/article/stories/s3408337.shtml?cat=504
Amtrak, frozen in childhood, stuck between the slow and steady and fast and frequent. Hanging on despite the odds. Not quite fully alive, but not dead yet, either.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
After more consideration have edited title to reflect what might happen ? Previous posts do reflect current conditions that might change as quickly as tomorrow or maybe 50 years ?
New Binghamton NY to Newark air service reportedly will be $300 one way for the one and a half hour trip...many will balk. But is a 3-4 hour bus trip at $60 that much better? Or the drive with gas, tolls, and parking fees which could be touching $100 plus the physical wear? But, as for air service, this is the first time in 30 or so years that air service to the NYCity area has been offered without having to transfer at either Philadelphia or D.C.
And if Congress needs other than NARP validation for rail passenger service, then they should be counting riders as voters and not anti rail money.
RIDEWITHMEHENRY is the name for our almost monthly day of riding trains and transit in either the NYCity or Philadelphia areas including all commuter lines, Amtrak, subways, light rail and trolleys, bus and ferries when warranted. No fees, just let us know you want to join the ride and pay your fares. Ask to be on our email list or find us on FB as RIDEWITHMEHENRY (all caps) to get descriptions of each outing.
billio Amtrak has never been on a spiraling upswing.
Amtrak has never been on a spiraling upswing.
Nor a real spiraling decline, either. It sets on trampoline with reality on the bottom and congress with a giant hammer sledging from the top. The whirling air makes for it look like spirals of money flying around because there are no solid bricks of hundred dollar bills put up for them to used...they just grab the wind blows bills int he air.
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35 Million rides means a lot of voters. Congress needs to hear from the general public other then NARP that they need and depend on Amtrak. BTW medium distance flights charge a arm and leg. 500.00 from Waterloo Iowa to Chicago. Can hire a taxi for that much. Yes I know theirs not Amtrak there yet. But short hops like Erie to Pittsburgh or Albany NY to anywhere are expensive. The thorn is that the Airports in these small citys are owned and heavily subsidized.
Since it's inception, Amtrak has never had a sound capital financial stance - having to go before Congress yearly and beg on bended knee for the funds to manage to operate another year - some years they have to beg more than other years. No organization can make long term capital investments operating on a year to year basis.
How many people that are just barely living paycheck to paycheck can go out and buy a new home or a new car? Amtrak finances are and have been, on the paycheck to paycheck basis since it was formed.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Bluestreak...are you a rail fan or a professional railroader? Your list reads like a railfan's desires gone bad rather than an expert's examination of facts.
Of note-Amtrak's enlarged switching fleet should be allowing more P32-BWHs out on the road, where they are best suited. This should help ease the problem, however they are best suited for short trains (they have less HP than the P40s and P42s)
Section A Part 1
Locomotives -------
a. Without the past ARRA funds to upgrade locos there would have already been serious shortages but now there are spot shortages .
b. previously Amtrak could run their locos in a national pool if ACSES was installed. However the PTC fiasco will limit interchange despite some persons saying otherwise.
c. The failure rate of the more fragile GE locos that are at the apparent end of their useful life does not help. Freight RRs seem to have the same GE problem ? There are not many GEs that go to the secondary market ? As they age naturally they will need more roundhouse time.
d. The Amtrak capital performance report for Feb seems to indicate that Diesels are not being worked on as much as originally budgeted.
e. Road delays for loco failures have increased as well
f. Some freight RRs have helped by providing locos when Amtrak locos fail probably to prevent tying up their RR ?
g. Failure of HEP cannot be fixed by freight RRs.
h. The new ACS-4s are slowly coming into service however only 600 - 602 have completed full acceptance ( this item will change in time ). At least one HHP is already in the dead line. Information is that several completed ACSs are stored in California for what ever reason ?
I. At least the ACS-64s have 2 independent HEP packs
j. Information is that if any of the present electric fleet units has a major failure it will not be fixed.
k. The Empire DMs are also long in tooth but Albany seems to be keeping them well running ?
Section A part 2 will be single level equipment
Prolog -----------
This poster has always supported a balanced USA transportation system. Unfortunately the passenger rail portion is death by a thousand cuts. Of course ultimately it is all about the money but as well items not easily thought of being about the money come into play. This will be a drawn out series of many parts that will have posts as the past winter's clean up and repairs allow. Your suggestions most appreciated.
Some broad topics will be equipment, infrastructure, time keeping, planning, and others. As posts are made will update this original to include them as a guide.
Section A will be equipment.
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