243129I have previously sent letters to Brian Ross at ABC Drew Griffin at CNN all to no avail. With the current circus in Washington masquerading as an Administration is very hard to bring attention to this crisis.
Most of the public thinks operating a train is like driving a bus. They have no clue and don't care.
Also, making libelous forum posts against amtrak officials isn't going to give you much credibility, either.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
zugmann 243129 I have previously sent letters to Brian Ross at ABC Drew Griffin at CNN all to no avail. With the current circus in Washington masquerading as an Administration is very hard to bring attention to this crisis. Most of the public thinks operating a train is like driving a bus. They have no clue and don't care. Also, making libelous forum posts against amtrak officials isn't going to give you much credibility, either.
243129 I have previously sent letters to Brian Ross at ABC Drew Griffin at CNN all to no avail. With the current circus in Washington masquerading as an Administration is very hard to bring attention to this crisis.
What is libelous about recognizing and stating ones incompetence?
The NTSB report will affirm my credibility.
I think we've reached an impasse. You complain becuase nobody takes your suggestions seriously - advice is offered on how to improve your chances by several, and you just dismiss it all.
The end.
zugmann SD70Dude If no one else will listen you could always try contacting a investigative reporter from a cable news channel. Yeah, becuase wehen I think credibility - I always think of investigative reporters from cable news.
SD70Dude If no one else will listen you could always try contacting a investigative reporter from a cable news channel.
Yeah, becuase wehen I think credibility - I always think of investigative reporters from cable news.
But many people do believe whatever they see on Fox, CNN or MSNBC.
In particular there is one very important fellow who tweets all about whatever drivel his favourite morning show puts on...
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
The old adage that you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink certainly applies to Amtrak management.
zugmann The end.
Doubt it.
This thread is about to pass "String Lining" in length...
243129 The old adage that you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink certainly applies to Amtrak management.
You say you have given Amtrak advice, and they refuse to listen.
Several people here have given you advice, and you refuse to listen.
_____________
"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
Paul of Covington 243129 The old adage that you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink certainly applies to Amtrak management. You say you have given Amtrak advice, and they refuse to listen. Several people here have given you advice, and you refuse to listen.
Have you read the talking point I presented when I met with them?
Do you mean this one? file:///E:/Amtrak%20%232/Talking%20points.pdf
The link doesn't work for me.Regards, Volker
243129 SD70Dude If no one else will listen you could always try contacting a investigative reporter from a cable news channel. Frame your story as a juicy exposé of how unsafe the big bad railroad is and someone will snap it up. I have previously sent letters to Brian Ross at ABC Drew Griffin at CNN all to no avail. With the current circus in Washington masquerading as an Administration is very hard to bring attention to this crisis. I fear it will take another major catastrophe to shed any light on this situation
SD70Dude If no one else will listen you could always try contacting a investigative reporter from a cable news channel. Frame your story as a juicy exposé of how unsafe the big bad railroad is and someone will snap it up.
If no one else will listen you could always try contacting a investigative reporter from a cable news channel.
Frame your story as a juicy exposé of how unsafe the big bad railroad is and someone will snap it up.
I have previously sent letters to Brian Ross at ABC Drew Griffin at CNN all to no avail. With the current circus in Washington masquerading as an Administration is very hard to bring attention to this crisis.
I fear it will take another major catastrophe to shed any light on this situation
You have also sent letters to many Amtrak officials for years, some major newspapers and the above-mentioned TV folks. No reply. My what a large conspiracy!!
And your frequent, ominous mentions of impending doom might be interpreted by some as a terroristic threat. Not the right way to "get attention."
Classic "yes...but." Makes Bucky seem like Mr. Congeniality.
charlie hebdo 243129 SD70Dude If no one else will listen you could always try contacting a investigative reporter from a cable news channel. Frame your story as a juicy exposé of how unsafe the big bad railroad is and someone will snap it up. I have previously sent letters to Brian Ross at ABC Drew Griffin at CNN all to no avail. With the current circus in Washington masquerading as an Administration is very hard to bring attention to this crisis. I fear it will take another major catastrophe to shed any light on this situation You have also sent letters to many Amtrak officials for years, some major newspapers and the above-mentioned TV folks. No reply. My what a large conspiracy!! And your frequent, ominous mentions of impending doom might be interpreted by some as a terroristic threat. Not the right way to "get attention."
"Terroristic threat"????
243129"Terroristic threat"????
You have stepped over the line. No wonder nobody answered your letters. And I doubt if anyone ever will. Frailey had you pegged.
charlie hebdo 243129 "Terroristic threat"????? You have stepped over the line. No wonder nobody answered your letters. And I doubt if anyone ever will. Frailey had you pegged.
243129 "Terroristic threat"?????
Stepped over the line? You are the one who stepped over the line when you injected "terroristic threats" in to the conversation. Do you really believe that I would sign a letter which contained "terroristic threats"?
Oh and by the way Mr. Frailey and myself have an excellent relationship. Why don't you ask him.
I sent the following to "Wick" when he took over at Amtrak. I did not bother to send it to Anderson. He would not have understood it.
After this was sent there were two more disasters with fatalities. Cayce SC and Dupont WA. So I ask again what will it take to have Amtrak revamp it's hiring and training practices?
You folks here want me to stroke them and make nice meanwhile PEOPLE ARE DYING!
Mr. Moorman:This was originally sent to various officials, including corporate, in June 2014(I have since updated it). Frankford Junction occurred on May 12, 2015.
June 24, 2014Amtrak: An accident waiting to happen.....again.I am a recently retired locomotive engineer. My career in engine service spanned the years 1963-2014. I started with the New York, New Haven and Hartford R.R. and after a series of takeovers and mergers I ended my career with Amtrak in 2014. I have experienced many different forms of railroad management techniques from five entities and I must say that Amtrak tops the list as the very worst.Amtrak is an accident waiting to happen. I loosely compare Amtrak's 1983 takeover of operations on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) to Robert Mugabe's takeover of Rhodesia. Mugabe expelled the resident farmers and intellectuals who brought prosperity and technology to thecountry. Amtrak took over the NEC and installed their own management team eschewing input from the resident veterans. Zimbabwe, formerly Rhodesia, continues to be in dire straits, their currency is worthless and their economy is a shambles. Amtrak is still employing the hit and miss, trial and error tactics it has utilized since inception accompanied by inept,wasteful managerial practices and to this day has still not achieved that which it is capable of. Until recently Amtrak has trundled along despite their inadequacies because their veteran workforce was there to 'bail them out'. That resource is now dwindling and it is showing in recent mishaps.That having been said it is time again to focus on Amtrak's hiring and training practices.During the past eight months Amtrak has had two major incidents,the latest with fatalities, that are a result of their hiring and training procedures coupled with grossly unqualified supervision.Since 2011 I have implored Amtrak management to review their training and hiring practices and use the knowledge and input of their dwindling veteran workforce to no avail. I have written to Chairman of the Board Carper, President Boardman, Vice Presidents of Operations Geary and Stadtler, Vice President of Transportation Phelps, Congressmen John Mica, William Shuster, Senator Charles Grassley, Robert Samuelson of the Washington Post, Brian Ross of ABC, Bill O'Reilly and others pleading with them to have Amtrak review their hiring and training procedures and listen to their seasoned veteran workforce. With the exceptions of Phelps and Stadtler I have been ignored. Phelps answered my letter to Boardman after I sent the same letter three times via registered mail return receipt requested. Stadtler patronized me with a visit to Philadelphia with those responsible for the training program where they very politely nodded their heads in faux concern at my presentation. Sensing their disinterest in what I had to say I called an end to the meeting citing that I felt it was an exercise in futility and took the next train back to New Haven.I have stated repeatedly to all who would listen, and those listed above who did not, that with the right combination of these recently trained individuals it could be a prescription for disaster, a 'perfect storm' if you will. They have ignored all warning signs of impending disasters. There was the incident in November 2013 of an inexperienced and obviously poorly trained crew wandering six miles in the wrong direction on a foreign railroad. Still Amtrak did not review it's training and qualification regimens. Then came Frankford Jct.(added 2016).As a rule I try to refrain to telling anyone that 'I told you so' but after Frankford Jct. I felt that it was appropriate to do so in an effort to demonstratively drive home the fact that Amtrak's training and hiring programs are abject failures and downright dangerous. The following is my email of May15 2015 to Vice President of Operations D.J. Stadtler who has absolutely noprevious experience in railroad operations. It was ignored.Mr. Stadtler:The recent tragic event in North Philadelphia will have once again brought to light the inadequacies of Amtrak's training and hiring procedures. There are folks out 'there'still who have no business operating trains. Your training and hiring procedures, for lack of abetter analogy, have come back to bite you in the ass once again. I had previously attempted to effect change by stressing the value and input of your veteran but aging remaining workforce to no avail.I no longer work for Amtrak , I retired in July 2014 after 51 years in the operating department. That being said I still retain the esprit de corps instilled in me by my employer 50 plus years ago and I feel that I would like to help restore the professionalism that existed before Amtrak and it's cadre of inexperienced managers eroded that attribute. I have a template for hiring and training. Should you be interested in seriouslyentertaining my ideas, this time, I would be happy to impart them, once again, to you. I have attached the presentation I made to CTO Nichols in December 2013 and my correspondence to then Vice President of Operations Richard Phelps for your perusal. In one of my missives I made reference to a prescription for disaster, a 'perfect storm' if you will, which sadly seems to have come to fruition.
This past week on my former home division there was another stop signal violation. The individual involved has an atrocious work record in his 3 year career as an engineer, it was the second stop signal violation in 13 months coupled with a forgotten passenger station stop (Mystic CT), overshooting others due to misjudgment, running over a derail on a track belonging to another railroad where he had no business being and sundry other miscues that were 'overlooked'. Where was supervision?Amtrak has the unknowing teaching the unknowing. If one were to check the pedigree of these so called instructors one would find that they themselves have minimal experience. All of the technology such as Positive Train Control, speed control cab signal etc. cannot preclude proper training and experience because if those systems were to fail, and they do, 90% of the present operating workforce, including supervision, would not have a clue as how to operate.I stand behind all I have stated here. I am supported by my fellow veteran railroad men. I can prove or qualify all that I have stated here and am prepared to do so.Hopefully this missive will find it's way to the proper authority and an oversight committee of experienced railroad operations employees can be established to set the proper guidelines for training personnel for railroad operations on Amtrak.
You've made defamatory statements about almost all Amtrak officials. You made this statement on here which could easily get you in trouble with DHS or the FBI, although probably they will chalk it up to a disgruntled, cranky former Amtrak employee:
"What will it take for Amtrak to review and assess it’s hiring and training procedures? More death and injuries? Amtrak is in dire need of oversight from experienced operations personnel. Something must be done soon or there will be more disasters."
And saying "WTF is wrong with you" to me is a clear violations of forum rules as well as common civility.
^ did a copy go to the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, Railway Age, Modern Railroads, the Los Angeles Times - etc. etc. etc. With your inflamatory language you have to start a fire - you have to light many pieces of kindling to get the fire started. Targeting only Wick did not get the fire started.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACD ^ did a copy go to the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, Railway Age, Modern Railroads, the Los Angeles Times - etc. etc. etc. With your inflamatory language you have to start a fire - you have to light many pieces of kindling to get the fire started. Targeting only Wick did not get the fire started.
Yes to all the above.
From the letter to "Wick":
" I have written to Chairman of the Board Carper, President Boardman, Vice Presidents of Operations Geary and Stadtler, Vice President of Transportation Phelps, Congressmen John Mica, William Shuster, Senator Charles Grassley, Robert Samuelson of the Washington Post, Brian Ross of ABC, Bill O'Reilly and others pleading with them to have Amtrak review their hiring and training procedures"
charlie hebdo You've made defamatory statements about almost all Amtrak officials. You made this statement on here which could easily get you in trouble with DHS or the FBI, although probably they will chalk it up to a disgruntled, cranky former Amtrak employee: "What will it take for Amtrak to review and assess it’s hiring and training procedures? More death and injuries? Amtrak is in dire need of oversight from experienced operations personnel. Something must be done soon or there will be more disasters." And saying "WTF is wrong with you" to me is a clear violations of forum rules as well as common civility.
For you to interpret/spin those words in to threatening statements indicates that you are in dire need of a check up from the neck up to find out WTF is wrong with you. Run to the moderator now and cry to him that I hurt your feelings.
243129 charlie hebdo You've made defamatory statements about almost all Amtrak officials. You made this statement on here which could easily get you in trouble with DHS or the FBI, although probably they will chalk it up to a disgruntled, cranky former Amtrak employee: "What will it take for Amtrak to review and assess it’s hiring and training procedures? More death and injuries? Amtrak is in dire need of oversight from experienced operations personnel. Something must be done soon or there will be more disasters." And saying "WTF is wrong with you" to me is a clear violations of forum rules as well as common civility. For you to interpret/spin those words in to threatening statements indicates that you are in dire need of a check up from the neck up to find out WTF is wrong with you. Run to the moderator now and cry to him that I hurt your feelings.
In my younger days, I used to professionally evaluate employees who made inflammatory/threatening statements/letters in the workplace to see if they were dangerous, should get employer-mandated treatment, etc. for several organizations. Some were worse than yours and some were milder. In any case it's hard to imagine anyone in authority taking your suggestions seriously. Why else have they all (Amtrak, media, legislators) totally ignored you like a bad joke?
TBH, I tried reading your latest letter, and gave up when we started discussing Africa(?). Then I skipped to the end and think I found the point, skipping all the mindless listings of engineer rule violations.
No wonder they are not being read. If you can't get the point (and back it up) very quickly - it's trash can time. Do yourself a favor and look up some technical writing sites, or get a used textbook off Amazon.
zugmann TBH, I tried reading your latest letter, and gave up when we started discussing Africa(?). Then I skipped to the end and think I found the point, skipping all the mindless listings of engineer rule violations. No wonder they are not being read. If you can't get the point (and back it up) very quickly - it's trash can time. Do yourself a favor and look up some technical writing sites, or get a used textbook off Amazon.
Oh I see it was too deep for you.
If by "deep" you mean "convoluted crap"? Then yeah; you're right.
If you want to be taken seriously, learn to write a proposal, and not just an aimless rant. Nobody in any authority is going to take what you write seriously. Just like nobody on this site does. They, too, will see it as the ramblings of a retiree that needs a hobby.
I was sincere in my suggestion that you read up on techinical writing. But just resort to your usual insults and pettiness. Maybe post one of your letters again. I'm sure the 400th time is the charm. Fingers crossed.
243229,
With your contacts with Amtrak regarding your safety ideas, what would you consider to be the most ideal response from them? What exactly do you want them to do?
zugmann If by "deep" you mean "convoluted crap"? Then yeah; you're right. If you want to be taken seriously, learn to write a proposal, and not just an aimless rant. Nobody in any authority is going to take what you write seriously. Just like nobody on this site does. They, too, will see it as the ramblings of a retiree that needs a hobby. I was sincere in my suggestion that you read up on techinical writing. But just resort to your usual insults and pettiness. Maybe post one of your letters again. I'm sure the 400th time is the charm. Fingers crossed.
I took a page from your playbook and I see that you don't care for the 'snarky' asides. You only care to launch not receive.
"Aimless rant"? How do you determine that? Do you have any frontline operations experience?
So you speak for everyone on this site?
I have numerous hobbies and keep quite busy in my retirement years.
"Insults and pettiness"? All one has to do is access your content for insults and pettiness. Your sarcastic one and sometime multiple word asides are plentiful. 'Sniping' was/is your forte.
If Amtrak cared at all about their product they would listen to their now barely existent veteran employees no matter how it is presented. Amtrak is content to feed at the government teat and do what is necessary to continue to receive funding from the 'pork barrel'.
I do not need technical writing skills to tell it like it is.
Now again I ask, what is your experience in frontline railroad operations with which to critique my "aimless rant"?
Euclid 243229, With your contacts with Amtrak regarding your safety ideas, what would you consider to be the most ideal response from them? What exactly do you want them to do?
I would like them to submit to oversight from veteran operations personnel. I have operated for and been involved with Amtrak since it's inception in 1971 and as I have previously stated they have trundled along with their hit and miss trial and error tactics only because they had the veteran employees from the contract railroads to bail them out. That resource has dwindled hence the disasters.
243129 Euclid 243229, With your contacts with Amtrak regarding your safety ideas, what would you consider to be the most ideal response from them? What exactly do you want them to do? I would like them to submit to oversight from veteran operations personnel. I have operated for and been involved with Amtrak since it's inception in 1971 and as I have previously stated they have trundled along with their hit and miss trial and error tactics only because they had the veteran employees from the contract railroads to bail them out. That resource has dwindled hence the disasters.
I think your overall point about Amtrak training is true and valid. But regarding the part I highlighted in orange, how exactly would that be set up and accomplished?
I am thinking that it is quite possible that Amtrak has read and understood your points, and may even agree with them. But at that point, they may just set your letter aside and regard it as only being public feedback requiring no direct response.
Maybe you should develop your ideas into a more specific proposal and present it to them as a defined option. It seems to me that what you are facing is a marketing challenge. Could you tell them about some of the specific solutions that might be offered by veteran operations personnel? I think that giving them such specifics would have the potential to make your strongest argument.
I have told them (Amtrak) that I have a template for hiring and training of T&E employees. They expressed no interest.
243129I took a page from your playbook and I see that you don't care for the 'snarky' asides. You only care to launch not receive. "Aimless rant"? How do you determine that? Do you have any frontline operations experience? So you speak for everyone on this site? I have numerous hobbies and keep quite busy in my retirement years. "Insults and pettiness"? All one has to do is access your content for insults and pettiness. Your sarcastic one and sometime multiple word asides are plentiful. 'Sniping' was/is your forte. If Amtrak cared at all about their product they would listen to their now barely existent veteran employees no matter how it is presented. Amtrak is content to feed at the government teat and do what is necessary to continue to receive funding from the 'pork barrel'. I do not need technical writing skills to tell it like it is. Now again I ask, what is your experience in frontline railroad operations with which to critique my "aimless rant"?
I just gave you some advice on how your proposals might be taken more seriously. While you may not need techincal writing skills to "tell it like it is", you do need them if you want to actually be successful in the modern corporate world. The fact that none of your letters have been taken seriously should make this painfully obvious.
And it's your playbook. I was just borrowing a few pages.
zugmann And it's your playbook. I was just borrowing a few pages.
You remind one of a Trump supporter. Deflect, distort and avoid answering questions.
I am reactive not proactive as is in evidence early on in our 'relationship'.
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