TV just broadcast Amtrak's David Gunn fired...!!!!!!

[Modelcar]

....What has happened....Mr. Gunn fired....???? Anyone know the story...I just saw the headlines come across the business news channel....

[trainboyH16-44]

But why?!!

[daveklepper]

See my comment on Ifish's posting below. Thank you.

[vsmith]

heres the link:
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=49278

[Modelcar]

...Mr. Gunn has seemingly been working on all operations of Amrtak to make changes and get rid of waste where possible and run the system as only a railroader knows how to do so....From what I've learned of his ability, knowledge and perserverance of the job at hand....I suppose he was "too good" in shaping a system with the resources he had to make it work...that the word finally went out from somewhere within this administration to "get him out of there" before it gets more difficult to shut the system down....What a shame....

[SALfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

...Mr. Gunn has seemingly been working on all operations of Amrtak to make changes and get rid of waste where possible and run the system as only a railroader knows how to do so....From what I've learned of his ability, knowledge and perserverance of the job at hand....I suppose he was "too good" in shaping a system with the resources he had to make it work...that the word finally went out from somewhere within this administration to "get him out of there" before it gets more difficult to shut the system down....What a shame....

I believe you hit the nail squarely on the head. At least from my perspective (admittedly limited knowledge), I thought Mr. Gunn was the best thing to happen to Amtrak since Mr. Claytor.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JOdom

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

...Mr. Gunn has seemingly been working on all operations of Amrtak to make changes and get rid of waste where possible and run the system as only a railroader knows how to do so....From what I've learned of his ability, knowledge and perserverance of the job at hand....I suppose he was "too good" in shaping a system with the resources he had to make it work...that the word finally went out from somewhere within this administration to "get him out of there" before it gets more difficult to shut the system down....What a shame....

I believe you hit the nail squarely on the head. At least from my perspective (admittedly limited knowledge), I thought Mr. Gunn was the best thing to happen to Amtrak since Mr. Claytor.

It is past time to call or email your congresspeople. This cannot go unnoticed by the American people. This is a travesty and it is Mineta himself who should go, along with someone higher up than himself. I will definately voice my opinion today to my congresspeople.

Edit

I have emailed 2 of my congress people and have received an automatic reply from one. I suggest that if you support Amtrak you write, call, or email your congress TODAY.

[bbrant]

Who will be named to replace David Gunn?

[BentnoseWillie]

The press release says the board wants a "leader with vision and experience".

Seems to me they just fired one of those...

[UPTRAIN]

There wasn't anything wrong with David Gunn...Amtrak got out of the freight business, is using one locomotive on most short and long haul trains, AND rearranged some food services on trains (i.e. the Texas Eagle and Sunset Limited). My family voted for Bush, but I swear, I don't care if he was Bush appointed, that d@mn Norman Minetta better go, he's lied through his teeth long enough that son of a....

Another link: http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2005/11/07/daily41.html

[Modelcar]

...Your so right...they just fired one of those...re: "leader with vision and experience"....They will have to search high and low to find a dedicated and knowledgeable person on the subject at hand....I doubt if anyone will want to take it on...That is one that will not be a puppet of this administration.....What a sad bunch of crap this notice is today...Coundn't hardly believe what I was seeing as I saw the bulletin coming across the TV screen this morning....
I agree with Jim above....Scream loud and clear to all the congresspeople you can think of....They all should hear it and the facts....!!

[pat390]

this is terrible news! Gunn was the best thing to ever happen to amtrak. Norn Mineta can go jump off a cliff

[UPTRAIN]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

...Your so right...they just fired one of those...re: "leader with vision and experience"....They will have to search high and low to find a dedicated and knowledgeable person on the subject at hand....I doubt if anyone will want to take it on...That is one that will not be a puppet of this administration.....What a sad bunch of crap this notice is today...Coundn't hardly believe what I was seeing as I saw the bulletin coming across the TV screen this morning....
I agree with Jim above....Scream loud and clear to all the congresspeople you can think of....They all should hear it and the facts....!!

I agree completely when you're talking about the "vision and experience", he was all of that, made a bunch of progress, and look at where he had been! Bob Johnston just did a huge article in TRAINS last month about how far he has come!

[Anonymous]

Ah now maybe Amtrak will evolve instead of just meeting the status quo.

[Anonymous]

F Y I

Do you remember the article in Trains a while back about Mineta wanting to end Amtrak? In his speeches he gave false information about Amtrak. Mr. Mineta KNOWS the truth. He sits on the Amtrak Board. YES, he is a board member.

I thought board members were suspose to do what is right for the company or organization they oversee. It appears that even though Mineta knows the truth he continues to spread untruth.

Mineta and the whole Amtrak board should be unseated, immediately. A new board should be appointed but not by the president.

Mr. Gunn should be rehired, IMMEDIATELY.

I have never distrusted an administration more than the current one. This firing is nothing BUT politics.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bbrant

Who will be named to replace David Gunn?

My guess, someone from Haliburton (spelling) who will mismanage more than ever done, and be paid 5 times the money Gunn was paid.

[jchnhtfd]

so much for Amtrak and passenger rail travel in the US... maybe now the folks who want to see the end of Amtrak (and there are a lot of them on this forum) will be happy; they certainly should be.

Sigh. Now folks like me, who are medically unable to use aircraft, will not be able to travel. At least I can still get across the Atlantic, thanks to the Brits and Cunard.

[Modelcar]

....Ok Jim, I just emailed my two Senators....Come on all you supporters of rail passenger service in our great country...get on the horn to your Rep. or Senators...

[jchnhtfd]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

....Ok Jim, I just emailed my two Senators....Come on all you supporters of rail passenger service in our great country...get on the horn to your Rep. or Senators...

Done... although I am enough of a cynic to think it won't make any difference.[:(]

[Modelcar]

....But we tried....!

[Anonymous]

So the name of the game is do your job, but don't do it too good, or you'll get fired. That's pathetic.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

....Ok Jim, I just emailed my two Senators....Come on all you supporters of rail passenger service in our great country...get on the horn to your Rep. or Senators...

For those needing a little help in finding email address, use this:

http://www.webslingerz.com/jhoffman/congress-email.html

[Anonymous]

I just emailed another state senator. I know it will take days for a real reply, but at least I am voicing my opinion.

I am afriad, if we do not stand up for Amtrak now, we will loose it forever.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone considered sending a telegram to your elected officials? Seems like emails don't have much impact. I believe I read somewhere that a letter has more influence than an email, a phone call more than a letter and a telegram even more than a phone call.

[Anonymous]

Letters get more attention than phone calls and emails, because they take the most effort. However, all mail to Congress in Washington gets screened for anthrax, etc. They state a delay of at least 2 weeks, but it really runs about 6 weeks until they get your letter.

FAX the letter to them. Make it short, polite yet firm, and intelligent.

Jim

[StillGrande]

Seems he would not sing the administration's tune on what to do with Amtrak, so they fired him. The Board wants to break it up, he wanted to keep it together. The administration wants to end the subsidy, he want a bigger one (and Congress keeps giving something).

They will find someone with the "vision" to split the thing up and kill the long distance trains in favor of small regional or commuter style runs.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ConrailJim

Letters get the most attention. However, all mail to Congress in Washington gets screened for anthrax, etc. They state a delay of at least 2 weeks, but it really runs about 6 weeks until they get your letter.

FAX it to them.

Jim

I think if someone spent $14.99 to send me a telegram instead of 37 cents to send a letter it would carry a hell of a lot more weight.
http://www.westernunion.com/info/osTelegram.asp?country=US

[Anonymous]

I corrected my post after I thought about it, jarubel. I need to think more before I speak. Lol. How does that work, though? For $14.99, how does your message get to the person, and when does it get there?

Maybe things have changed recently ..... but letters sent via Express Mail (USPS) or Next Day Air (UPS) still get the security check. Used to, anyway. Who delivers the telegram to the Congressman's office? The local Western Union center? In my case, it is the Iranian immigrant who runs the little convience store.

Jim

QUOTE: Originally posted by jarubel

QUOTE: Originally posted by ConrailJim

Letters get the most attention. However, all mail to Congress in Washington gets screened for anthrax, etc. They state a delay of at least 2 weeks, but it really runs about 6 weeks until they get your letter.

FAX it to them.

Jim

I think if someone spent $14.99 to send me a telegram instead of 37 cents to send a letter it would carry a hell of a lot more weight.
http://www.westernunion.com/info/osTelegram.asp?country=US

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ConrailJim

I corrected my post after I thought about it, jarubel. How does that work, though? For $14.99, how does your message get to the person, and when does it get there?

Jim

QUOTE: Originally posted by jarubel

QUOTE: Originally posted by ConrailJim

Letters get the most attention. However, all mail to Congress in Washington gets screened for anthrax, etc. They state a delay of at least 2 weeks, but it really runs about 6 weeks until they get your letter.

FAX it to them.

Jim

I think if someone spent $14.99 to send me a telegram instead of 37 cents to send a letter it would carry a hell of a lot more weight.
http://www.westernunion.com/info/osTelegram.asp?country=US

Heres a link to frequently asked questions at the Western Union website regarding sending a telegram. http://www.westernunion.com/info/faqTelegram.asp
Apparently they don't have Western Union messengers anymore and all delivery is contracted out to couriers or some other form of delivery service. I delivered a few myself when I was a driver for a taxi company, but that was almost 15 years ago.

[edbenton]

Remember who appt Mineta Good ole boy W Bush did. He is just like his father when it comes to energy policy to heck with anything that might be efficent. We are in so much trouble with one party in control of the goverment it is not funny. Bush can almost push anything thourgh that he wants. At least when Sr was in office he had to negociate to get anything through. I have already sent emails to everyone of my reps in congress and I know that nothing will happen form them since I am only one voice. However next year our chance comes up to make a change we can STAND UP to big business and the special interests groups and VOTE OUT EVERYONE AND CHANGE CONGRESS. Maybe if that happens we will be taken seriously again. We do have the power in this country if we vote with our minds not just our party. If we want a good national rail system in this country elect people that will support one not just let it flutter in the wind.

Remember this leadership will stop at nothing to eliminate any oppisition to their plans.