U.P. delaying Amtrak

[Anonymous]

I ride Amtrak twice each year, and from my experience, Union Pacific is the worst, on any of their trains. When I ride on Burlington Northern Santa Fe tracks, I always arrive on time. When I ride on the CSX and Norfolk Southern tracks, I always arrive on time. When I ride on Union Pacific tracks, I always arrive hours late. UP get a clue!

It is sooooooo baaaaaaddddd in Texas, our senator Kay Bailey Hutchison is worried about the lously on time arrivals..... See her speech on the Senate floor:

http://hutchison.senate.gov/prl467.htm

The Senator's bill, cosponsored by Senators Conrad Burns, Trent Lott, and Olympia Snowe, will:
* Provide a plan for Amtrak over the next six years, including an allocation of $12 billion in operating expenses
* Establish a national passenger rail system from Amtrak's current routes
* Create an independent non-profit organization, the Rail Infrastructure Finance Corporation (RIFCO), to underwrite $48 billion in government-backed tax credit bonds and administer a trust fund to repay the bonds over twenty years
* Create a rail office at the Department of Transportation to be responsible for recommending capital projects for funding by the RIFCO
* Provide a framework for dispute settlement between freights and Amtrak with the condition that freights accepting federal funds for improvements must allow Amtrak to meet its schedule

"As our country continues to grow and our cities and highways become more congested, it's time for a viable national rail system," Senator Hutchison said. "Americans want an alternative to planes and autos. Amtrak could be that alternative, but we must build it for success, not failure."
Senator Hutchison chairs the Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, which has jurisdiction over Amtrak.

[Anonymous]

I ride Amtrak twice each year, and from my experience, Union Pacific is the worst, on any of their trains. When I ride on Burlington Northern Santa Fe tracks, I always arrive on time. When I ride on the CSX and Norfolk Southern tracks, I always arrive on time. When I ride on Union Pacific tracks, I always arrive hours late. UP get a clue!

It is sooooooo baaaaaaddddd in Texas, our senator Kay Bailey Hutchison is worried about the lously on time arrivals..... See her speech on the Senate floor:

http://hutchison.senate.gov/prl467.htm

The Senator's bill, cosponsored by Senators Conrad Burns, Trent Lott, and Olympia Snowe, will:
* Provide a plan for Amtrak over the next six years, including an allocation of $12 billion in operating expenses
* Establish a national passenger rail system from Amtrak's current routes
* Create an independent non-profit organization, the Rail Infrastructure Finance Corporation (RIFCO), to underwrite $48 billion in government-backed tax credit bonds and administer a trust fund to repay the bonds over twenty years
* Create a rail office at the Department of Transportation to be responsible for recommending capital projects for funding by the RIFCO
* Provide a framework for dispute settlement between freights and Amtrak with the condition that freights accepting federal funds for improvements must allow Amtrak to meet its schedule

"As our country continues to grow and our cities and highways become more congested, it's time for a viable national rail system," Senator Hutchison said. "Americans want an alternative to planes and autos. Amtrak could be that alternative, but we must build it for success, not failure."
Senator Hutchison chairs the Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, which has jurisdiction over Amtrak.

[mudchicken]

modelcar: you won't find passenger train schedules posted in UP's or BNSF's timetables. You will find shedules posted as supplementary information in other places to stick in the back of your TT "as information only"

[mudchicken]

modelcar: you won't find passenger train schedules posted in UP's or BNSF's timetables. You will find shedules posted as supplementary information in other places to stick in the back of your TT "as information only"

[Modelcar]

....So do we know what the "agreement" is between the major rail cariers and Amtrak as to how they must handle the dispatching of Amtrak trains across their divisions....?

[Modelcar]

....So do we know what the "agreement" is between the major rail cariers and Amtrak as to how they must handle the dispatching of Amtrak trains across their divisions....?

[Anonymous]

There has to be a logical reason why Union Pacific is delaying Amtrak. I would like to hear there side of the story before I pass judgment. My feeling is, Amtrak did something to tick (upset) Union Pacific.
Anybody have any idea's as to why U.P. is angry????
TIM A

[Anonymous]

There has to be a logical reason why Union Pacific is delaying Amtrak. I would like to hear there side of the story before I pass judgment. My feeling is, Amtrak did something to tick (upset) Union Pacific.
Anybody have any idea's as to why U.P. is angry????
TIM A

[Anonymous]

Many unit trains now operate on a schedule. You can bet that UPS will spank UP with the big green paddle if they delay a train with their trailers/containers on it. UP is a publicly owned company, they have stock holders. Who do you think the stock holders want kept happy first, UPS or AMTK?

[Anonymous]

Many unit trains now operate on a schedule. You can bet that UPS will spank UP with the big green paddle if they delay a train with their trailers/containers on it. UP is a publicly owned company, they have stock holders. Who do you think the stock holders want kept happy first, UPS or AMTK?

[Modelcar]

....Is Amtrak running on the same route that the UPS train does...? I'm referring to the UP part of the route.

[Modelcar]

....Is Amtrak running on the same route that the UPS train does...? I'm referring to the UP part of the route.

[Anonymous]

I always thought freight trains had lower priority than passenger trains...
If amtrak is hours late no wonder passenger trains are not popular...

[Anonymous]

I always thought freight trains had lower priority than passenger trains...
If amtrak is hours late no wonder passenger trains are not popular...

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by pkslayton

Many unit trains now operate on a schedule. You can bet that UPS will spank UP with the big green paddle if they delay a train with their trailers/containers on it. UP is a publicly owned company, they have stock holders. Who do you think the stock holders want kept happy first, UPS or AMTK?

And....who has more $?

Mook

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by pkslayton

Many unit trains now operate on a schedule. You can bet that UPS will spank UP with the big green paddle if they delay a train with their trailers/containers on it. UP is a publicly owned company, they have stock holders. Who do you think the stock holders want kept happy first, UPS or AMTK?

And....who has more $?

Mook

[Modelcar]

....I understand like others on here that in many situations in business, money talks and sometimes very loud...In the discussion of how railroad Co's. are in a business agreement to HOW they have an obligation to get Amtrak across their Divisions someone is not doing what is written to be done or to railroad rule books. The operation that produces hours and hours of late schedule for the train everyday, if that is the case...can't be determined by payoffs...it has to be what is written and agreeded to. Someone just has to enforce it. I don't know who that is supposed to be but someone by definition is responsible.

[Modelcar]

....I understand like others on here that in many situations in business, money talks and sometimes very loud...In the discussion of how railroad Co's. are in a business agreement to HOW they have an obligation to get Amtrak across their Divisions someone is not doing what is written to be done or to railroad rule books. The operation that produces hours and hours of late schedule for the train everyday, if that is the case...can't be determined by payoffs...it has to be what is written and agreeded to. Someone just has to enforce it. I don't know who that is supposed to be but someone by definition is responsible.

[Mookie]

I am thinking it may be more of a long-term thing - doesn't happen 24/7, but does happen with some frequency. I also think it may be a little bit of work ethic, sloppiness in your job, complacency, etc. On a very small scale, a business that has 50 people - 25 of them are in a director position - rest are hourlies. It amazes me how the director positions shove a lot of the work off onto the hourlies - mostly things they don't want to do or don't feel it is worth their so valuable time.

So apply this to railroads. Several cogs in the big wheel are lazy, incompetent, not the most motivated - you have them in every job. As long as someone that is bigger, louder and much more important than they are - doesn't come down on them for an inadequate job - well, you get the picture.

In Lincoln - Amtrak is never, never on time - that is why it startled me the other morning when it was on time. But in the big scheme of things - who really cares about what Amtrak is doing in Nebraska. It is running, I assume, cross-country. Not up and down a busy, busy seaboard or thru lots of populated areas. Would love to know how many people are on those trains that go thru here. Probably not very many. So why would Amtrak be more concerned about that than some place more high traffic.

Is my picture out of focus?

Jen

[Mookie]

I am thinking it may be more of a long-term thing - doesn't happen 24/7, but does happen with some frequency. I also think it may be a little bit of work ethic, sloppiness in your job, complacency, etc. On a very small scale, a business that has 50 people - 25 of them are in a director position - rest are hourlies. It amazes me how the director positions shove a lot of the work off onto the hourlies - mostly things they don't want to do or don't feel it is worth their so valuable time.

So apply this to railroads. Several cogs in the big wheel are lazy, incompetent, not the most motivated - you have them in every job. As long as someone that is bigger, louder and much more important than they are - doesn't come down on them for an inadequate job - well, you get the picture.

In Lincoln - Amtrak is never, never on time - that is why it startled me the other morning when it was on time. But in the big scheme of things - who really cares about what Amtrak is doing in Nebraska. It is running, I assume, cross-country. Not up and down a busy, busy seaboard or thru lots of populated areas. Would love to know how many people are on those trains that go thru here. Probably not very many. So why would Amtrak be more concerned about that than some place more high traffic.

Is my picture out of focus?

Jen

[oltmannd]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TARGUBRIGHT

There has to be a logical reason why Union Pacific is delaying Amtrak. I would like to hear there side of the story before I pass judgment. My feeling is, Amtrak did something to tick (upset) Union Pacific.
Anybody have any idea's as to why U.P. is angry????
TIM A

...they started hauling freight (Roadrailers and express) and *** Davidson has not gotten over it. The UP attitude toward Amtrak is very much rooted in the *** Davidson's oft-voiced opinion that long distance Amtrak trains have no reason to exist.

Now, since Cheney used to be on UP board, do you think the UPs position on Amtrak had any influence on the Bush Adm. position that states should pay for long haul train deficit (a sure way to kill most of the long haul trains)? Think Davidson still talks to Cheney?

...duh!

[oltmannd]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TARGUBRIGHT

There has to be a logical reason why Union Pacific is delaying Amtrak. I would like to hear there side of the story before I pass judgment. My feeling is, Amtrak did something to tick (upset) Union Pacific.
Anybody have any idea's as to why U.P. is angry????
TIM A

...they started hauling freight (Roadrailers and express) and *** Davidson has not gotten over it. The UP attitude toward Amtrak is very much rooted in the *** Davidson's oft-voiced opinion that long distance Amtrak trains have no reason to exist.

Now, since Cheney used to be on UP board, do you think the UPs position on Amtrak had any influence on the Bush Adm. position that states should pay for long haul train deficit (a sure way to kill most of the long haul trains)? Think Davidson still talks to Cheney?

...duh!

[kenneo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TARGUBRIGHT

There has to be a logical reason why Union Pacific is delaying Amtrak. I would like to hear there side of the story before I pass judgment. My feeling is, Amtrak did something to tick (upset) Union Pacific.
Anybody have any idea's as to why U.P. is angry????
TIM A

Money and squeeky wheels. Out of every $ in after tax income, AMTK would have to contribute more than all of the others (coal, UPS, etc.) before UP would pay attention. Because, if by running AMTK on time the coal customer, the UPS customer, and so on, get ticked and move their traffic elsewhere (and they can and have in the past), then AMTK is going to be the one to support UP. I can tell you now, that AMTK is not going to do that, so, UP runs what pays, and runs the rest where there is a hole for it. He who pays the most, runs first.

[kenneo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TARGUBRIGHT

There has to be a logical reason why Union Pacific is delaying Amtrak. I would like to hear there side of the story before I pass judgment. My feeling is, Amtrak did something to tick (upset) Union Pacific.
Anybody have any idea's as to why U.P. is angry????
TIM A

Money and squeeky wheels. Out of every $ in after tax income, AMTK would have to contribute more than all of the others (coal, UPS, etc.) before UP would pay attention. Because, if by running AMTK on time the coal customer, the UPS customer, and so on, get ticked and move their traffic elsewhere (and they can and have in the past), then AMTK is going to be the one to support UP. I can tell you now, that AMTK is not going to do that, so, UP runs what pays, and runs the rest where there is a hole for it. He who pays the most, runs first.

[kenneo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

....So do we know if Amtrak is shown in the employees timetable on the major carriers today...? Anybody privy to that info...?

See Mudchicken's answer and also my statement you are asking about. If the schedule is listed as an "official train", the delayer better keep it OT. But if you have it listed in the Special Instructions, no such requirement.

[kenneo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

....So do we know if Amtrak is shown in the employees timetable on the major carriers today...? Anybody privy to that info...?

See Mudchicken's answer and also my statement you are asking about. If the schedule is listed as an "official train", the delayer better keep it OT. But if you have it listed in the Special Instructions, no such requirement.

[kenneo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

I also think it may be a little bit of work ethic, sloppiness in your job, complacency, etc.

So apply this to railroads. Several cogs in the big wheel are lazy, incompetent, not the most motivated - you have them in every job. As long as someone that is bigger, louder and much more important than they are - doesn't come down on them for an inadequate job - well, you get the picture.


Is my picture out of focus?

Jen

Yes, Mookie Jen, I think it is. In the Los Angeles area, AMTK operates some commuter lines over freight railroads. On the SF, they run on time. Always have. On the UP, they almost never were on time, and the politcal heat got so intense, the UP, now runs them on time. I heard that the political establishment was going to refuse to permit something that the UP very badly wanted to do that was going to save them lots of money. All it took was one phone call. They haven't been late since.

It is not work ethic. It is money. How much? Absent political pressures, take UP's operating proffit figure. It will take that amount and just a little bit more from AMTK, and you will see the trains run on time. I am not blowing any hot air here. I really wish I were, because this is a sad situation.

See the comments about Cheny and Davidson by Don Oltmann above.

[kenneo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

I also think it may be a little bit of work ethic, sloppiness in your job, complacency, etc.

So apply this to railroads. Several cogs in the big wheel are lazy, incompetent, not the most motivated - you have them in every job. As long as someone that is bigger, louder and much more important than they are - doesn't come down on them for an inadequate job - well, you get the picture.


Is my picture out of focus?

Jen

Yes, Mookie Jen, I think it is. In the Los Angeles area, AMTK operates some commuter lines over freight railroads. On the SF, they run on time. Always have. On the UP, they almost never were on time, and the politcal heat got so intense, the UP, now runs them on time. I heard that the political establishment was going to refuse to permit something that the UP very badly wanted to do that was going to save them lots of money. All it took was one phone call. They haven't been late since.

It is not work ethic. It is money. How much? Absent political pressures, take UP's operating proffit figure. It will take that amount and just a little bit more from AMTK, and you will see the trains run on time. I am not blowing any hot air here. I really wish I were, because this is a sad situation.

See the comments about Cheny and Davidson by Don Oltmann above.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TARGUBRIGHT

There has to be a logical reason why Union Pacific is delaying Amtrak. I would like to hear there side of the story before I pass judgment. My feeling is, Amtrak did something to tick (upset) Union Pacific.
Anybody have any idea's as to why U.P. is angry????
TIM A

Watch out for those killer rabbits.

Yes Amtrak did P*** off UP (with a capital P) when they were hauling boxcar freight items. Now I understand Amtrak has stopped this service. Any delays caused by this to freight and passenger trains should have stopped.

Someone please post a link to Kay Baily's office so we can bombard it with emails for Amtrak. And don't forget to start bombarding your own state official and federal officials.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TARGUBRIGHT

There has to be a logical reason why Union Pacific is delaying Amtrak. I would like to hear there side of the story before I pass judgment. My feeling is, Amtrak did something to tick (upset) Union Pacific.
Anybody have any idea's as to why U.P. is angry????
TIM A

Watch out for those killer rabbits.

Yes Amtrak did P*** off UP (with a capital P) when they were hauling boxcar freight items. Now I understand Amtrak has stopped this service. Any delays caused by this to freight and passenger trains should have stopped.

Someone please post a link to Kay Baily's office so we can bombard it with emails for Amtrak. And don't forget to start bombarding your own state official and federal officials.