1.5 billion for Amtrak in stimulus with daily service mandate (Passed in Congress)

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Cal said:
Is it looking good?
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It'll pass the House easily and quickly. In the Senate, it has to get through committees again. Biden is cracking the whip to get the Senate to move quickly, as is Majority Leader Schumer, but we could still see either delays or attempts to attack Amtrak in the Senate markup process. I don't expect either, though. Should pass sometime in late February or early March I'd guess.
 
neroden said:
It'll pass the House easily and quickly. In the Senate, it has to get through committees again. Biden is cracking the whip to get the Senate to move quickly, as is Majority Leader Schumer, but we could still see either delays or attempts to attack Amtrak in the Senate markup process. I don't expect either, though. Should pass sometime in late February or early March I'd guess.
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Okay. Thanks
 
And then there is "PURPLE" - I am not sure how that is blended partisanship.
In Minnesota - the Executive branch is Democrat - as well as the House - the State Senate is Republican.
Currently have issues with Light-Rail in the western suburbs - trying to resurrect the North Star service to Duluth
and add Amtrak Chicago trip.
 
Under PRIIA a Duluth train would have to be funded by Minnesota and a Chicago train by Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois (though any single state could fund whole cost if it wanted).

Looks like Amtrak wants the 750 mile limit changed or lifted in the next authorization, but that hasn't happened yet.
 
I’ll have to admit that I am a little bit torn on the return of a full schedule.

First, the current LD schedule is garbage. Cutting back during the pandemic makes perfect sense, but the current schedule makes zero sense. I could list examples, but we all know them.

To me, what makes more sense is a “sensible” schedule that is probably about 75% of normal. Combining trains where possible, making sure there are daily connections where they need to be, etc. That includes state services.

Where I would be seeking to spend my money right now if I were Amtrak is in maintenance of my rolling stock, employee training, planning and lobbying for new corridor services, evaluating higher quality economically viable food services, etc.

I understand the stimulus money is really all about bringing employees back to work as much as anything, and I’m not against that.

It just seems that Amtrak’s biggest need right now is to get their house in order and “up their game” so they can be a more relevant, effective travel option in the future. Hopefully, they ARE doing those things in the background and we just don’t know it. Flynn’s open letter was certainly encouraging, at least to me.
 
IndyLions said:
I’ll have to admit that I am a little bit torn on the return of a full schedule.

First, the current LD schedule is garbage. Cutting back during the pandemic makes perfect sense, but the current schedule makes zero sense. I could list examples, but we all know them.

To me, what makes more sense is a “sensible” schedule that is probably about 75% of normal. Combining trains where possible, making sure there are daily connections where they need to be, etc. That includes state services.

Where I would be seeking to spend my money right now if I were Amtrak is in maintenance of my rolling stock, employee training, planning and lobbying for new corridor services, evaluating higher quality economically viable food services, etc.

I understand the stimulus money is really all about bringing employees back to work as much as anything, and I’m not against that.

It just seems that Amtrak’s biggest need right now is to get their house in order and “up their game” so they can be a more relevant, effective travel option in the future. Hopefully, they ARE doing those things in the background and we just don’t know it. Flynn’s open letter was certainly encouraging, at least to me.
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Not a bad idea at all, but would the wording of the legislation permit this? If the money was requested specifically to restore pre-pandemic service line item by line item does it have to be used that way?🤔
 
Looking forward it won’t happen overnight, the legislation says service must be restored within 90 days of passing. Assuming that’s in March reservations would be taken for service beginning in June (start of summer). The vaccines seem to be promising new evidence is showing that vaccinated people probably can’t spread the virus either. Obviously time will tell. But getting Amtrak set up to have a summer season is in my opinion the right thing to do. Sleeper travel for those who can afford it, is the safest transportation out there.
 
IndyLions said:
I’ll have to admit that I am a little bit torn on the return of a full schedule.

First, the current LD schedule is garbage. Cutting back during the pandemic makes perfect sense, but the current schedule makes zero sense. I could list examples, but we all know them.

To me, what makes more sense is a “sensible” schedule that is probably about 75% of normal. Combining trains where possible, making sure there are daily connections where they need to be, etc. That includes state services.

Where I would be seeking to spend my money right now if I were Amtrak is in maintenance of my rolling stock, employee training, planning and lobbying for new corridor services, evaluating higher quality economically viable food services, etc.

I understand the stimulus money is really all about bringing employees back to work as much as anything, and I’m not against that.

It just seems that Amtrak’s biggest need right now is to get their house in order and “up their game” so they can be a more relevant, effective travel option in the future. Hopefully, they ARE doing those things in the background and we just don’t know it. Flynn’s open letter was certainly encouraging, at least to me.
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Couldn't agree more. I would like to think with all the idled equipment they are doing at least light maintenance on the rolling stock to get it up to snuff, but probably not. Heavy overhauls probably not practical and not in the budget. But, yes, there's much they could be doing to improve service during the downtime. Just hope that the recalled workers don't return in foul moods.
 
Amtrakfflyer said:
The vaccines seem to be promising new evidence is showing that vaccinated people probably can’t spread the virus either.
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Vaccinated people who get infected can spread the virus, and vaccinated people can get infected. None of the vaccines have 100% efficacy. It is just that a vaccinated person is less likely to get infected than an unvaccinated one.
 
jis said:
Vaccinated people who get infected can spread the virus, and vaccinated people can get infected. None of the vaccines have 100% efficacy. It is just that a vaccinated person is less likely to get infected than an unvaccinated one.
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And like the flu vaccine, if you are infected, your symptoms will likely be much milder...
 
PaTrainFan said:
Couldn't agree more. I would like to think with all the idled equipment they are doing at least light maintenance on the rolling stock to get it up to snuff, but probably not. Heavy overhauls probably not practical and not in the budget. But, yes, there's much they could be doing to improve service during the downtime. Just hope that the recalled workers don't return in foul moods.
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Is there any chance that we will see Superliners overhauled to match the interior of Viewliner 2s? Maybe not the sink, but the finishes, carpet, seats, tray table, etc.
 
Cal said:
Is there any chance that we will see Superliners overhauled to match the interior of Viewliner 2s? Maybe not the sink, but the finishes, carpet, seats, tray table, etc.
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Well, they pretty much matched the Viewliner I's upholstery in the roomettes back in the 90s, replacing the Superliner I's original Retinal Burn Orange with blue, so I'd say there is a reasonable chance.
 
Cal said:
Is there any chance that we will see Superliners overhauled to match the interior of Viewliner 2s? Maybe not the sink, but the finishes, carpet, seats, tray table, etc.
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My fearless prediction with absolutely no inside knowledge or general soothsaying ability whatsoever:
We will see a complete overhaul of at least a portion of the Superliner equipment for premium services on a route or two out west.
 
IndyLions said:
My fearless prediction with absolutely no inside knowledge or general soothsaying ability whatsoever:
We will see a complete overhaul of at least a portion of the Superliner equipment for premium services on a route or two out west.
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Hoping so...
 
IndyLions said:
My fearless prediction with absolutely no inside knowledge or general soothsaying ability whatsoever:
We will see a complete overhaul of at least a portion of the Superliner equipment for premium services on a route or two out west.
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Most likely it will be the Superliner IIs first since they have never seen a good complete refurbishment. Superliner Is went through a cycle of that when they got the wood paneling stuff IIRC.
 
jis said:
Most likely it will be the Superliner IIs first since they have never seen a good complete refurbishment. Superliner Is went through a cycle of that when they got the wood paneling stuff IIRC.
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I just want to see the Superliner's be upgraded to match as closely as possible to the Viewliner II's. I don't know if you've seen a good pictures/video of it, or been in it. I personally hadn't before yesterday. And it is so much nicer.. Just having the better tray table, ugpraded seats, and the better temperature system (if it works well) would be a big upgrade. The finishes also are much more appealing.
 
Cal said:
I just want to see the Superliner's be upgraded to match as closely as possible to the Viewliner II's. I don't know if you've seen a good pictures/video of it, or been in it. I personally hadn't before yesterday. And it is so much nicer.. Just having the better tray table, ugpraded seats, and the better temperature system (if it works well) would be a big upgrade. The finishes also are much more appealing.
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Which Viewliner II were you on yesterday?
 
I believe there was an Amtrak town hall earlier this week. While I was of course not there I heard “through the grapevine” that management mentioned that long distance bookings for the summer are greater than projected. June 1 is the date management apparently was saying their target is for daily service restoration.
 
jis said:
Vaccinated people who get infected can spread the virus, and vaccinated people can get infected. None of the vaccines have 100% efficacy. It is just that a vaccinated person is less likely to get infected than an unvaccinated one.
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I don't understand why some immunologists will say that vaccinated people can still spread the virus. When a person's immune system has been activated against a particular virus, then that virus is less likely to get into cells where they have to be in order to replicate. Even if they still do get into a few cells, the immune system, both innate and induced, have many ways of detecting those infected cells and eliminating them. Plus, both the induced and innate immune systems engage in a lot of what cell biologists call crosstalk in order to ramp up the other side (induced vs innate host defenses) or also to calm the other side down. Anyways, the end result is virus replication is far, far less in a vaccinated person compared to an unvaccinated person and where replication goes, so does transmission from one person to another.
 

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