Amtrak Long distance trains are in danger of being

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

Amtrak Long distance trains are in danger of being pulled off by the Bush Administration

The date i have been given for the studies of what trains that are to be taken off is June 30th 2006 Then you will see the 180 day notices come out after that.

No, Amtrak Long Distance train or manned Amtrak station is safe from being pulled off or unmanned.

Now is the time to contact your elected officials and tell them to

Fund Amtrak

Keep all Long distance trains running

Keep all Manned Amtrak Ticket offices Staffed and opened

Here is a list of elected officials to contact

Senators

http://www.senate.gov/

Representatives

http://www.house.gov/

The President

Phone #(202) 456-1111

Fax #(202) 456-2461

E Mail [email protected]

US. Senate/House of Representatives

Phone #(202)-224-3121

 

[RailFanLNK]

Thanks BNSF, I just e-mailed my Senators and Representives. I will try my best to write to the President. Thanks for the links.

Al

 

[seldom scene]

i just e-mailed my senators hope everyone else will do the same,i use the long distance trains twice a year, i'm booked on the capitol and swc in august. starting to wonder if my trip will get cancelled due to the trains being discontinued.can't figure out how the president wants us to decrease our use of oil while at the same time taking away one of the best alternatives to useing cars. passenger rail.

 

[sechs]

While folks should be letting their elected representatives know their feelings on Amtrak, as well as a great many other subjects, this alarmist post by BNSF_1088 does not help Amtrak. It seems like just two minutes ago I was reading a post about how bad news was convincing some people to avoid Amtrak. That's just the opposite of what we want.

I certainly see nothing backing up this speculation, and doubt its veracity.

 

[Sam Damon]

While folks should be letting their elected representatives know their feelings on Amtrak, as well as a great many other subjects, this alarmist post by BNSF_1088 does not help Amtrak. It seems like just two minutes ago I was reading a post about how bad news was convincing some people to avoid Amtrak. That's just the opposite of what we want.
I certainly see nothing backing up this speculation, and doubt its veracity.

sechs,

What Matt is doing is raising the battle flag based on last year's federal appropriation bill. The language says (I am paraphrasing here) that Amtrak may not use money from the bill to subsidize sleeping car service unless the DOT IG says operational savings have been achieved. The "drop-dead" date is July 1 -- unless, as I mentioned, "operational savings" have been achieved.

This language was put in, IIRC, by US Representative Knollinger of Michigan. He's the character who had some sort of campaign contributions from the guy who was running the now-bankrupt ExpressTrak service boxcars that ex-Amtrak president David Gunn tried to stop. Amtrak is obligated to run those cars today because the ExpressTrak bankruptcy court said they had to.

I think I've got most of this right, but if I'm a bit hazy on details, someone kindly chime in.

 

[Trogdor]

What Matt is doing is raising the battle flag based on last year's federal appropriation bill. The language says (I am paraphrasing here) that Amtrak may not use money from the bill to subsidize sleeping car service unless the DOT IG says operational savings have been achieved. The "drop-dead" date is July 1 -- unless, as I mentioned, "operational savings" have been achieved.

What you say here is true (including the part about the Michigan representative), but that appropriations bill mentions food service and sleeper service, and says nothing about posting 180-day notices for long-distance trains after that date. The bill talks about amenities, but not the routes themselves.

 

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

I am only going to say this once if you wan't to argue about what has been posted then just wait and see what is going to happen because i only post the truth to what is going on this is not a rumor this is what is going to happen if we don't make a big deal out of it real quick.

 

[Amtrak OBS Gone Freight]

Aight.........here's the scoop from the inside!!! If you can't believe the previous posts (all who offer precise details with their individual corrections), then look closely! I assure every one of you, as a dedicated employee of this corporation, the fact THERE IS TROUBLE brewing at Amtrak! I see it every trip! From the viewpoint of a "retired" manager, it doesn't all add up, but here are my thoughts.

Congress put the wording in the bill as a means to precede to the next step in "dismantling" all or part of the corporation! If we look at the big picture this is precisely the case. I personally believe the goal is to groom the long distance trains into a state of where "their" losses will be minimized to a point the private sector will "bite the bait" with a government kickback (i.e. a subsidy which I am sure will be far more than what Amtrak gets today)! Heck for all we know, the government may be in the process of creating a new national rail passenger corporation! We start with the "Simplified Dining Service" here in the East as of next week or so. The changes I see them making with the program I see some potential, but I have my questions regarding their operational savings. More on that later as I can get better info.

But back to the point! Sure there is nothing in the wording of the current bill where it states 180 day notices go up if operational savings are not being made! But the 180 day notice is still the law elsewhere on the books which is in effect! Who's to say Amtrak won't issue 180 notices for certain routes? Even if a company (we'll use CSX here as an example) were to "bite the bait" (as I previously mention as possible circumstances), Amtrak still has to issue a 180 day notice of discontinuance of a service! Even if CSX takes it and operates the "agreed upon" route on the 181st day, Amtrak is still obligated by law to "notify" the route's termination under their holding! If Amtrak is not going to discontinue a route, no 180 day notice will be posted!

Anyway, as always we shall see! There may be that 11th hour saving once again with Amtrak! I am prepared just in case! Make no mistake about it, this situation is very real! In other words it is no "rumor!"

OBS...

 

[amtrak_flyer]

This is just concerning Amtrak, nothing else going on in the world.

Looking in from the outside the past few months everything seems hunky dory. Gunns gone but the trains are still here. Diner-lite has been introduced, and even tweaked. Laney's given some pep talks, even talked about expanding service. Everyones being lulled into a state of complaciency.

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION WANTS ANTRAK DEAD. The worker bee's at Amtrak can do all they want to cut costs, and I get the feeling that with Diner-lite a bona-fied effort is being made.

For those of you that give the Bush Adminstration the benefit of the doubt. Have you forgotten the blatant lies, untruths and just plan incompetent speeches made by Secretary Mineta the past three years. "No one rides long distance trains, its a system from the 1940's" "Long distance trains should be cut" etc etc.

Have you forgotten Laney giving David Gunn praise before Congress last year only to get fired this year? The heated words between Representative Menedez (now Senator Menedez) on Gunns firing and the "secret" meeting to spin off the NEC. All the Zero or close to it funding Bush has proposed the past 4 years?

These crazy unsubstaniated attacks on Amtrak have not been taking place the past 6 months and thats why I'm worried now more then ever. Dont get lulled into complaciency about Amtrak's future. It doesnt matter how hard Amtrak's 20,000 employees work to cut cost. It doesnt matter what the American people think regarding Amtraks future. When the appropriate time comes Karl Rove or someone on his level will call David Laney and tell him to pull the plug. Thats assuming Amtrak even gets the necesary funding from Congress this year. With no one fighting for Amtrak like David Gunn, and the opinion that I believe is growing in Congress, why fund Amtrak when the Administration is going to run it into the ground anyway.

Who knows what will happen, but keep the calls coming. With all the deception that the anti-amtrak crowd is resorting to this is really a case of good vs. evil. Lets help the good guys win, and hopefully in 2008 have a level playing field to truly reform and rebuild Amtrak.

 

[Amtrak OBS Gone Freight]

This is just concerning Amtrak, nothing else going on in the world.
Looking in from the outside the past few months everything seems hunky dory. Gunns gone but the trains are still here. Diner-lite has been introduced, and even tweaked. Laney's given some pep talks, even talked about expanding service. Everyones being lulled into a state of complaciency.

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION WANTS ANTRAK DEAD. The worker bee's at Amtrak can do all they want to cut costs, and I get the feeling that with Diner-late a bona-fied effort is being made.

For those of you that give the Bush Adminstration the benefit of the doubt. Have you forgotten the blatant lies, untruths and just plan incompetent speeches made by Secretary Mineta the past three years. "No one rides long distance trains, its a system from the 1940's" "Long distance trains should be cut" etc etc.

Have you forgotten Laney giving David Gunn praise before Congress last year only to get fired this year? The heated words between Representative Menedez (now Senator Menedez) on Gunns firing and the "secret" meeting to spin off the NEC. All the Zero or close to it funding Bush has proposed the past 4 years?

These crazy unsubstaniated attacks on Amtrak have not been taking place the past 6 months and thats why I'm worried now more then ever. Dont get lulled into complaciency about Amtrak's future. It doesnt matter how hard Amtrak's 20,000 employees work to cut cost. It doesnt matter what the American people think regarding Amtraks future. When the appropriate time comes Karl Rove or someone on his level will call David Lany and tell him to pull the plug. Thats assuming Amtrak even gets the necesary funding from Congress this year. With no one fighting for Amtrak like David Gunn, and the opinion that I believe is growing in Congress, why fund Amtrak when the Administration is going to run it into the ground anyway.

Who knows what will happen, but keep the calls coming. With all the deception that the anti-amtrak crowd is resorting to this is really a case of good vs. evil. Lets help the good guys win, and hopefully in 2008 having a level playing field to truly reform and rebuild Amtrak.

Well said! OBS...

 

[AmtrakFan]

Folks,

Amtrak has no future I am sorry to say we aren't going to have an Amtrak at end of the 2006 I believe, the Diner-Lite is the last straw LD Trains have to succeed. Trouble is coming and it will only get worse.

 

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

Here is part of an e mail i received on the June 30th date

Front line managers and certain clerical employees got the word that the

Board has approved the train-offs of multiple routes effective June 30. However,

due to the "secret" nature of this agenda, the details of the plan will not

be publicly announced.

 

[sechs]

I am only going to say this once if you wan't to argue about what has been posted then just wait and see what is going to happen because i only post the truth to what is going on this is not a rumor this is what is going to happen if we don't make a big deal out of it real quick.

And god sayeth, BNSF_1088 shall be my messenger;

The Bush administration will lay waste to Amtrak!

You shall only post the truth -- no rumour....

Perhaps what you imply in your original post is true, but the fire and brimstone is unnecessary. Most folks here know that Amtrak is not in a good way; there's no need for scare tactics. Laying out what you see with some tact is a heck of lot more believeable than some feckless screaming and waving.

 

[Guest_Amtrak OBS Employee]

And god sayeth, BNSF_1088 shall be my messenger;The Bush administration will lay waste to Amtrak!

You shall only post the truth -- no rumour....

This part was really unnecessary! I don't believe Anthony or Alan will go for this. OBS...

 

[Anthony]

let's try to keep things civil and away from ad hominem, guys...

 

[Guest]

Allright, how about a few facts and some speculation:

1. First, the OBS employee's post relates mostly to the effects of the new dining car service, wherein OBS employees lost jobs. I can see why that post was made, and the reasoning behind it. As to any other carrier picking up Amtrak, i.e., CSX, UP, etc., these speculations are strictly that: speculative. Every Class One railroad, save the IC has stated unequivocally in the past that they would not choose to operate passenger trains in the private sector, and some, such as Union Pacific have officially stated that they do not choose to do business with anyone other than Amtrak for LD services, if the choice was theirs.

2. Amtrak's fiscal year (the year that is financed) runs through October 2006. After that, there is no money to operate any service anywhere on the system, not previously funded through other means. If, as the original poster stated, the 180 day notices came out in June, the trains would have to come off well after the money ran out. Even Congress isn't that stupid.

3. I am a current Amtrak Operating Department employee. Our "front-line" supervisors have not been notified of anything pending, nor have any employees received any notification or information regarding this.

4. The bill in question was already placed into effect, hence "diner-lite" and a reduction in staffing for food service and sleeping cars. The projected changes are already taking effect, and modification of dining car and lounge cars should be underway as this is posted. These actions are in direct response to the bill mentioned before. At no time have instructions been put out regarding 180 day notices, no my knowledge.

Fact: the concern for Amtrak is real, as it is EVERY year where funding has not been secured. I have worked for Amtrak some 18 years, and I can name three or four times where funding has not been an issue. The rest of the time we all work on pins and needles. Amtrak's survival is at issue this year, but not because of any new threats; rather it is the same old bugaboo: Congrssional funding. Please remember that the President has proposed some 900 million dollars in funding for FY07. That is a better start than the zero funding level presented to Congrss for FY06. It is a small step to get from the President's proposed funding for FY07 to a workable number than it was last year. We still have to wait and see how badly damaged or delayed the money train is when and if it arrives. Write Congress; write the President. Just try to keep Chicken Little in the movies and make sense with your calls and letters.

 

[boratwanksta]

Perhaps what you imply in your original post is true, but the fire and brimstone is unnecessary.  Most folks here know that Amtrak is not in a good way;  there's no need for scare tactics.  Laying out what you see with some tact is a heck of lot more believeable than some feckless screaming and waving.

i actually have to agree with sechs, and say that trying to scare people with vague language is unnecessary. however, i'm fully aware that Bush is very anti-Amtrak, but that i'm confident that it'll more than likely survive, if enough of us write our Congressman and Senators saying how vital it is to our cities and towns(and since i think there are enough pro-Amtrak Congressmen and Senators on both sides of the aisle that'll fight any cuts). still, i wouldn't be surprised if some of the anti-Amtrak board members are trying to increase and play up(in a sense) the 'money-losing' aspects of long-distance trains further, as i'm worried that they may be secretly trying to go beyond Diner Lite and propose more cuts to long-distance trains(such as possible elimination of sleeper car service on some trains, which i think would be very devastating to Amtrak's future if it ever occurred), and/or even some "train-offs." its bad enough that some trains have lost amenities in recent years, such as the unstaffing of stations along long-distance and short-distance routes, the downgrading of food service, and the elimination of sleeper cars on the Palmetto, after it was trunciated in the south to Savannah.

with all that said, i'll end my post here, as i need to get back to studying. i still hope to write my Congressmen and Senators very soon about this issue, and possibly write some letters to Michigan legislators to help out efforts to save the Blue Water and Pere Marquette trains.

 

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

This is all i can say i am not the only person that has this information about trainoffs and station closings.

 

[tkt clerk]

approximately 2 mos ago we were told that there would be people riding the trains that week evaluating stations and trains. she said they were looking for stations and trains for possible unstaffing and cutting. this came from my immediate mgt in my area. i have been with the company for 29 yrs

 

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

Also If you can remember about 2-3 months ago i put an issue out about Station closings and unstaffing issues.

They were trying to pull this off to where it all could take place before the FY2007 started.

But since the information leaked out to the public they were under to much pressure to act on it and pushed it back to the issue we have now.

 

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

I have received some e mail's on why we need to contact President Bush and here is 1 of the reasons

Lets remember who runs the Amtrak Board{ The Bush Admin} and Bush tells the Amtrak Board what to do.

That's where Bush comes into play on really dismantling Amtrak.

 

[adbaker1]

With all this conflicting information being passed around, has anyone heard anything regarding the Auto Train?

Seems a bit odd that the administration would want to eliminate that route, while in the process of building a new terminal in Sanford.

 

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

With all this conflicting information being passed around, has anyone heard anything regarding the Auto Train?
Seems a bit odd that the administration would want to eliminate that route, while in the process of building a new terminal in Sanford.

NO train or station is safe

Which means any train or station could be pulled off or unstaffed.

What the Bush Admin want's to do is get rid of Amtrak altogether at any cost it doesn't mater how well a train is doing or how much money a station is bringing in BUSH want's Amtrak gone.

The other thing to remember is no one knows what trains or stations will be cut since this will not be released to the public.

So what does that mean we need to protect all Amtrak trains and Stations because we just do not know what can happen.

 

[haolerider]

One would assume that the Auto Train would be safe, based on revenue generated and the fact that there are plans for a new station in Sanford.

I understand the need for vigilance, but some of these statements are bordering on the hysterical.

"Secret plans, no notice to the public, etc. etc" ??

As I have mentioned before, raising the flag and getting people's attention is one thing, but conspiracy theories are another.

As they said in Jerry McGuire - "Show me the Memo!!"

 

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

One would assume that the Auto Train would be safe, based on revenue generated and the fact that there are plans for a new station in Sanford.
I understand the need for vigilance, but some of these statements are bordering on the hysterical.

"Secret plans, no notice to the public, etc. etc" ??

As I have mentioned before, raising the flag and getting people's attention is one thing, but conspiracy theories are another.

As they said in Jerry McGuire - "Show me the Memo!!"

This stuff that i post was not to be made public just like 3 months ago when they tried to unstaff the stations.

If you do not work in the RR industry or have inside information you will be told that everything will be ok when it is not NARP and the other State groups have been told different then what is really going on behind closed doors.