best amtrak myth

[AlanB]

OK Dave, in that case what about the Sunset Ltd., I rode it this summer and we were not allowed to get off between SAS and El Paso, that was an 10hr. trip (we did stop in Del Rio and Alpine :lol: but no-one was allowed to get off!)! Then we spent an hour and a half in El Paso and didnt stop again until we got to Tuscon, another 6 hrs. and an hour stop. Then we werent allowed off the train until LAX the next morning, another 8 hr. run!Also the Texas Eagle has no smoke stops between STL and LRK,another overnight run, sometimes no stop again until DAL, it seems the same to me?

Jim,

I can't explain why there was no smoking between SAS and El Paso on your run, except to say that perhaps the train was running late and the conductor decided to cancel the smoking stop in an effort to make up time. The conductor does have that discretion.

However, the bottom line does remain that all other trains do have stops where one can normally get off to smoke. The Auto Train does not. Additionally the Auto Train's run isn't just overnight, like your example of the Eagle. Passengers typically board the AT around 2:30, latest 3:00 PM, unless there have been major delays putting the trains behind. Assuming that the train doesn't arrive earlier than scheduled the next morning, that's 19 hours with no chance of smoking. Yes depending on your sleep habits perhaps 7 to 8 of those hours are spent asleep, but that still leaves more than 11 hours of being awake.

 

[DowneasterPassenger]

Very interesting!

Another explanation I heard for the smoking ban was that the train passes through many communities that have instituted various forms of smoking bans. Maintaining the smoking section would mean the crew would have to keep track the rules and regulations in different places along the way.

But maybe that's another "myth".

 

[DET63]

The Auto-Train runs through (though it doesn't stop in) North and South Carolina (aka "Tobacco Road"), where there may not be so many anti-smoking regulations, at either the state or local level.

But then again, that may be another myth.

 

[DivMiler]

the FDA thing could be true. in a bowling ally i used to bowl at this lady bought her own bottled water in with her and one of the employees said she couldn't have outside food or drinks as it was against the law by the FDA.

Of course, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn't make laws; Congress does that.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

the FDA thing could be true. in a bowling ally i used to bowl at this lady bought her own bottled water in with her and one of the employees said she couldn't have outside food or drinks as it was against the law by the FDA.

Of course, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn't make laws; Congress does that.

Congress tasks various agencies to come up with regulations, which the FDA does.

 

[Guest_George Harris_*]

the FDA thing could be true. in a bowling ally i used to bowl at this lady bought her own bottled water in with her and one of the employees said she couldn't have outside food or drinks as it was against the law by the FDA.

Of course, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn't make laws; Congress does that.

Congress tasks various agencies to come up with regulations, which the FDA does.

GML: Must you be driven to have the last word?

Congress makes the laws. Period, end of story. Yes, various agencies are given rule making power within discrete areas. But that is only within whatever length of leash congress gives them, and with the ability of congress to change anything in there is choses to. Regardless of the agency, all these things are of no effect until they are part of the Code of Federal Regulations.

For example, when we talk about the limitations on train speed due to track conditions, the regulations were developed by the Federal Railroad Administration, but they are of no effect until placed in the CFR. That is why when we talk about these things we may refer to it as a FRA rule, but the reference is not FRA whatever, but CFR, in the case of track, 49 CFR 213.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

the FDA thing could be true. in a bowling ally i used to bowl at this lady bought her own bottled water in with her and one of the employees said she couldn't have outside food or drinks as it was against the law by the FDA.

Of course, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn't make laws; Congress does that.

Congress tasks various agencies to come up with regulations, which the FDA does.

GML: Must you be driven to have the last word?

Congress makes the laws. Period, end of story. Yes, various agencies are given rule making power within discrete areas. But that is only within whatever length of leash congress gives them, and with the ability of congress to change anything in there is choses to. Regardless of the agency, all these things are of no effect until they are part of the Code of Federal Regulations.

For example, when we talk about the limitations on train speed due to track conditions, the regulations were developed by the Federal Railroad Administration, but they are of no effect until placed in the CFR. That is why when we talk about these things we may refer to it as a FRA rule, but the reference is not FRA whatever, but CFR, in the case of track, 49 CFR 213.

Who do you think I am? Micah? Congress is often just a rubber stamp, but its a moot point. Congress does make rules, but so do others. If I write a bill up and for some reason unknown to everyone involved, it gets voted to pass in the senate and HoR, followed by a presidential signature, Congress has just passed a law. But Congress didn't make that law- I did. They just passed it.

 

[oldtimer]

Amtrak was never released from the FDA Consent Decree issued in the early 1990's that threatened to shut down food service and held top management accountable for many food service issues. It does prohibit food that Amtrak cannot prove was prepared and stored properly. Sorry no personal food in an Amtrak food service car!

 

[dan72]

One myth that I've read in recent years has been the statement of Amtrak naysayer politicians who claim something to the effect that the freight railroads really want to take over passenger service - especially on the NEC. :wacko:

Umm, and why was Amtrak created again?? :huh:

Dan

 

[DET63]

From Reason.com: Amtrak Sucks: Traveling Soviet-style aboard America's $30,000,000,000.00 nostalgia toy
Google "reason magazine" and "Amtrak" and you'll probably come up with lots of headlines that most here would dismiss as myths.

The word Reason in the name of that organization is just aspirational. Unreason would be more realistic.

"Reason" "Wendell Cox" and a few others like them are wind up dolls. Pull their string and they will come up iwth the same statements every time. It is very simple, If it any form of passenger carrying rail system, it is either a waste of money to build and operate, has no ridership, a blight on the landscape, or whatever. An analysis of who funds these operations would seem well worth doing.

Wendell Cox at Wikipedia:

Cox has also emerged as an opponent of smart growth, especially urban growth boundaries, impact fees, and large lot zoning, claiming they have a tendency to raise housing prices artificially and suppress economic growth. Wendell Cox, as paid consultant, has authored studies for the American Highway Users Alliance, a group that lobbies for more highways. He has been employed by various conservative and road building groups over the years.[3]He has also criticized land use policies in the Portland, Oregon area, noting that the area expanded its urban growth boundary to its intended 2040 area 38 years early due to political pressure.

Demographia publishes the 'Demographia International Housing Affordability Ratings' and Rankings early each year.[4]The survey has been criticised. [5]

Demographia is also publisher of the world's most comprehensive listing of urban area (agglomeration) population and densities. An edition published in December 2005 includes all agglomerations with 500,000 or more population.

 

[Phila 30th St]

I read this one on Flyertalk yesterday. "Except for on the Acela, it's impossible to earn more than 100 AGR points on a trip."

 

[amtrakwolverine]

I read this one on Flyertalk yesterday. "Except for on the Acela, it's impossible to earn more than 100 AGR points on a trip."

so i must be seeing things where i earned 185 on the LSL.

 

[Phila 30th St]

so i must be seeing things where i earned 185 on the LSL.

Don't worry, I promptly refuted it.

 

[amtrakwolverine]

how about the maple leaf is in danger cause the bridge commission is going to abandon the rail deck of the whirlpool rapids bridge if amtrak does not pay for repairs. i have seen nothing on the bridge commission website to back this up. As of November repairs are underway on the bridge.