How will rail advocacy be shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic?

[IndyLions]

If we’ve learned anything from this crisis - it’s that our current set of politicians (red & blue) will not put aside partisanship for the greater good. That doesn’t speak well for our future, at least the next 10-20 years of it.

And for those on the blue side anxiously anticipating an all-blue Congress, Senate and Presidency - remember this. Our form of government provides many, many opportunities for the minority to obstruct meaningful change, as both parties have demonstrated quite ably recently.

Until the next generation comes into majority and takes over, not much is likely to change. I’m in my 50s myself and not anti-ageist - but the current ruling generation (of which I’m a part) has had their opportunity and failed miserably.

From a rail advocacy standpoint, we need to double-down on our diligence, so that rail doesn’t get washed out during the upcoming battle over infrastructure. I can see better days ahead for rail, but it could be far, far into the future - and there are no guarantees it will have any future at all.

 

[20th Century Rider]

If we've learned Nothing else from this Crisis:

Many More " Essential Workers" with Liveable Wages and Decent Health Care, Stop Bashing Immigrants,and Move Essential stuff like Pharm and Medical Equipment/PPE Manufactuting back to the US.

Of course it'll cost more, but even the dumbest moron should have realized by now this is what is needed to make us the Society we Claim to be!!

Deterioration of our domestic economic strength has been going on for a long time with outsourcing which has benefitted the wealthiest… now we as a country are reminded of the importance of self sufficiency. The American worker is the backbone of our country and we must regroup our way of supporting our people and managing those economics. BTW It is those countries who we’ve outsourced to who have the most developed rail systems in the world to transport their people and goods. China has more high speed rail than all other countries combined [granted that fact is mitigated by lack of human rights there.]

So we can try to get it right. Most think that the pandemic will eventually end… when there is a vaccine… a cure. We just gotta be patient. If history can repeat itself, there is cause to be optimistic. While after WWII the creation of the US Interstate system brought an end to the golden age of rail travel… perhaps this time we can bring back the economy by building HS rail between large urban centers to eliminate smog and congestion; and also expand metropolitan mass transit. Wouldn’t that be an interesting reversal… the rebirth of rail travel…