AmtrakFan said:
June 30th will be an interasting day at Amtrak to see what is staying and what is going. I think this potential is real of mass trainoffs and we all need to be alarmed but as Mr. Henderson pointed out they talked about this for the last 35 Years but there will be MASSIVE reforms on June 30th.
July 1st is actually gonna be the date of how interesting things may get. But anyway, I have some thoughts I would like to pass along to you folks.
First off let's talk a little more in depth about "Diner-Lite!" I feel several of you may be jumping way out in the pessimistic end of the situation here! Diner-Lite if implemented properly will work. My new crewbase manager (here in MIA) and I had a little time to discuss this very issue. The plan looks good on paper, but how it plays out in the real world will be the case in the end. Changes have been implemented to the plan already on the pilot routes and added to the plan's rollout timeline. It should be noted "Simplified Dining" has been created primarily as a means of cutting personel down in OBS sector of Amtrak. It won't necessarily compromise the quality, though I believe there will be some changes with that IMHO (maybe for the better). But look carefully here! We must remember this particular reform targets both the dining car and lounge cars in the long run! With that in mind, substantial savings can be made with payroll alone using this prototype! This is also assuming the same amount of passengers patronize the service, and it is grows as well. When you take into account the average number of meals served on the traditional method in an actual dining car (not counting the number of meals served in the lounges) compared to the "diner-lite" concept, the numbers most likely be lower! Right now on the "Silver Service" trains we can accomodate up to fourty eight passengers in one seating in the diner (forty in the refurbished diners)! In two seatings we have served the same amount of meals as the new prototype calls for on paper! If we seat a third "sold out" diner seating of forty eight passengers, we have surpassed the capacity of "diner-lite!" And we still have our lounge car right behind us serving food to those who don't come to the diner! Now bear in mind, meal hours are extended and that may allow for more room for additional meals to be served! I can't really see that yet in my personal opinion especially when the new protoype cars are placed into service, and the current equipment is removed from service! When the sleepers are removed from the long distance trains (not all of them now), then the "diner-lite" prototype definitely will work well! That is my honest evaluation of this new program!!!!
Now hear me out on why I believe we are forced to go this route! First off as we all may know by now "it's the law!" Allow me to elaborate on the most likely scenario of "why" it's the law! Folks this is the big picture we have been trying to illustate to you!! "Diner-lite" is one of the many reforms which is a means for the current Amtrak model to begin plans to groom the long distance services into privatization. The sleeper and diner reforms (eliminations of some) will in the long run make the long distance services attractive to a prospective operator! Keep in mind they too will recieve a subsidy to help with their losses they incur! With the lowest losses competition may bite! We must remember the basis of the Republican platform (the Democrats too though many don't wanna admit)! I personally believe a company such as CSX would take over a passenger operation if they were properly subsidized! Do y'all see the difference of what I am speaking of compared to yesteryear prior to Amtrak's creation? The old railroads were NOT subsidized for the passenger trains! Their freight paid the bills as it does today! The old railroads wanted out of it so they could make more on the bottom line hence Amtrak's creation! This is what the administration is looking to do! Make something benficial to a private corporation! Those of you who can't see that are in la la land! Corporate World (better fitting than Corporate America) is one of the strongest driving forces in the worlds ecomomy! In other words it is still all about the money! Someone benefits, some will lose out!
Anyway I am rambling back to Amtrak. This is the scenario I see looming on the horizon! There will be train-offs at some point. Certain routes only temporarily, others will lose frequencies such as "Silver Service." With the lowest costing model in place, a move can be made to privatize. This is what the government is banking on! Will it work? Probably will, and other areas it may not! But one thing is for certain, as I have said for over two years now, Amtrak's days as we know them are numbered! The space shuttle program ends in the coming three to four years! The National Railroad Passenger Corp program is being drastically changed to continue on, or it is ending as it's primary obligation has been almost fullfilled! We have discussed that elsewhere which I must leave alone in this thread. Again we shall see! OBS...
