Questions for David Gunn

[Viewliner]

I'm curious as to what you'd ask David Gunn if you could meet him. This idea came from one of our members meeting him and doing so.

I think I'd ask (being a little optomistic of course):

What steps are you going to take in order to secure the need 1.2 billion?

What are your visions for the fleet, and how would you secure funding for it once the budget is no longer an issue?

What routes/expansion of services would you revive if the funding and equipment allowed for it?

Is the look of Amtrak (i.e. current logo) going to remain as is or change (i.e. to the pointless arrow)?

 

[Amfleet]

I think I would cover the more long term things like:

Where do you see Amtrak/Passenger rail in 5-10 years?

What steps will need to be taken to begin operating high-speed rail corridors and is Amtrak right for that task?

 

[seajay]

What have you done with all the chocolate chip cookies?!?!?!? :lol:

(Sorry, I'm feeling a little goofy this morning.)

seajay

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Take two aspirins and go to bed, Seajay. You will be ok later.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

More seriously, along the lines of Viewliners thought about revival and expansion, I would specifically ask about all trains becoming daily, Chicago- Florida service restored also.....those would be special concerns of mine.

 

[Amtrak Watcher]

I would ask that with his long experience and his knowledge of how the government works, what is more likely to be successful: a collection of different kinds railroads (roughly today’s Amtrak) with a presence in just about every state that apparently seeks the favor of the greatest number of taxpayers, or a more focused initiative on shorter routes that seeks to compete with, and eventually displace the airlines from, regional and intercity service?

Another question would be: Is Amtrak’s destiny eventually found in managing different state-funded railroads as a national system, or in running its own passenger rail services itself?

 

[Allen Dee]

I would ask him one question.

"When are you going to start the LA-Las Vegas corridor train service?"

 

[WoodenMike]

And, renew the SLC-Seattle service so I can go see my girlfriend without going from Green River to Sacramento to Seattle. That sucks. Especially with those long lay-overs in Sacramento, wazzup with that? :angry:

Seriously, when I did meet him, I asked for, and got, his autograph, on the back of his business card!!! Good score for an old time train nut!

I just wished him well and told him I was 100% behind him.

 

[jccollins]

I would ask him one question.
"When are you going to start the LA-Las Vegas corridor train service?"

If it was Mr. Gunn's sole decision we would already have it! Unfortunately he has a lot bigger problems than worrying about our Las Vegas train right now. I think our only hope at this point is if Amtrak California can create a partnership with the State of Nevada to operate the train service. While it is definitely doable, I don't know if Amtrak California has the time or resources to invest in setting up the route now, especially with the serious budget crisis we are facing.

I find it ironic that while Las Vegas casinos are eager for a train service to connect them with Los Angeles to begin, the current daily California Zephyr route connecting the northern Nevada casinos in Reno with the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area is completely neglected and ignored by the casinos there. You would think they would want to offer Amtrak/room/show packages to Californians to entice them to their casinos, especially at times during the winter when they wouldn't come otherwise during the snow, but they don't. Amtrak is not important in this casino town. In fact, the casinos want it gone. The City (undoubtedly convinced by the casinos) are "trenching" the entire rail line through downtown so people will be even less aware that Amtrak serves the city. I hope their entire town dries up up there and the casinos go bankrupt - how dare them try to run the passenger railroad out of town! :angry:

A recent article about this "trenching" can be found at: http://www.utu.org/worksite/detail_news.cf...?ArticleID=4429

 

[Guest-Ray]

I would ask if the service attitudes would get improvement. After all, this is a relatively low cost option. I've been on the train numerous times to know that grumpy people and workers on the train go hand in hand. Grumpy people and too little or wrong information is passed on to customers when trains are delayed. I consider the service on trains just above greyhound and below airplanes and that doesn't bring me back. The only consistent train travelers are a small group of trainfans or people too scared to fly, which is not enough to sustain Amtrak.

 

[AlanB]

The only consistent train travelers are a small group of trainfans or people too scared to fly, which is not enough to sustain Amtrak.

Actually Ray, I would have to disagree with that statement. While I am without a doubt a railfan, I've met many people on the train who are not railfans. They are there for many reasons including cheaper fares, better service than airlines provide, no security hassles, and probably a few others that I haven’t mentioned. Yes there are some who are just afraid to fly, but Amtrak's clientele extends beyond them and the railfan.

In fact I'd bet that fully 95% of the ridership on the Acela Express service are not there because they are railfans or afraid to fly. Yes many of them came to the trains after the 9/11 disaster, when no planes were flying. However many of those who were forced onto the trains during that time stayed with the train even after the planes returned to the air. This despite the fact that the planes take an hour less to travel between NY and DC, than the trains do.

They stayed because it's more convenient than flying, they can do more work on the train as opposed to the plane, and they stayed because they get better service. That's why Amtrak now owns 54% of the market between NY and DC. The three airlines running planes in this market divide up the remaining 46% of the market.

Now I'm not trying to say that there aren't problem employee's within Amtrak. They do exist in Amtrak, just like they do in every business. So yes you are right that Amtrak does need to work on this, and they are trying to do so. However one major stumbling block is Amtrak's constant battle for money. It's hard to motivate an employee when they spend half the year worrying if they are going to still have a job at the end of the year.

 

[Guest-Ray]

Alan, I would agree with you that on some of the east coast routes, NYDC, in particular have a large share of normal commuters. Although, my experience is with longer west coast to Chicago routes it is entirely different.

 

[Amtrak Watcher]

Though I suspect many of the passengers on the long haul western routes consider the train a kind of land cruise, I’ve been taking these trains on business trips for more than three years. I started using Amtrak in early 1999 when I got tired of the hassles and wasted time in the airline system. I’ve never used Amtrak for a vacation. I usually have to fly, but I will always use Amtrak if at all possible – just to be more productive. Yes, I bump into plenty of rail fans on the western long distance trains, but most of the people I meet use Amtrak for all kinds of reasons: including routine business travel. I think if Amtrak were to do a survey of its long distance train passengers everyone, including congress, would be surprised with the results.

 

[AlanB]

Yes, I bump into plenty of rail fans on the western long distance trains, but most of the people I meet use Amtrak for all kinds of reasons: including routine business travel. I think if Amtrak were to do a survey of its long distance train passengers everyone, including congress, would be surprised with the results.

I agree, I'd bet that everyone would be surprised with the surveys results. As I had said above, I've met many people on the train who aren't railfans and/or because they are afraid to fly. In fact while they are not railfans, I've convinced my sister and her family to use Amtrak every other year when they go down to Disney for vacation.

They used to fly all the time, as did I. Now they've discovered that Amtrak gives them a chance to rest up before running around Disney like madmen with their three kids. It also gives them a chance to wind down coming home, something that the airplane doesn't provide. I personally have also used Amtrak many times for business, both to Boston and to Florida. Yes again I am a railfan, but the train is taking me to work, even if I'm having a great time getting there.

My point is that there is a market for Amtrak out there. Yes there are problems that need to be addressed, like certain employees, the lateness factor, and lack of equipment. But given time, better on time performance, and proper funding I’d bet that Amtrak could significantly grow its market share of travelers. That includes all types of travelers business, leisure, and those with no other alternative.

 

[Amfleet]

When sitting down to dinner with another person in the Dining Car the first question always seems to be "Where ya' headed?" and "What brought you to taking Amtrak?". And the most common answer is (for me) "This is my/our first time and we're having a great time!" So Amtrak definetly does not just provide to those who are afraid to fly, don't like to drive, or are railfans.

 

[jccollins]

I agree with you, Amfleet. A LOT of people taking the train are taking it for their first time. I hope this is not a bad sign, though (that no one comes back to ride again :huh: ) I have succeeded in getting my school to take a few local field trips on the trains and all the kids really liked it. Most of them took the brochures when we got back to the station and I would not doubt that they will plan trips themselves. It would be nice if Amtrak was marketed towards schools more so that all the kids would no what it is... unfortunately many of them didn't have any idea or had never been on Amtrak before the field trips.