Amtrak Special Moves and Charters Under Threat

softwerkslex · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2018 11:00 am

So, like I said earlier, Amtrak is a political animal, and current leaders of Amtrak should be careful to read up on the lessons of the past. From Trains Newswire:

Quote:

WASHINGTON — U.S. senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, which lost its last manned Amtrak station on Thursday, announced he has amended a pending transportation bill to require the passenger railroad to have at least one station agent in each state it serves.

The amendment also requires Amtrak to justify its decision to increase prices for special and charter trains, and to stop accepting private trains in Huntington, W.Va., a move which could put the state’s annual New River Train in jeopardy.

Chris Webster · **Joined:** Sat Aug 25, 2007 12:45 am **Posts:** 1027

From a June 7, 2018 Press Release on Senator Machin's senate.gov website:

Quote:

“Amtrak has told me that most of their sales are now online, but West Virginians buy far more tickets at the Charleston station than most places around the country. That’s not surprising, as nearly 30% of West Virginia is without internet access, and mobile broadband access is also difficult in my state’s rugged, mountainous terrain, making online ticket sales difficult.

The Wild and Wonderful state should consider changing its slogan to something like Almost Heaven: One Third Twitter-Free!

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2018 3:00 pm

Chris Webster wrote:

From a June 7, 2018 Press Release on Senator Machin's senate.gov website:

Quote:

“Amtrak has told me that most of their sales are now online, but West Virginians buy far more tickets at the Charleston station than most places around the country. That’s not surprising, as nearly 30% of West Virginia is without internet access, and mobile broadband access is also difficult in my state’s rugged, mountainous terrain, making online ticket sales difficult.

The Wild and Wonderful state should consider changing its slogan to something like Almost Heaven: One Third Twitter-Free!

I live here, and I like that!!

softwerkslex · **Posted:** Thu Jul 26, 2018 9:42 pm

Hmmm

Did someone say Amtrak is a political animal?

http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2018/07/26-senate-passes-southwest-chief-and-on-time-performance-amendments

softwerkslex · **Posted:** Fri Aug 03, 2018 2:01 pm

Once again, Amtrak president foiled by Congress:

http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2018/08/02-senate-passes-transportation-bill-including-amendment-to-maintain-southwest-chief

nathansixchime · **Joined:** Tue Jan 25, 2005 4:03 pm **Posts:** 940

https://wnyt.com/news/amtrak-declines-t ... s/5015846/

Quote:

"Due to new guidelines Amtrak was not gonna be able to support the Toys for Tots train for the 2018 season," Gunnery Sgt. Albert Roman said.

Thursday morning Amtrak informed Marine Corps Toys for Tots, they can no longer provide charter trains because of new guidelines.

https://wnyt.com/news/no-toys-for-tots- ... k/5015460/

Quote:

The Marines call it a catastrophic move that will affect approximately 40,000 children and their families who relied on the festive delivery of donated gifts -- including winter coats and gloves.

softwerkslex · **Posted:** Fri Aug 03, 2018 3:32 pm

nathansixchime wrote:

https://wnyt.com/news/amtrak-declines-to-deliver-toys-for-tots-new-police-guidelines/5015846/

Quote:

"Due to new guidelines Amtrak was not gonna be able to support the Toys for Tots train for the 2018 season," Gunnery Sgt. Albert Roman said.

Thursday morning Amtrak informed Marine Corps Toys for Tots, they can no longer provide charter trains because of new guidelines.

https://wnyt.com/news/no-toys-for-tots- ... k/5015460/

Quote:

The Marines call it a catastrophic move that will affect approximately 40,000 children and their families who relied on the festive delivery of donated gifts -- including winter coats and gloves.

Oh yah, how long do you think that will last?

This rookie CEO really knows how to step in it.

co614 · **Posted:** Fri Aug 03, 2018 4:01 pm

Are there any remaining supporters or other groups he can insult?? seems he might have covered all the bases??

Sad.

IMHO-Ross Rowland

Scranton Yard · **Joined:** Thu Feb 27, 2014 10:08 am **Posts:** 720

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Hj3U18FHgQ

softwerkslex · **Posted:** Fri Aug 03, 2018 5:38 pm

Scranton Yard wrote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Hj3U18FHgQ

Yup.

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Fri Aug 03, 2018 8:10 pm

co614 wrote:

Are there any remaining supporters or other groups he can insult?? seems he might have covered all the bases??

Sad.

IMHO-Ross Rowland

Actually, I would argue one group--the steam people, like yourself.

The reason for that is that Amtrak has not been dealing with steam people for years!!

Crescent-Zephyr · **Joined:** Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:15 pm **Posts:** 1715

Up until this year Amtrak did "deal with steam people."

The Amtrak Charters enabled the #261 trips to Duluth, the #3751 from LA to the Grand Canyon, the #4449 trips from Portland to Bend and others in recent years.

Meghan · **Posted:** Sat Aug 04, 2018 9:09 am

co614 wrote:

Are there any remaining supporters or other groups he can insult?? seems he might have covered all the bases??

Sad.

IMHO-Ross Rowland

Having one or two in the family, I can assure you that ticking off the MARINES is never a sound strategy...

Chris Webster · **Joined:** Sat Aug 25, 2007 12:45 am **Posts:** 1027

softwerkslex wrote:

Oh yah, how long do you think that will last?

This rookie CEO really knows how to step in it.

I disagree.

Mr. Anderson is performing just like a CEO should, making a tough and politically unpopular decision that needed to be made.

Back up nine months to December 2017. Back then, Amtrak decided to run the Toy special on the 2nd while it was failing to properly qualify its crews on the Port Defiant Bypass, which opened on December 18. See:
Amtrak Toys for Tots Train 2017 on Amtraktrains.com
and
Amtrak Derailment in Washington State thread on RYPN

IMHO, the only reason Amtrak was running the Toys for Tots train out of Albany, the capital of NY State, is because Wick Moorman's predecessor was an upstate NY politician.

Kevin Gilliam · **Joined:** Thu Nov 04, 2004 10:28 pm **Posts:** 292

Chris Webster wrote:

softwerkslex wrote:

Oh yah, how long do you think that will last?

This rookie CEO really knows how to step in it.

I disagree.

Mr. Anderson is performing just like a CEO should, making a tough and politically unpopular decision that needed to be made.

Back up nine months to December 2017. Back then, Amtrak decided to run the Toy special on the 2nd while it was failing to properly qualify its crews on the Port Defiant Bypass, which opened on December 18. See:
Amtrak Toys for Tots Train 2017 on Amtraktrains.com
and
Amtrak Derailment in Washington State thread on RYPN

IMHO, the only reason Amtrak was running the Toys for Tots train out of Albany, the capital of NY State, is because Wick Moorman's predecessor was an upstate NY politician.

I fail to see the difference how using one or two crews to run something in New York has any effect whatsoever on lack of crew training in Washington state. Simply no comparison between the two at all.

Amtrak Special Moves and Charters Under Threat

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