Trainsmag.com just reported that Amtrak plans to repair and return to service 26 pieces of wreck-damaged equipment by September 2003, President David L. Gunn wrote November 13 in a memo to employees.
"We should get about 16 pieces of Superliner equipment back in service by the end of [September]," Gunn wrote. "These cars will create esswentially two new long-distance trainsets."
Amtrak has been particularly short of Superliner equipment since the April 2002 wreck of the Auto Train in Florida and the July 2002 derailment of the Capitol Limited in Maryland.
Due to the shortage of equipment this summer, sleeper consists were reduced on some Western long-distance trains. The Washington-Chicago Cardinal lost its Superliner equipment in favor of single-level Amfleet equipment, as well.
More than 100 wreck-damaged cars have languished at the Beech Grove complex near Indianapolis, some of them for years, as Amtrak tried to meet a self-sufficiency deadline set by Congress. The shop at Bear, Del., will repair 10 wreck-damaged single-level cars, Gunn said.
Amtrak has recalled nearly 100 workers total to the two shops. "We are working very closely with the unions to try and get their cooperation on how the work will be managed, particularly at Beech Grove," Gunn wrote. "If we achieve cooperation, we will be hiring back many more employees."
Gunn said it was critical for the shops to work efficiently and on budget.
"We are struggling to stay within a very tight budget," Gunn wrote. "I wish I had another $200 million because I could move ahead faster on additional equipment repair and reinvestment in our plant. However, we will do the best with what we have and squeeze every penny out of every dollar."
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