Likely, most here are aware of the TRAINS sponsored conference this past Saturday which was led by senior Amtrak officials, including CEO Joseph Boardman. The event was held at the Merchandise Mart Conference Center in Chicago. Attendance was limited to 275 participants mostly drawn from the rail railfan community; pre-approved questions were accepted by the Amtrak panel.
I did not attend; I'm simply not enough of a railfan anymore, and my personal views regarding the role of 21st century intercity passenger service likely would be in conflict with the majority of attendees. However, I have reviewed postings made at discussion forums by members who have represented to be in attendance. Here are two "Brief passages" from such postings:
Emmett Fremaux [VP Marketing/Product Management] is up.
LD trains are a fundamental part of Amtrak's mission, and are not going away any time soon. However there are zero plans for any new trains. Zero. Not happening. In the past few years, LD service has been improving with all time highs in ridership, revenue, OTP, and customer satisfaction.
I think that the candor (safe assumption such was carefully scripted by Public Affairs) of an Amtrak senior manager in front of an audience at which all too many would love to have shouted out 'when will we get our ----- (fill in the blank; Pioneer, Sunset East, whatever)...?' was indeed refreshing. It represented public admission of what I have contended since A-Day (anyone with grounding in railroad industry affairs knew all that "for profit; no funding' bluster was just that) that the LD system simply represents political expediency from a Federal agency that needs a legislative majority in order to ensure its continued funding. However, it is pleasing to note that it is management's position that we will give as good a travel experience as can be reasonably expected within our budgetary constraints. Very simply, this immediately translates to that any further cutbacks in the quality of the on-board Dining experience appear unlikely. Might there be upgrades of such in the future?
Another attendee reporting at a different site made the following observation on the same remark;
Amtrak is basically saying it won't launch any new trains / services outside NEC without state funding in place, which could lead to fairness discussions later on where some areas, like California provide the bulk of train funding, but NEC states get essentially a free ride
There is no question that there is unfairness noted within this quotation. California, however "broke' they may be, first established and now continues to Locally fund a comprehensive and well planned system, i.e. they have held the 'where's our train?' interests in Portola and Oroville, or for that matter Eureka and Santa Rosa, in check, that enjoys reasonable public acceptance. Same of course applies to lesser extents with other localities. Yet, the nine states comprising the NECorridor as well as New York's Empire Service and Michigan's Wolverine Service all get free rides compliments of the Feddytill.
While Michigan is obviously a "Debit State', all Corridor states save Rhode Island and Maryland (Pennsylvania a virtual "break even'), are "Donor States", i.e. they put more in the the Feddytill from taxes paid by persons, live and fictitious, residing within those states than is taken out in the form of Federally funded programs (including Amtrak) benefiting those residents.
"Life isn't fair', but didn't you learn that, uh say, about when you were five years old?
Posted by palmland (Member # 4344) on :
Thanks for the update, GBN. There is also a summary on Trains.com newsletter. I guess there were no surprises in all this - just confirming what we've already heard. Amtrak continues to plod along without breaking any new ground.
The only substantive progress they discussed regarding LD trains is the change on the Sunset/Texas Eagle. How long has Amtrak been talking about doing this? It seems the business phrase, 'sense of urgency', doesn't apply when your talking about a government agency. But it is good they seem to realize that for the premium the hardy rail traveler pays for sleeper accommodations some upgrade in service levels is warranted.
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
I wonder if there was any discussion regarding new equipment and expanding capacity, where warranted, on the existing LD trains?
Posted by yukon11 (Member # 2997) on :
quote:Originally posted by notelvis: I wonder if there was any discussion regarding new equipment and expanding capacity, where warranted, on the existing LD trains?
This may be old business, David. It comes from a meeting, with Mr. Boardman, back in Feb:
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Among other things, Boardman found that despite growing passenger traffic, up about 12 percent in 2008, Amtrak’s five-year plan in October contained no plans to order new passenger cars other than seven new high-speed trainsets, cars to lengthen current Acela trainsets, 15 new single-level sleeping cars, and some new baggage-dormitory cars. All other cars would have to be paid for by states that needed them for new corridor service, and perhaps ordered them through Amtrak. That secret plan, which had already become a joke around Amtrak, was thrown out quickly after Boardman arrived, and Amtrak is now making more ambitious plans.
Boardman said Amtrak’s most urgent need is for new electric locomotives, and he put in an immediate request for $1 billion in long-term low-interest government loans. Electric motive power is in such poor shape that Washington-New York-Boston trains are sometimes canceled for lack of power.
Since no firm plans have been made to order cars, up to three years will be necessary to actually obtain new cars. Meanwhile, as many wrecked cars as possible will be refurbished, he said. This leaves Amtrak in horrible shape even as politicians preach about a grand future of “high-speed rail.”
Meanwhile, Amtrak at least initially lost out in President Obama’s multi-billion-dollar stimulus plan, receiving $1.3 billion while commuter rail got $8.4 billion and “high speed rail” got $8 billion. (Amtrak is eligible to compete for the high speed rail funds.) Nonetheless, Boardman has instilled such confidence among members of Congress and congressional staff members that some effort may be made to make up the shortfall in future legislation. It is too early for any specific plans, especially since Boardman himself is still developing plans.
*************************************** Does this sound hopeful?
Richard
Posted by Tanner929 (Member # 3720) on :
Wondering if the increase in LD Travel might be due to the increasing senior population who have the time and want to see the country by rail. I've read an article recently about a CT couple who did just that.
The President mentions Hi-Speed rail systems like past presidents talked about landing on Mars. He mentioned it recently when mentioning the return of Nuclear Power Plant construction. (Hey wasn't "SUPERTRAIN" nuclear powered?) Exactly what was the $8Billion for high speed rail spent on? Studies? Pretty Pictures of Jetson like trains zooming from city to city? So Hi-Speed trains will be a second Federal Train Dept? Are they visioning three railsystems running through the NEC? Commuter,Amtrak,Hi-Speed? and of course the states are lineing up for highway dollars because those are shovel ready.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
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; looks like their work gives the one I go to a run for the $$$.