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T O P I C     R E V I E W
JONATHON
Member # 2899
 - posted
The news a minute ago just said that its unsafe to travel by Rail!, what a load a CRAP.

all reporters care about is wowing there viewers by making them think "wow, it is unsafe",, that, and there big fat check,,
this cant be good for Amtrak

------------------
JONATHON D. ORTIZ

[This message has been edited by JONATHON (edited 04-14-2004).]
 

CoastStarlight99
Member # 2734
 - posted
Its the dang AAA that got Amtrak awhile ago.
Now Bush is trying to take away federal funding and make it state...

GOOD OR BAD?

------------------
--Anton L.
pillsbury09@excite.com
AIM: pillsburyMN
 

MPALMER
Member # 125
 - posted
In the 70s AAA was down on Amtrak but now they seem to get along much better. Amtrak stations and rail lines are drawn on AAA maps, and their travel agents can get tickets for you.
 
Mr. Toy
Member # 311
 - posted
quote:
Originally posted by JONATHON:
The news a minute ago just said that its unsafe to travel by Rail!

What news report was that?

And what does AAA have to do with this?

 

CG96
Member # 1408
 - posted
Would you please post a link to show what you're posting about?

Thank you.
 

Ken Ruben
Member # 656
 - posted
Hi Everyone:

This might not be the exact answer from the previous poster, but from the UTU website and I was present for this event (see below after my signature).

Comments?

---"Ken" Ruben---

Senator says Southland rails vulnerable
LOS ANGELES -- Greater rail security is needed in Los Angeles County to avoid a terrorist disaster like the one in Madrid that took about 200 lives March 11, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), said at Union Station April 14.
"We are vulnerable here, just as we are in rail systems throughout this state and throughout this country," said Boxer, who is up for re-election against Republican Bill Jones and is spearheading rail safety legislation.

"And we need to do more," she said, "and we need to do it quickly, and we have been warned."

Boxer met with local rail, Amtrak and transit officials to learn more about measures being taken to improve security in Los Angeles County and Southern California.

Boxer's "Railroad and Mass Transportation Public Protection Program Act" (SB 2276) was introduced April 1.

It would authorize $500 million a year for five years for increased police, K-9 units and surveillance equipment on rail systems.

A third of the money would go to Amtrak -- the federally subsidized train system -- and be distributed based on passenger ridership. Two-thirds of the funding would be used for freight rail and local mass transit systems.

Boxer also spoke in support of the "Rail Transportation Security Act of 2004 (SB 2273)," which was reported out of the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, which she is on, April 8.

The bill authorizes $63.5 million in grants for FY 2005 for system-wide Amtrak upgrades. Some $350 million in grants would go to Amtrak, freight railroads and hazardous materials shippers for freight and passenger rail security.

The bill authorizes $5 million for the U.S Department of Homeland Security to work with the U.S. Department of Transportation to conduct an assessment of rail transportation security risks and make recommendations for improving security.

The General Accounting Office would be instructed to compare foreign and U.S. rail security programs.

And $5 million would go toward a pilot program that would be used to randomly screen passengers and baggage at five stations Amtrak serves.

Boxer said SB 2273 could come up for a vote in the full Senate any day now.

Fellow Democrat and county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, who chairs the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board, escorted Boxer to Union Station.

"In the aftermath of the disaster in Madrid -- that tragic terrorist act in Madrid -- any metropolitan transit authority in the United States has to have its head examined if it doesn't move quickly to do what needs to be done to secure its riders," he said.

He said Boxer is "focused like a laser beam on our needs here in California, in Los Angeles and across the country."

(The preceding story was posted on the website of NBC4 TV News at http://www.nbc4.tv/index.html on April 14, 2004.)

April 15, 2004



 

George Harris
Member # 2077
 - posted
I will skip my opinion on the people involved, however, it is worth remembering the main obsession of most politicians is the next election.

Boxer has achieved one of the mian objectives in maintaining herself in people's memories, which is always assumed to be good for the time when people enter the voting booth, and that is . . . !!free TV face time!!

There was one that said years ago (before TV and radio) "I don't care what you say about me as long as you spell my name right."

After you see / hear a politician, the real question is, what do they do about it?

"Pilot programs" can more accurately be defined as one or the other: 1. Looking like you are doing something about a situation withour making a true commitment. or 2. Doing something for some one or some special interest in the home turf in such a way that it does not have to be done anywhere else.

And then, of course. if no disaster happens the politician can take credit for the success. If a disaster does happen, it will be because their recommendations were not thoroughly implemented.

Classic exapmple: Kerry moaning about inadequate protective gear for soldiers, others in Iraq, after he voted AGAINST the bill to provide the funds for it.
 

Rheboi
Member # 2994
 - posted
From what I see there's no safety anywhere. If the cowardly terrorists want to attack something there's only so much anybody can do. You can't prevent people armed with surface to air missles from shooting down planes or hiting any other object if they put their mind to it.

Our best defense is to be vigilant and report unusual activity to authorities and hope that the authorities can catch them before they attack.

I know there's a risk doing the train trips I'm doing and going to the F1 races but I can't let a few mad men stop me, I'm going and I'm bl**dy well going to enjoy it! Life is dangerous, it's fatal! I refuse to lock my doors and stay home.
 

Pojon
Member # 3080
 - posted
Amtrak is unsafe! So is the personal auto! In the last 5 years there have been 12 major Amtrak accidents that have killed 16 people and that have put more than 60 Superliner and other cars in the repair yards to wait forever for repairs or replacement. There was even a derailment on the CSX mainline about 400 feet from my house in northern Florida and the infamous auto-train wreck about 25 miles south of my house. Don't tell me Amtrak is not undafe--but so is the personal car.
 
JONATHON
Member # 2899
 - posted
Why are you on this board?

------------------
JONATHON D. ORTIZ
 

George Harris
Member # 2077
 - posted
You can't live your life like Chicken Little: "The sky is falling, the sky is falling!"

We can either obsess about it and sit at home and collect ulcers, high blood pressure, etc. from worry, or we can take reasonable safety precautions and get on with it.

As said before, the most dangerous part of a train trip is the drive to the station. There have been about 100 people killed in all Amtrak accidents in 33 years, and over 40 of those was in one accident when an incompetent barge pilot hit a bridge and knocked it out of line. Yet, about 40,000 people a year are killed in road accidents, not counting the idiots that drive into trains. A auto crash is only local news.

So, relax.

Rheboi: One thing Americans love to do is complain, even obsess about their deficiencies. That is good in that thereby a lot of things get taken care of, but bad in that it makes things seem much worse than they are.
 

Rheboi
Member # 2994
 - posted
I understand the complaining mentality George, I see it often.

New Zealanders usually don't like to complain. If somethings wrong we like to fix it ourselves if we can or just "grin and bear it"

I am looking forward to this trip so much, nothing... NOTHING is going to stop me! 57 days and counting!!!
 




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