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Amtrak's new Co-CEO Richard Anderson appeared on NPR's All Things Considered to talk about his vision for Amtrak. To briefly summarize the interview, Mr. Anderson talks about fixing infrastructure to improve Acela speeds, short distance versus long distance trains and the boarding procedures at NY Penn Station. Anderson notes that most of the passenger growth during the last few years has been on the short distance corridors and he cites Chicago-Detroit, Chicago-Milwaukee and San Francisco-Los Angeles as corridors that have seen significant growth. Of course, we all know that Amtrak doesn't have direct train service between San Francisco proper and Los Angeles other than the Coast Starlight via Emeryville or Oakland. In the future there may be significant train ridership between SF and LA, but it won't be on Amtrak operated trains.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Wow, is this ever the season for Amtrak Brass to hit the talk show circuit.
Anderson was on CBS Morning News yesterday and Moorman was on a CNBC segment.
I guess since the "summer from hell" is over and was much less than that, time for the boys to take a victory lap.
palmland Member # 4344
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Vincent, what did Anderson say about LD trains? His only comment on CBS was that the system should not be split apart. I was surprised to hear him unequivocally say that seat pitch would not be reduced.
I was impressed by that short segment. Amtrak is very fortunate to have two highlly qualified CEO's that are doing this as a public service. That certainly hasn't been true in the recent past.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Mr. Palmland, Anderson is right; there should not be some scheme to "privatize" the Corridor operations and leave the "glue", i.e. the LD's to waste away.
Even if the Amtrak Corridor operations were privatized, as they apparently "have a cookie jar profit", how could the Corridor expect to get funding from any governmental level beyond where commuter trains operate? Just think: stretches such as Wilmington-Perryville and New London-Providence where there are no commuter trains, would become Class II track; the electrification might or might not work.
While I continue to question the social and economic need for the LD's, their political need remains. Mentioned or not, they are here to stay - a monument to our imperfect system of democratic government (that somehow works better than anything else dreamed up).
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