Posted on 10/22/2014 4:25:31 PM PDT by QT3.14
Aren't they required to use fund accounting? Amtrak has always been a pretty big recipient of federal largess.
When I worked for a large state university they would sometimes get around FOI obligations by providing general ledger reports, but no sub-ledger details. Individual transactions are always posted to sub-ledger accounts, so that is where all the interesting detail is to be found.
Bring portable Lysol and rubber disposable gloves for the bathrooms. The N-S Atlantic seaboard runs are filled (both ways) often with people who don’t know what a flush toilet is, or do not care to be hygienic in their use. Them not knowing anything about hygiene to begin with. It’s not the Orient Express. Literally disgusting.
When I was in High School (50 years ago) folks would take a train (the “Nancy Hanks”) from Macon, Ga to Atlanta in the morning, to go shopping, then return in the evening. IIRC, that was about a 90 mile trip.
When our son was in Middle School, he won the county Geography Bee. The prize was a free Amtrak trip for him & a parent (me) to the NC State finals in Raleigh. We lived in the mountains west of Asheville, so we had to drive to Greenville, SC to board Amtrak. From there we had to ride to Washington, DC, change trains, then head back to Raleigh.
It was a fun trip, but I believe we went clear round Nellie’s barn to get there!
If you believe Amtrak's numbers, the long distance trains are terrible money losers. In actuality, they are cash cows because they sell the same seat and sleeping compartment over and over. Using the Empire Builder as an example, this is because the average passenger doesn't board at Chicago to go to Seattle, which are the two endpoints. He boards at St. Paul (MN) and goes to Kalispell (MT). This is why the components of the train are sold more than once for each trip, and that's how the train makes money.
Years ago, on the NJ Transit Coastal Commuter Line, the train would switch engines from diesel to electric in Long Branch NJ.
It took about 12 minutes.
Ironically there was a bar/package goods store across the tracks.
There was a mad dash across the tracks. ....then the poker games began on board.
One time, a guy had a stripper meet us. I kid you not!
It was probably the best commute from NY to the Jersey Shore.
And trains (Spain), and subways (Britian). They HATE any transportation faster than a camel.
must be a train troll
Me too. I’ve rode the California Zephyr from Chicago to LA a couple times. It’s a long trip. Beautiful scenery. You have lots of time to meet interesting people.
I love trains, I hate Amtrak. Only a government entity could turn an nice six hour trip into a sixteen hour disaster.
I love the train.
Eventually NJT will have dual-power locomotives, and that means the change at Long Branch won’t be necessary.
I don’t know about existing trains, but the most recent of my my occasional calculations for just the infrastructure for CA high-speed rail is up to $159 per person. Add operating expenses to that: advertising, salaries, electricity, etc.
I need to help my nephew do a pamphlet for school, I got a Google Docs thing open, is there a special format for those kinds of things?
It's all electric now several years . No more engine changes.
A sad, sad day that happened.
wow
I know. I don’t care what the mode of transportation is: 5 hours per day is prohibitive. Heck, even 2 hours per day is too much.
http://www.rockymountaineer.com/en_US/routes_and_packages/canadian_rocky/coast_to_coast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxRsMZbgKms
I use WordPerfect to do mine — all you have to do is use three columns on a landscaped page.
You could probably use tables to get the same effect; I haven't done a lot w/ authoring using Google-docs, but I'd be glad to help.
Plus, on the train you can read, nap, surf the web, or whatever.
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