Amtrak financing nearly eliminated in proposed Bush budget

Trains.com ^ | Feb 8, 2005 | proprietary

[BobL]

Technically, it's difficult to disagree. There's really nothing a pilot can do these days, that a bunch of remotely relays and cameras can do. My problem is still with who's at the other end (on the ground).

Think about it, you're in the plane and a voice comes on and says: "Good morning, this is Ground Control and my name is Mohamad. Today we'll be flying right by the Empire State Building, so have cameras ready to take some reeeeaaal close-ups.

[Sam Cree]

Agreed that some or all of the causes that Amtrak can't compete in the market are due to union or government rules, which add significant cost.

I like riding Amtrak, find the crews fairly pleasant and helpful, but think they'd be even more so if there was actually a profit at stake.

I read that Amtrak cut some of the NYC - FL service to cut costs, even though that is one of their most heavily travelled intercity routes. Made me think that if cutting costs was their object, just shut the whole thing down, then at least they'd "break even."

However, I personally am in favor of keeping it funded - in the overall scheme of public money spent on transportation, Amtrak gets very little. Although I think they'd have a chance at a profit without unions. That's not going to happen, though, as long as the freight trains are unionized. Anyway, that kind of socialism has been a part of America for a long time now.

But, like I say, I hope the intercity trains keep running.

[Walkingfeather]

LOL that is true but most likely your taxi driver will do it to you first.

[benjaminjjones]

I like riding Amtrak

So do I.

I never had any problem with the actual workers. It was the sleazy top-level management that bothered me, and they bothered my co-workers too.

I was a direct-report to a great American immigrant Director, who was a direct-report to a closet homo VP of Engineering. There was wide spread dissent in the Engineering Design Dept., in which I worked.

It didn't depend if they were union people, or contract workers, they all knew I worked longer and harder than Management did, just to keep my computer systems running for my co-workers, and because I believed we were providing a valuable public service.

Management people didn't see it, but my fellow workers did, (as did my ex, but that's another story).

I'm still hoping to ride the Empire Builder once, see that part of our Country, and visit my brother in Montana via rail.

It's a dream that's fading fast with Amtrak's potential demise, but it may happen yet.

There's no better way to see our Country than by rail. Sit back, relax, ride & smile.

I'm an Army brat and grew up overseas, have never been further West than New Orleans, but will try to make it onto the Empire Builder some day sooner than later.