Posted on 04/15/2005 11:56:12 AM PDT by wk4bush2004
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Amtrak canceled all high-speed Acela trains between Washington and Boston for at least the next two days because of a safety problem, the railroad said on Friday.
Amtrak, the nation's only city-to-city passenger railroad, said routine inspections on Thursday night uncovered cracks on the brakes of some trains.
Amtrak normally operates 15 Acela Express weekday round-trips between New York and Washington and 11 Acela Express weekday round-trips between New York and Boston.
All other Amtrak trains operated normally on Friday.
Break up the monopoly.
This happened back in 2002,too.
Strange thing about the Acela trains: They always leave Union Station in DC on time and arrive at Penn Station in NYC 20 minutes to 30 minutes late.
This doesn't pass the smell test. Methinks that there are other things afoot.
The northeast corridor is the only place where amtrak can be profitable. It's the Zephyr run, chicago, and arizona and all that crap that really cost the big dough.
A nice Friday before a school holiday week off. Typical hacks stealing an extra day on the backs of taxpayers. Indeed, doesn't pass the smell test.
Does that include the federal monies paid to construct highways? Can you imagine if only private companies would have built our roads? Nation-wide infrastructure is one area where I do think tax dollars are legitimately used. The federal government has even helped out airlines from time to time, remember? Amtrak needs reform badly, but to say we won't pay any taxes except for pavement is silly. Rail, ferry, airlines, freeways... ALL are needed in a modern society. Public-private partnerships with help from State, local and federal government is appropriate IMHO.
I strongly believe in survival of the fittest when it comes to companies like airlines and railroads. If they can't be profitable, then they deserve to go out of business; the government shouldn't be bailing anyone out.
United Airlines asking for federal money saying that their destruction would criplle the US airline industry is ridiculous. Their competitors would move in and take up the gap.
Grrrrr. I take the Acela about once a year (take NJT/Septa most every weekend, and occasionally regular Amtrak). The ONE time this year I wanted to take Acela (have to stay in NYC late tonight to get taxes done), is the day they take them out of service.
Train Ping
Publius PING
ping-a-ling.
Amtrak: The little engine that couldn't.There is no inherent need for government to pay for or own the rails, airports, or roads. It ought to be a matter of what works best. As stands, the federalized road system is costing more than the returns received. If we're gonna break free of congestion, we're gonna have to break free of "free" roads. Tolls are a-coming.
Amtrak should be dismantled for practical reasons, not ideological ones about the size and purpose of government. Our intercity passenger rail system works exactly the opposite way that our other systems of intercity transportation work... With air travel and road travel, the government provides the infrastructure, and the private sector moves the passengers. The government runs the airports, and the private sector flies the planes. The government builds the highways, and the private sector handles the cars, trucks, and buses. But with passenger rail, we've got it backward. The government (Amtrak) runs the trains, and the private sector (the freight railroads) owns the rails, except in the Northeast Corridor between Washington and Boston. That creates a double whammy—the private companies don't have the deep pockets or the interest in maintaining the infrastructure needed for a viable passenger rail system, and the government doesn't have the market incentives to be entrepreneurial or customer-focused. The result is a lot of decrepit tracks and routes that respond to political, rather than consumer, demands.
Oh, btw, Acela has lots of problems. This Sun/Mon's DC-NYC corridor commute is gonna be ugly.
The oldest Acela cars are about five years old, the youngest three years old. Amtrak officials said they did not know how close any of the affected cars came to malfunctioning. The cars are made by Bombardier Inc. of Canada and Alstom Ltd. of France.There ya go.
I am adamantly AGAINST tolls. Just more tax for that which we have already paid.
ping
ping
Didn't used to be, anyway.
And it's an inefficient tax too. Toll booths cost money.
LOL And they slow down the open travel and freedom we have loved for so long in this country. They will offer to put in "scanners" to automatically bill us - oh how convenient. Now the government will know where we are at ALL times. JUST SAY NO.
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