Amtrak President David Gunn Is Fired

The Washington Post ^ | November 9, 2005 | Devlin Barrett, AP

[CedarDave]

Even the Republicans who oppose Amtrak say Gunn was a very capable operational manager. But he opposed where the administration was going with the railroad and paid the price.

[calrighty]

At least he could have resigned, thereby shooting himself with his own gunn.

[caddie]

What does W want to do with the railroads?

What did this guy want to do with them that was different?

[CedarDave]

Earlier link here:

Amtrak Set to Fire President

[Cicero]

David Gunn did a good job with the NYC subway system. He is a capable operations manager. But I rode Amtrak for the last five years, and it was evident to me that he was very far from fixing anything there. He spent billions and the service just kept getting worse and worse.

Maybe he lacked the authority to really do what needed to be done.

[BlueMondaySkipper]

Don't you need a permint to fire a gunn in DC??

[NonValueAdded]

If Chuckie Schumer is saddened, you know that was the right move. Is Mikey Dukakis still on the board? Will Willie Green be applying for the job?

[Red Badger]

I thought it was illegal to fire a gun in DC.......

[litehaus]

Are the employees 'gubmint' or ordinary union guys....or neither?

[RetiredArmy]

FIRED???? Was he in Paris????

[CedarDave]

W does not want ANY federal money to go to Amtrak, which would make it the only transportation mode in the country which does not receive direct or indirect subsidies, including the airline industry.

See the above link and go here for an admittedly pro-passenger rail viewpoint:

www.narprail.org

[RetiredArmy]

He throws our tax dollars at them.

[phatoldphart]

IIRC, the NE Corridor is the best money maker Amtrak has.

So the govt wants to spin it off. That leaves the govt (us) stuck with the big money losers. Am I missing something?

[I Drive Too Fast]

Amtrak's board of directors on Wednesday fired President David Gunn

He was derailed, so to speak.

[azhenfud]

"David Gunn Is Fired"

Should the "Bang" list be pung?

[benjaminjjones]

Just curious, ever work for Amtrak (I did)?

[Jaysun]

I think Gunn was inept and that this should have happened long ago.

[CedarDave]

That's only part of the story, and "profit" can be defined any way that someone with an agenda to push defines it. The infrastructure requires extensive rebuilding that requires billions not covered by any fare box. Without a national system, the federal support for that effort is likely lacking.

[Moose4]

Too bad. I loved his theme song.

Oh, wait, that was Peter Gunn. Never mind.

}:-)4