Subject: Friends of Amtrak Update 7/19/2000 Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2000 06:08:05 -0700 From: "Craig S. O'Connell" <crocon@connix.com> To: crocon@connix.com FRIENDS OF AMTRAK UPDATE 7/19/2000 . Dear Friends of Amtrak: Joseph Vranich, author of the book "Derailed," a scathing attack on Amtrak, resigned from the Amtrak Reform Council on July 10th. Vranich, a frequent and vociferous critic of Amtrak, was originally appointed to the Council by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) on the recommendation of another frequent Amtrak detractor Senator John McCain (R-AZ). Vranich did not leave without casting more aspersions on Amtrak. In a bitter letter of resignation to Senator Lott, an often time Amtrak supporter, Vranich called for the total removal of the Amtrak Board of Directors, a Congressional investigation into Amtrak practices, and the removal of the the U.S. Transportation Secretary as the federal government's ex-officio member on the Amtrak board. In another parting shot, delivered to the press on July 13, Vranich called upon President Clinton to "fire" Amtrak Board President Tommy Thompson for what Vranich called "pork barrel politics." Thompson is the Republican Governor of Wisconsin. Vranich accused Thompson of withholding information from the ARC reform. Thompson said Amtrak gave the council plenty of information, "but they' re never satisfied." --------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM A RECENT AMTRAK EMPLOYEE BRIEFING: _Public Responds to Revitalized Amtrak_ The public heard us loud and clear on July 6, when we officially announced our Satisfaction Guarantee-we have some facts and figures to prove it: * Hits to the Amtrak Internet site rose from 82,000 on June 29, to 110,000 on July 6. * From July 6-9, reservation sales agents received 265,000 calls. That's an 11.8% increase over the same period last year. * There were $17 million in bookings through the call centers from July 6-9, a 24% increase over the same time last year. * From July 6-9, more than $11 million in tickets were issued through all automated systems (excluding conductors). That's a 17.8% increase over the same time last year. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Amtrak's plan to split off the Crescent route west from Meridian, MS to Fort Worth, TX has sparked some controversy while receiving some input from representatives of a number of Texas communities who would like to see the passenger rail routed through their area. "When Amtrak announced they were going to expand between Fort Worth and Meridian, it was clear how the train would go from Meridian to Shreveport," Sulphur Springs representative Nathan Bailey said. "What was unclear was how they would go westward (into Dallas)." Representatives from Greenville, Garland, Sulphur Springs, Winnsboro, Pittsburg and Jefferson would like to persuade Amtrak officials to use the Kansas City Southern railway for a proposed Shreveport to Dallas passenger train route. Amtrak Official Ed Walker told a crowd of nearly 200 people who had gathered to voice their support for the proposed service that the Kansas City Southern route would be taken into strong consideration. Nevertheless, folks from Longview, Marshall and Mineola TX take a somewhat different view. Longview Assistant City Manager Karen Daly is quoted as saying, "We want the line to go through here," she said of Longview and the other cities along Amtrak's current Texas Eagle line. "I don't think there's a threat of us losing the Texas Eagle, but the route of the Crescent through East Texas is yet to be determined. I understand they (Amtrak officials ) are still in their early stages of studying the issue." Connie Ware, executive director of the Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce said officials in her area also are strongly in favor of seeing the new route travel through Longview and Marshall. "They don't need the Kansas City Southern route," Ware said. "We have the best tracks, the shortest route and have provided Amtrak with the best passenger service they have." Daly said she and a number of other officials from the Longview, Marshall and Mineola areas are participating in a letter-writing campaign to both elected officials and top Amtrak brass. --------------------------------------------------------------------- A photo of the new Amtrak logo is now on the Friends of Amtrak website...just click on the "News Update" link on the main menu or hit: http://trainweb.com/crocon/amtrak.html#News There are also two new photos by Ron Goodenow on the FOA homepage. One shows a Boston And Maine run from 1962. The other is the Winnipesaukee Scenic RR train taken this month. http://trainweb.com/crocon/amtrak.html Look just below the main menu for these new pics. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Amtrak's summer schedule now shows another Boston-Washington weekend Acela Regional (all-electric) round-trip and another Philadelphia-Harrisburg weekday Keystone round-trip. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) is urging the Federal Railroad Administration to extend high-speed rail service between Portland and Auburn, Maine. "With increasingly congested roads and highways, particularly during the peak summer tourist season, I believe high-speed rail infrastructure would bring substantial quality-of-life benefits, as well as economic and environmental benefits to the entire region," Snowe told a press conference. The Boston-to-Portland line has won approval to reach speeds close to 80 mph. That service, which officials estimate will carry up to 125,000 passengers annually, is expected to begin in April 2001 but has been derailed by roadblocks from Guilford Transportation, which owns that line. The Portland-to-Auburn line, however, is owned by St. Lawrence and Atlantic, which is said to be more receptive to passenger service. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (NJ-D) has created a web site to build support for S1900 & S1144. It is: <http://lautenberg.senate.gov/highspeed/> Go to the section labeled "Support" for sample letters. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- LEGISLATION UPDATE: H.R.3700, the High Speed Rail Investment Act (HSRIA), is up to 131 sponsors. More are needed. Please write / e-mail / call your representative in the House and ask for their support. To reach the Congressional switchboard call 1-202-224-3121. On the Senate side, Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) became the 49th sponsor of the Senate HSRIA (S.1900). It's still important for these non-sponsoring senators -- whose states have much to gain from the bill -- to hear strong support for HSRIA from back home: Abraham (R-MI), Collins (R-ME), Fitzgerald (R-IL), Gorton (R-WA), Santorum (R-PA), and Voinovich (R-OH). S.1900, the bill introduced by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), would allow Amtak to sell $10 Billion in tax free bonds over ten years to develop high speed rail corridors throughout the the country. Cosponsors for the Lautenberg-Jeffords High Speed Rail Investment Act (S. 1900) now include: Bayh (D-IN) Biden (D-DE), Boxer (D-CA), Breaux (D-LA), Bryan (D-NV), Byrd (D-WV) Chafee (R-RI), Cleland (D-GA), Daschle (D-SD) DeWine (R-OH), Dodd (D-CT), Dorgan (D-ND), Durbin (D-IL), Edwards (D-NC), Feingold (D-WI), Feinstein (D-CA), Graham (D-FL), Harkin (D-IA) Helms (R-NC) Hollings (D-SC) Hutchison (R-TX), Jeffords (R-VT), Johnson (D-SD) Kennedy (D-MA), Kerrey (D-NEB) Kerry (D-MA), Kohl (D-WI), Landrieu (D-LA), Lautenberg (D-NJ), Leahy (D-VT), Levin (D-MI), Lieberman (D-CT), Lugar (D-IN) Mikulski (D-MD), Moynihan (D-NY), Murray (D-WA), Reed (D-RI), Reid (D-NV), Robb (D-VA), Sarbanes (D-MD), Schumer (D-NY), Smith (R-OR), Snowe (R-ME), Specter (R-PA), Torricelli (D-NJ), Warner (R-VA), Wellstone (D-MN), Wyden (D-OR). --------------------------------------------------------------------- The following is from FOA supporter Gary Farmer: Dear Craig, My name is Gary Farmer from Hattiesburg, Miss. I would just like to inform you and your readers that may be interested, that the lawsuits stemming from the tragic wreck at Saraland, Ala. on Sept 23, 1993 are winding down. The last two are scheduled for early August. I was the Asst. Conductor on the ill- fated Sunset Limited. Best Regards Gary If you would like to contact Gary he can be reached by e-mail at: <Gary92@webtv.net> --------------------------------------------------------------------- Friends of Amtrak supporter, Pat Fitzhugh, has written an article about the "City of New Orleans" accident in Illinois last year (a sad but true account of what happens when people don't obey crossing signals). The right people saw the article, and Pat ended up winning an "excellence in journalism" award for it. Hopefully, this will get the article in front of more people and educate them about railroad crossing safety. The article is now posted on Themestream, a Web-based publishing company. If you're interested in reading the article, please visit: http://www.themestream.com/gspd_browse/browse/view_article.gsp?c_id=62301 --------------------------------------------------------------------- MORE AVIATION SUBSIDIES: None to report in this update but you might be interested in the following statistics: 48,905 domestic airline flights were delayed 15 minutes or more in the month of June, up 18 per cent from the same period a year earlier and up 8 per cent from the previous record of 45,162 delays in July of last year. --------------------------------------------------------------------- June 21, 2000 MAYOR THOMAS CARPER OF MACOMB, ILLINOIS APPOINTED CHAIR OF THE AMTRAK MAYORS' ADVISORY COUNCIL WASHINGTON, DC - Mayor Thomas Carper of Macomb, IL was appointed Chair of Amtrak's national Mayors' Advisory Council at the U.S. Conference of Mayors Summer Meeting last week in Seattle. For the past year, Mayor Carper has served as the Council's Vice-Chair. The Council was formed by the Amtrak Board of Directors to bolster local support for intercity passenger rail, raise awareness of its important transportation role, and support Amtrak's Strategic Business Plan through closer partnerships between Amtrak and cities and towns. The 22-member mayoral body is balanced for geography, city/town population, and party affiliation. "I am honored to be chosen as the Chair of the Amtrak Mayors' Advisory Council, and I look forward to strengthening Amtrak's state and local partnerships which will help improve our economy and Amtrak's bottom-line," said Mayor Carper. "As the mayor of a city that depends on Amtrak, I know that these partnerships will enable Amtrak to deliver better intercity passenger rail service to meet the growing transportation needs of our citizens." "There has been a clamoring for more and better rail service throughout the U.S., and the Amtrak Mayors' Advisory Council is now providing a platform for the mayors to collectively raise their voices to support a stronger Amtrak for their communities," said Mayor John Robert Smith, Amtrak Board member and mayor of Meridian, Mississippi. "I know that Mayor Carper's leadership as Chair of the Council will help achieve an economically stronger Macomb and Amtrak." As Vice-Chair, Mayor Carper represented the Council at the High-Speed Ground Transportation Association Annual Conference in Philadelphia and at the Amtrak Customer Advisory Council in Milwaukee. He will be a featured speaker at the National Corridors Initiative later this month in Washington, D.C. Mayor Carper has also been a strong advocate for a long-term, dedicated source of capital funding for intercity passenger rail service with the Illinois Congressional delegation. --------------------------------------------------------------------- From Robert Mann, City Council member, Town of Cashion, OKLAHOMA: If everything goes as scheduled, we will obtain 2 two of the FLORIDA EAST COAST's camp cars now located in New Smyrna Beach yard. The cars were bought from the City of Miami/South Wind pool of the SCL and rebuilt in the 1980's at Custom Car Company in Northwest Jacksonville. As Cashion, Oklahoma, was once the site of a joint ROCK ISLAND/SANTA FE line extending from Guthrie to Kingfisher, we want to highlight our railroad heritage. The plan calls for a movement from New Smyrna Beach to Jacksonville to Guthrie, Ok. and hence by truck to Cashion. At Cashion the cars would be placed on the original grade with relaid track. They would be the highlight and anchor of a bike-rail trail system and Main Street's Depot Square. Also highlighted by a reconstructed depot, visitors center, trailhead and micro-museum. While the plan is conceptual at present, things are starting to move. Our thanks to the FLORIDA EAST COAST RY for a great donation. Interested parties may contact me at: confederatebob@yahoo.com Robert W. Mann City Council Town of Cashion, Oklahoma e-mail: <confederatebob@yahoo.com> As an addendum Bob wrote... This is in the VERY EARLY stages...ie: the mail hasn't even been drafted at this point. But the towns plans are firm and the cars WERE spoken for via telephone last week. A hard copy to FEC for verification is in the works. There ARE MORE cars available, IF someone out there would help with transportation costs then we might obtain the extras for preservation purposes. They DO contain some ASBESTOS but it is pipe wrap under the floors in inside the walls, IF left alone it is harmless. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Harry Sutton has posted yet another Friends of Amtrak trip report on Prodigy. "Three Rivers And The Capital Limited, May 25-27, 2000" by Brad Newell can be found at: http://communities.prodigy.net/trains/ttrip055.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------- Amtrak is now in the process of building a new station to serve the Phoenix, Arizona area. It is located in Maricopa, which is approximately 25 miles from Phoenix. Amtrak's SUNSET LIMITED will service the new station. It will be the closest station to Phoenix since the passenger carrier detoured the SUNSET LIMITED four years ago. The parking lot is being graded now and an old round tail observation, which is currently at Los Angeles Union Station, will be moved to the site for use as a ticket office and waiting room. Completion date is expected in two months. Courtesy: Dave Bowe ------------------------------------------------------------------ The New London (CT) Day reports on July 7 that Amtrak is buying a large warehouse on Industrial Drive in Groton, CT. This is located near the entrance to Bluff Point State Park in the Poquonnock Bridge section of Groton. The 7 acre property will be used as a maintenance base for the New England stretch of electrified rail along it's high speed corridor. Amtrak has hired 60 employees for the facility and will transfer 40 more from other maintenance shops, including one it plans to close in New London by the Shaw Cove drawbridge according to Amtrak's spokesman Rick Remington. The building contains 50,000 square feet of work space along with 12,000 square feet of office space. Remington also stated the shops will run 24 hours a day. This shop will be responsible for maintaining the newly electrified rail between New Haven and Boston. The article also stated that they will sell the Shaw Cove facility to the New London Redevelopment Council which the council has wanted for some time because it is prime waterfront land. Courtesy: Dave Bowe ---------------------------------------------------------------- There is a great new photo of Train #175 crossing the bridge at Nan in Niantic, CT on May 30, 2000 now posted on the Friends of Amtrak website: http://trainweb.com/crocon/amtrak.html Photo, by Leo King, is noteworthy for its unique vantage point. Don't miss it! ------------------------------------------------------------------ Catch the National Corridors Initiative website at: http://www.nationalcorridors.org/ ------------------------------------------------------------ From: Illinois High Speed Rail For More Info Contact: Kevin Brubaker Environmental Law and Policy Center 312-673-6500; fax 312-795-3730 LEARN MORE ABOUT HIGH-SPEED RAIL --> SIGN UP FOR OUR LIST SERVE BY SENDING THE MESSAGE "subscribe high-speed-rail" to majordomo@lists.elpc.org http://www.elpc.org HIGH-SPEED RAIL NEEDS YOUR HELP! Amtrak and the Illinois Department of Transportation are working jointly to introduce 110 mph train service between Chicago and St. Louis. The state is currently seeking public comment on the proposed draft Environmental Impact Statement for the project. We need to demonstrate strong public support for this project in order to keep it moving. Governor Ryan has pledged to have the trains running by Fall, 2002, but this could easily change if the only people who comment on high-speed rail are its critics. Details on the proposal can be seen at http://www.dot.state.il.us/hsrail/highspdinfo.html PLEASE SEND AN E-MAIL IN SUPPORT OF RAIL SERVICE TO THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. Just copy the following text and paste it in a new e-mail message to HSRDEIS@nt.dot.state.il.us Be sure to add your name and mailing address to the bottom of the letter. THANK YOU! Mr. Merrill L. Travis Chief, Bureau of Railroads Illinois Department of Transportation 2300 South Dirksen Parkway Springfield, IL 62764 Dear Mr. Travis, As a frequent Amtrak rider, I am writing to voice my strong support for the proposed high-speed rail corridor between Chicago and St. Louis. Though I don't live in Illinois, I will likely be a user of this new service once it is available. As the draft Environmental Impact Statement documents, this proposal has a number of advantages: * 2900 new jobs and $20 million in new economic activity; * a travel alternative 3 times as energy efficient as cars and 6 times as efficient as planes, resulting in less air pollution * a 15% reduction in grade-crossing accidents With 35% lower operating costs than conventional rail, combined with growing ridership, high-speed Amtrak service will be self-sufficient along this corridor - an important demonstration of Amtrak's long-term viability nationwide. If reliable, comfortable, and convenient rail service were available, connecting Chicago with St. Louis in just 3 ½ hours, I would take it when traveling in Illinois. When the entire Midwest high-speed rail network is finished, this corridor will provide easy connection through Chicago to virtually every major city in the Midwest. As an Amtrak rider, I find this option very attractive. Providing safe high-speed service will require closing some of the 300+ grade crossings along the corridor. This needs to be done in a way that meets the needs of both rail and car travelers. I was therefore pleased to see that you will not be closing any crossings without local approval. I look forward to riding the high-speed trains. Sincerely, YOUR NAME MAILING ADDRESS ------------------------------------------------------------ Honoring The Honorable Jolene M Molitoris Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration and The Honorable Terrence D Mulcahy Secretary, Wisconsin Department of Transportation The Honorable Cristine M Klika, Honorary Chair The Indiana High Speed Rail Association in partnership with the High Speed Ground Transportation Association Midwest High Speed Rail Coalition Railway Progress Institute and with generous support from Siemens Transportation Systems, Inc United States Steel Corporation Warmly Invites you to its Sixth Annual Meeting and The Golden Spike Seminar "In celebration of the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative" Friday, September 8, 2000 7:00 am to 3:15 pm Center for Visual & Performing Arts 1040 Ridge Road (in the southeast Chicago suburb of) Munster, Indiana RSVP 2645 Ridge Road Highland, Indiana 46322 (219) 887-1351 / wdh.indiana@att.net RESERVATIONS Seminar, Continental Breakfast & Luncheon - $75.00 College or University Student - $50.00 Day of registration - $100.00 Luncheon Only - $25.00 American Express Card accepted HOTEL INFORMATION Courtyard by Marriott I-94 & Kennedy Avenue Hammond, Indiana Reservations to Thursday, August 17 - $99.00 Phone: (219) 845-6350 ID: Indiana High Speed Rail PASSENGER RAIL INFORMATION Eastbound Amtrak passenger trains from Chicago and westbound trains to Chicago stop at Hammond, Indiana The South Shore Commuter train from South Bend and Chicago stop at Hammond, Indiana AIRLINE INFORMATION The NEW Pan Am Airlines has convenient flights from New England (Portsmouth, NH), Orlando (Sanford, Florida); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and St Louis (Bellevue, Illinois) to the Gary / Chicago Airport The Gary / Chicago Airport is just a few minutes to the Courtyard by Marriott and the Center for Visual & Performing Arts. Downtown Chicago is just 25 minutes from the Airport. -------------------------------------------------------------- INDIANA HIGH SPEED RAIL ASSOCIATION Annual Meeting and GOLDEN SPIKE SEMINAR on the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative Friday, September 8, 2000 SEPTEMBER 7 HOTEL RESERVATIONS: $99.00 to August 17, 2000 Courtyard by Marriott I-94 & Kennedy Avenue Hammond, Indiana (219) 845-6350 "Indiana High Speed Rail" The Courtyard is a 45 minute drive from Chicago's Midway and O'Hare Airports -------------------------------------------------------------- Steve Brown has posted eight new images of the Amtrak Cascades Talgos on his website at: http://www.photosbystevenjbrown.com/narp/cascades/talgo.html ------------------------------------------------------------------- From Wisconsin ProRAIL: WISDOT SEEKING PUBLIC COMMENT ON LARGE-RANGE STATE PLAN The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) has announced it is seeking public involvement to help develop a long-range State Rail Plan that will guide the preservation and enhancement of Wisconsin's freight and passenger rail systems over the next 20 years. "This statewide plan will establish a long-term framework guiding the future of our state rail system and will define the important role rail fills in Wisconsin's comprehensive transportation network," said WisDOT Secretary Terry Mulcahy in the July 11 news release. "Development of this plan will be a two-year process and we’re counting on public involvement every step of the way." The rail plan will encompass six major areas: inter-city passenger rail; freight rail; highway/rail crossing safety; funding rail improvements; economic impacts of the rail industry; and environmental considerations. WisDOT will hold nine public listening sessions around the state through mid-September. Each session will begin with a brief overview of the plan, but the major emphasis will be hearing public comments and concerns, according to the announcement. Meetings are set for Eau Claire July 17; De Pere July 25; Superior Aug. 8; Rhinelander Aug. 9; La Crosse Aug. 15; Oshkosh Aug. 22; Milwaukee Aug. 29; Madison Sept. 14; and Wausau Sept. 19. Advertisements will be placed in local newspapers prior to each forum providing the time and location of each meeting along with a contact phone number. Currently, 12 railroads operate in Wisconsin on nearly 4,500 miles of track, WisDOT said. In 1998, these railroads combined to carry 94 million tons of freight. In addition, there are 4,411 public rail grade crossings in Wisconsin with 1,872 having some type of active warning device. The State Rail Plan will be coordinated with the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative (MRRI). The MRRI proposes a 3,000-mile rail network through Wisconsin and eight other Midwestern states radiating from Chicago. Midwest Rail will utilize modern, high-speed trains operating along rail corridors already largely in place, providing a transportation alternative for reaching major Midwest urban centers and smaller communities along the planned routes. The plan will also reflect the policy framework established by the Governor’s Task Force on Passenger Rail. As part of the rail plan's initial public outreach effort, WisDOT sponsored a rail symposium this spring that gathered a broad cross-section of groups representing local government, freight rail owners, passenger rail interests, transportation planning associations, private industry and state agencies. Both the Wisconsin Association of Railroad Passengers and ProRail were among those invited to participate, and both sent representatives. Along with promoting an active discussion of rail issues among participants, the event helped identify key issues to be addressed in the rail plan. WisDOT's State Rail Plan is another in a series of plans emerging from Translinks 21, Wisconsin's comprehensive multi-modal transportation blueprint that guides the development of each modal system. WisDOT has already completed statewide bicycle, airport, and highway plans and is in the process of forming long-range pedestrian, rail and transit plans. Citizens unable to attend an upcoming listening session can send written comments to: Donna Brown, WisDOT Bureau of Planning, P.O. Box 7913, Madison, WI, 53707-7913. LIST OF STATE RAIL PLAN PUBLIC LISTENING SESSIONS Each meeting runs from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. and will begin with a brief overview of the rail plan development process to be followed by a listening session to gather public comment. July 17: Eau Claire, Holiday Inn Campus, 2703 Craig Road. July 25: De Pere, St. Norbert College, Bemis Center, 100 Grant St. Aug. 8: Superior, Superior Public Library, 1530 Tower Ave. Aug. 9: Rhinelander, Holiday Inn, 668 W. Kemp St. Sept. 19: Wausau, Marathon County Commission for the Aging, 212 River Dr. Aug. 15: La Crosse, Radisson Hotel, 200 Harborview Plaza. Aug. 22: Oshkosh, UW-Oshkosh, Gruenhagen Conference Center, 208 Osceola St. Aug. 29: Milwaukee,The Miller Room at O'Donnell Park, 910 E. Michigan St. Sept. 14: Madison, Alliant Energy Center (formerly Expo Center), 1919 Expo Way. ------------------------------------------------------ Around The Rumor Mill: No rumors today. ----------------------------------------------------------- There will be an Amtrak Special running from Portland, OR to Lewiston, ID on October 6,7 & 8. The trip will include rare miles on the freight only Camas Prairie RR through the 2,000 ft deep Snake River Canyon between Riparia and Lewiston. Saturday trips on the dinner train that operates on a Camas Prairie branch line are also planned. More details, prices, etc. at <A HREF="http://www.goldenstaterails.com">http://www.goldensta terails.com</A> ----------------------------------------------------------- The following is from TEXAS ARP: AUGUST 19, 2000 Make your plans for the Texas coast The meeting will be held at the Victorian Condo Hotel & Conference Center at 6300 Seawall Boulevard, Galveston, Texas. Here is some information: The meeting will be from 10.00 am to 4:00 pm Fee: $25.00 per person which includes lunch 25 rooms are blocked at a $75.00 per day rate through July 31 - Make your reservation early Check in is at 4:00 pm / checkout time is 11:00 am. The room includes a parking pass. If you have to cancel, they require 48 hour notice before 6:00 pm. You can make your reservation at 800-231-6363; to insure the room rate be sure to tell them it is for the TXARP meeting on the 19th. See you in August. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To pre-register, mail your check to: Texas Association of Rail Passengers 2205 Marvin Gardens Arlington, TX 76011 ------------------------------------------------------------ If you would like to submit a trip report please follow the guidelines at the following site: http://trainweb.com/crocon/tripreports/send.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Amtrak's Mid-Atlantic Division Safety Council has a new web site dedicated to the safety of its employees and guests: http://www.safetycouncil-amtrak ------------------ When in doubt, empty your magazine.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> FROM A RECENT AMTRAK EMPLOYEE BRIEFING: _Public Responds to Revitalized Amtrak_ The public heard us loud and clear on July 6, when we officially announced our Satisfaction Guarantee-we have some facts and figures to prove it: * Hits to the Amtrak Internet site rose from 82,000 on June 29, to 110,000 on July 6. * From July 6-9, reservation sales agents received 265,000 calls. That's an 11.8% increase over the same period last year. * There were $17 million in bookings through the call centers from July 6-9, a 24% increase over the same time last year. * From July 6-9, more than $11 million in tickets were issued through all automated systems (excluding conductors). That's a 17.8% increase over the same time last year. -------------------------------------------------------------------- <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I had a gut feeling that this would improve things for amtrak, at least on the short term. Many people, probably just plain out forgot about Amtrak until the sixth. I do have one question, why did they wait until the sixth to introduce all this stufff, if they did it earlier they would have gotten more people on the July 4th rush! Happy Railroading!! Dane N. ------------------ BC Rail King BCRailKing@Canada.com InternationalRegion@tamr.org for TAMR info. Dane_Nicholson@tamr.org http://www.tamr.org
I do have one question, why did they wait until the sixth to introduce all this stufff, if they did it earlier they would have gotten more people on the July 4th rush! Well they probably waited because they were pretty much sold out on most trains over the holidays. Reggie ------------------
The new guarrantee was in effect on the 4th it just wasn't annouced to the public till the 6th. If you look back in a earlier thread you will find where I posted it was starting the 4th.
Reggierail got it right the first time, they were sold out and already stressed, why put a bad foot forward. Good Luck to them. But don't tell the crews on the "Shore Line East" a small commuter rail line run on the CT shoreline. Owned by the CTDOT but operated by AMTRAK. They really screwed the pooch during Connecticut OPSAIL 2000. Thousands of visitors to New London CT tried to ride the rails and not hassle with parking. 1 to 3 hour waits for trains... people jammed on platforms... trains cancelled... empty cars sitting around and crews saying it's not my job... Lots of bad press!!! Lots of horror stories!!! Typical absentee management, and the old adage; we here to run a train not deliver people. ------------------ When in doubt, empty your magazine.
