Amtrak vs CSX

CSX is like a pouty child not wanting to share its toys. It would be different if BNSF, CN, CP, KCS, or NS wanted to occupy CSX track. But Amtrak is not a competitor. It's just trying to provide a public service. SHEESH!

 

Even weirder, the only thing that Amtrak "won" is the right to set foot on CSX property and survey it to find a suitable location for a siding. Not to build one, not to use one, just to wander around and look for one.

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Yup, back to my "pouty child" analogy. C'mon CSX, grow up.

 

My thought also. Amtrak abandoned the Gulf Wind and Gulf Coast Limited, and the temporarily suspended Sunset didn't use the tracks. So, CSX had the right to pull the tracks. Though the timing is suspicious.

 

On the other hand, Amtrak can be a huge liability risk and a huge impact to the CSXT's operation. So while Amtrak might have the right, there is no requirement for CSXT to like it.

 

Parts of it never did.

Newly merged Seaboard Coast Line chairman, Tom Rice, had recently told a Congressional subcommittee, 'We have some fine trains that we operate in through service, which we think are just the finest in the land. And we like them. We don't get rich on them, but we get by.' When he had to join, he remarked that it 'broke my heart'. 'It was amazing to see the demise of it.'

The roads were forced to run unpopular trains, and the entity which forced that refused to run those trains itself. It only ran trains roads wanted to run, and dropped the trains the roads wanted to drop--because it could and they couldn't. Why should there not still be resentment and hard feelings?

 

I know that Southern did not join Amtrak until about 1978. They maintained their fine trains with excellent service. IIRC, Southern could run passenger trains only on the lines that they owned outright after the contracts Amtrak had with the other railroads went into effect in May, 1971. Furthermore, Amtrak would not interchange Southern trains because they had no agreements with Southern. For example, the Crescent could no longer go to New York, but had to terminate in Washington after May, 1971. The agreement Southern had with the Pennsylvania ended when the Penn Central joined Amtrak.

 

Nor coordinate with them, nor even share ticket offices with them.

 

Katrina removed most all CSX trackage between Mobile and New Orleans. CSX had to totally reconstruct their facilities between the two locations. They (and their insurance company) only built back the facilities that they would need to return to revenue operations - Amtrak had no announced desire, at that time to restart Sunset Limited operations (which was operating on a 3 day a week schedule in each direction).

 

Active tracks are taxable as 'improvements' to the property. Tracks removed are only taxable as property.

 

Well said.