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Started by Michael18m 19 posts 8 min read

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Michael18mMember since May-23-03 · 9 posts

Anyone know how longer Amtrak will be around? Due to the money problems they are having and the problems with tracks and trains, will Amtrak ever be a money making buisness?

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RE: Amtrak, cyclone1234, Apr-08-04, 10:25 PM, (1) RE: Amtrak, LAHDPOP, Apr-08-04, 10:52 PM, (2) RE: Amtrak, pwillard, Apr-08-04, 10:53 PM, (3) RE: Amtrak, XRails, Apr-08-04, 11:05 PM, (4) RE: Amtrak, oakwaysd60, Apr-09-04, 09:54 AM, (5) RE: Amtrak, CPR_Malice_96th, Apr-09-04, 11:11 AM, (6) RE: Amtrak, XRails, Apr-09-04, 11:33 AM, (7) RE: Amtrak, XRails, Apr-09-04, 12:54 PM, (9) RE: Amtrak, TimHarvey, Apr-09-04, 11:34 AM, (8) RE: Amtrak, Hack, Apr-10-04, 09:55 AM, (10) RE: Amtrak, AEM7AC 920, Apr-10-04, 12:05 PM, (11) RE: Amtrak, JonN, Apr-10-04, 12:14 PM, (12) RE: Amtrak, chucksc, Apr-10-04, 03:12 PM, (13) RE: Amtrak, DJShepley, Apr-11-04, 04:49 PM, (14) RE: Amtrak, chucksc, Apr-11-04, 08:33 PM, (15) RE: Amtrak, asn5000, Apr-12-04, 07:49 AM, (16) RE: Amtrak, sd70mac666, Apr-12-04, 12:47 PM, (17) RE: Amtrak, SouthwestChief, Apr-13-04, 01:32 AM, (18)

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XRailsMember since Feb-22-04 · 80 posts

RE: Amtrak

According to some people in Washington who want to turn Amtrak loose it is. But I think Gunn will get the subsidies down to a level everyone can more or less accept. Worse case scenario is the network collapses around the NEC and Amtrak-California, and other places where trains are supported by the local DOTs. It will never completely die.

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oakwaysd60Member since Aug-16-03 · 225 posts

RE: Amtrak

I'd thin they'd be around longer of they didn't have as many wrecks. I have this discussion at my house all the time. If they go ut of buisness, people who have a fear of flying would be stuck. (But they could still drive)Central Illinois Locomotive Works
Metra Gallery Cars 95% Done
EMD Rules!

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CPR_Malice_96thCharter Member · 3608 posts

RE: Amtrak

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MorningI just spoke with my superiorsThe are guessing Amtrak will be around for maybe 2-3 more days !LaterPS: Anyone know when the sun is going to smash into the Earth ?

Tim Kent – Winnipeg Canada
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XRailsMember since Feb-22-04 · 80 posts

RE: Amtrak

LAST EDITED ON Apr-09-04 AT 12:55 PM (EDT)

Oh wow, that was a great show (see link above)! Gunn really stood up for Amtrak and gave the public a better idea of the subsidy situation. Sorry I had to double post.

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JonNMember since Apr-9-03 · 1080 posts

RE: Amtrak

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LAST EDITED ON Apr-10-04 AT 12:17 PM (EDT)

>will Amtrak ever be a money making buisness.Intercity passenger rail is no longer profitible, which is the whole reason Amtrak exists in the first place. Contrary to what the neocons would have us believe, private compaines have zero interest of taking over Amtrak's operations, because no matter how efficiently run they were, Amtrak's operations would never be profitable...Jonathan Nikiforovs.
Milepost 180, CP Belleville Sub.Repainter for Yonder Locomotive Works.Previous Topic | Next Topic – image 7

"A crictic is a man who creates nothing and thereby feels qualified to judge the work of creative men. There is logic in this; he is unbiased - he hates all creative people equally." - Lazarus Long

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chuckscCharter Member · 4621 posts

RE: Amtrak

>>will Amtrak ever be a money making business.
>
>Intercity passenger rail is no longer profitable, which is
>the whole reason Amtrak exists in the first place. Contrary
>to what the neocons would have us believe, private companies
>have zero interest of taking over Amtrak's operations,
>because no matter how efficiently run they were, Amtrak's
>operations would never be profitable... FWIW, neither are airlines or buses! A big piece of their capital/infrastructure costs are underwritten by the government!Any profits they show are strictly on operating costs...
and that is not always accurate either since they don't pay property taxes on their infrastructure.....
Chuck Schneider
Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and (Virtual) CEOPrevious Topic | Next Topic – image 8

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DJShepleyMember since Oct-20-03 · 57 posts

RE: Amtrak

LAST EDITED ON Apr-11-04 AT 04:54 PM (EDT)

Let us hope that Mr. Gunn "PULLS THE PIN" on Amtrak operations so that those of us who live outside the Washington, DC Beltway can enjoy the excuses our "Pork Barrel Congress" comes up with for its responsibility for this sorry mess!Don Shepley
"Professional Curmudgeon" PS: Chuck...good to see that you are alive and well! Happy Easter

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chuckscCharter Member · 4621 posts

RE: Amtrak

>Let us hope that Mr. Gunn "PULLS THE PIN" on Amtrak
>operations so that those of us who live outside the
>Washington, DC Beltway can enjoy the excuses our "Pork
>Barrel Congress" comes up with for its responsibility for
>this sorry mess!
>
>Don Shepley
>"Professional Curmudgeon"
>
>PS: Chuck...good to see that you are alive and well! Happy
>Easter Couldn't agree with you more Don! And happy Easter to you and your family too Buddy!
Chuck Schneider
Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and (Virtual) CEOPrevious Topic | Next Topic – image 9

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asn5000Member since Feb-20-04 · 180 posts

RE: Amtrak

I think that Amtrak is doing pretty good when you think that the goverment doesn't give them the money they ask for (think of the billions of $s spent on road and airlines). I believe that if the goverment gave Amtrak a change they would do good but that won't happen. About Amtrak derailing, Amtrak doesn't own any track exept the NEC, how many times have they derailed their? Not much and they go a lot faster than long distance trains.Conrail rules!!!

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sd70mac666Charter Member · 623 posts

RE: Amtrak

Amtrak will never turn a profit. At least in my time and I'll be damned if they doDr. SatanI'm otherwise known as the SatanTrain

High on the booze
fade to blue
nine inch howl brave tonight
chopper coming in you hope
Orange Crush: R.E.M.

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SouthwestChiefMember since Sep-11-02 · 325 posts

RE: Amtrak

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I've thought long and hard to think if any railroads that were running passenger up till the Amtrak era would have survived if they did not join Amtrak. Southern and the Rio Grande did survive for a few short years but they couldn't offer anything really but small point-to-point operations.The only railroad I think that might have had a chance was the Santa Fe. They clearly had the most modern and well-maintained equipment in 1971 (and this explains why Amtrak purchased almost the entire Santa Fe fleet). But they too would have had to purchase new equipment I'd say in the early 80's. The Santa Fe waited until the last hour before they joined Amtrak, and I think if the government would have allowed them to discontinue basically duplicate service trains such as the Grand Canyon and a few others, they may have stayed in the passenger business. But could they have made a profit? Most likely not. But the freight revenues would have acted like a subsidy. However, these too faded and without the merger into BNSF, one wonders what might have become of the Santa Fe.So even privatized well run passenger services could most likely not generate a profit. Amtrak is doing well for what little they get. Many employees of Amtrak seem to genuinely try and make Amtrak a success. It is just a shame to see the country that had by far the best passenger train service in the world for most of the rail industry’s history, basically abandon truly viable passenger rail all together. Previous Topic | Next Topic – image 11
Matt

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/fdoti/index.html

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