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This Was The Week That Was, Vol. II No. 8, 2002-01-30

January 30th, 2002 wlindley Print This Post Print This Post

Volume II Version 8 – This Was The Week That Was – An Amtrak Saga

January 30, 2002

Can you feel the air tingling with excitement? Something is afoot, and rumors are running rampant, both inside and outside of Amtrak.

  1. The big rumor, that won’t die, doesn’t change, and won’t go away is that tomorrow, Thursday, January 31, 2002, is George Warrington’s last day at the helm of Amtrak.

    This consistent rumor says that on the next day, this Friday, February 1st, the day before Groundhog Day, Amtrak will make a major announcement to the press and public concerning the departure of Mr. Warrington and, some are adding, Draconian reductions in Amtrak service due to a budget crisis.

    The question is, how much of this rumor is self-feeding, and people are just telling each other again what they told each other over the morning coffee break?

    One Amtrak inside source noted that many of the Amtrak senior managers have been called to Washington for an unknown reason.

    One highly placed and knowledgeable Capitol Hill source puts the veracity of the rumor at better than 50-50.

    One high, high source from another railroad says the rumor is a stone cold fact.

    Union sources verify they, too, have heard the information and verify that it is consistently the same message, not the usual wild variations.

    Another 36 hours will tell the story.

  2. Let’s play a game. It’s a fun game that everyone can participate in; it’s all about the Amtrak Board of Directors. Simply match the name in the top column with the list of relevant experience that caused the Clinton Administration to appoint these people to the Amtrak board.

    Have fun!

    1. Amtrak Board of Directors, current membership (in no particular order)
      • Governor Michael Dukakis
      • Mayor John Robert Smith
      • Governor Linwood Holton
      • Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta
      • The Honorable Amy Rosen
      • The Honorable Sylvia de Leon
      • (One seat remains empty after the departure of Governor Tommy Thompson)

      Now, mix and match the names above with the qualifications below! Remember, each list is in no particular order, so you can’t match the first one above automatically with the first one below!

    2. Qualifying experience to be a member of the Amtrak Board of Directors (in no particular order)
      • Well known lobbyist for American Airlines.
      • Small southern city pharmacist that decided to go into politics.
      • Attorney, of counsel to a capital city firm, currently over 80 years of age.
      • College professor, teaches political science courses, has previous experience driving a tank.
      • Former mayor, former congressman, highly knowledgeable about all types of transportation issues, has been a champion of rail, and was an airline lobbyist. The only board member appointed by the Bush administration.
      • Has very strong ties to the AFL-CIO, is said to have de facto run Amtrak almost single-handedly by giving very strong direction to incumbent Amtrak leadership, whether they wanted it or not.

    All done? Got them all right? Now, are you still wondering how this bunch let the current Amtrak senior management get the company in the predicament it’s in today?

  • The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has scheduled its first meeting on the Amtrak Reform Council’s restructuring plan. The initial hearing, which will exclusively consist of testimony from ARC members, is set for Thursday, February 14th at 2:00 P.M. in the Rayburn House Office Building.

    It is notable that the committee leadership has chosen St. Valentine’s Day for this meeting.

    Which is more appropriate to note alongside with the meeting? The unpleasantness in a Chicago garage on a cold day, otherwise known as the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, or the fact that it is a day for lovers declaring their intentions?

    Additional meetings are scheduled for March and April, and will include testimony from a variety of sources.

  • It has been notable in the past week that while a consortium of 11 unions allied with the AFL-CIO have brought what can only be described as a frivolous and absolutely silly lawsuit against the Amtrak Reform Council to vainly attempt to turn the clock back and keep the status quo regarding Amtrak’s future, one union has seen the future and has embraced it.

    The United Transportation Union (UTU) has come to the realization that the best protection for union jobs and union job growth is the removal of the current senior management of Amtrak, and the replacement of that management with someone who not only has a vision, but a will to improve many facets of Amtrak.

    The UTU is taking a courageous and visionary stance. It is unfortunate that the other unions have not awoken to the responsibility that rests incumbent with them to join the UTU and seek a better Amtrak. If they don’t, not only will their membership be left holding the bag, but the country will, too.

    There is lots more to talk about, but let’s wait until Friday. Too much is likely to change between now and late Friday afternoon.

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