Volume II Number 14 – This Was The Week That Was – An Amtrak Saga

February 20, 2002

OK, what do we do, now? It’s coming up on three weeks since Amtrak senior management’s and its board of directors extortion demands on the Congress and the Bush Administration. Congressional hearings have begun on the ARC recommendations for restructuring. And, bills have been individually filed in both the House and Senate pertaining to the future of Amtrak.

What do we do, now?

1. Everyone needs to decide what their true position is regarding the future of Amtrak. There are several choices. You can
   1. Support the present Amtrak senior management and its board of directors. These are the people directly responsible for the day to day activities of Amtrak and its overall financial health. If you think Amtrak is OK as is, and believe in their vision for the future as primarily a corridor carrier in the Northeast, then support this group.
   2. Support the Amtrak Reform Council’s work and recommendation. These patriotic Americans, working through difficult circumstances at best, have crafted a plan for the future of passenger rail in this country that is an excellent jumping off point for a New Amtrak.
   3. You can wait and see what will come out of the Senate Commerce Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The Senate is where the greatest diversity is most likely to come. The House seems to be looking closely at the ARC plan before it acts on anything related to Amtrak. One caution, though; whatever the Democrat leadership of the Senate comes up with, they can’t pass it without Republican help. And, that will be costly; Republicans will insist on modifications (when did these two parties readily agree on anything lately?). If a bill comes out of the Senate, it will have to pass muster in a Republican controlled House, and then go to a Republican executive branch for final signature. The Senators may be creative in their own sandbox, but compromise is likely to be the winner of the day in the end.
2. It will be important that you make up your mind on good principles of business and government, not raw emotion. As some others have said, the 1956 Official Railway Guide will not be reproduced as the New Amtrak. While most scenarios are geared towards growth, the kind of replication that would be required to go back to a pre-national interstate highway system network of trains isn’t going to happen.
3. Decide what you, as an individual can do to take action. Start your own fact-filled letter writing campaign, including all levels of government. While the final decisions will be made in the House and Senate, other members of government at all other levels will have influence in what is being done in Washington. A congressmen that is in receipt of nonbinding resolutions from various state legislatures and local governments isn’t likely to cast those resolutions aside casually or fearlessly.

   Don’t forget to enlist the help of others of influence, such as convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce, and other quasi-governmental bodies that are concerned with economic growth, tourism, and travel.

   Write letters to the editor of newspapers and magazines. Be short and lucid, not emotional. Make your case in as few words as possible, using as much hard data as possible.

4. Lastly, don’t be afraid to have your own opinion or thoughts. In most instances, it’s considered positive to “think outside of the box.” If you belong to an organization that is at odds with your opinion, let them know. Don’t let others bully you into forming your opinions in a given manner. Do your own research and come to your own conclusions.
5. A South Florida confederate of your humble correspondent availed himself of Amtrak’s Silver Palm for transportation last weekend, round trip from Ft. Lauderdale to Lakeland, a one way journey of about four hours. While he avoided the dining car, he did report that both trainsets were clean and orderly, most things “worked,” and there were moderate crowds onboard. He also found the few remaining crew members to be friendly and helpful.

   When all of the shouting is over and either there is a New Amtrak or just a shadow of Amtrak left with all operations in the corridor business, it’s going to be the front line employees who will be recognized as the ones who kept the trains running under adverse conditions, at best. One can only speculate on what ingenious mechanical repairs will be made in lieu of real budgets to fix things, and what some enterprising onboard employees will do out of personal pride to make sure their passengers receive good care. It will be these people, and their immediate managers, to whom we will be indebted for keeping things going while others were deciding the fates of their careers and their breadwinning capability for their families.

6. More bloodletting: As said before, station closing are occurring throughout the Amtrak national system. Either stations are being shuttered completely, or staffs are being cut so much that it will be impossible for the remaining employees to get the job done adequately to serve passengers.

   So, Amtrak’s predicted death throes woes will become self-fulfilling prophesies. Passengers will stay away because of less service, and less service will occur because of fewer passengers. Amtrak senior management and its board of directors have figured out how to completely snatch defeat from the jaws of victory and fail on a colossal scale. How can any one management team want to fail so very much?

7. One interesting note that was reported here and has continued to crop up: members of Congress are mad as Hell and they aren’t going to take it anymore. Amtrak senior management and its board of directors has constantly whined about those mean people in Congress who won’t give them enough free federal money to run a glorified national transit system. Finally, some in Congress have begun to push back, and answer these people, saying, “If you don’t ask us for the money, don’t complain that we didn’t give it to you.” Truer words have never been spoken before.

   The world’s biggest game of Chicken continues. Amtrak senior management and its board of directors, who together are responsible for one of the largest failed business plans in America, are still holding the national system long distance trains hostage for $1.2 billion in free federal money, or they will discontinue the trains.

   Some have said, “Give them the money! We need out trains, no matter what the cost.” These are the folks who are not good at playing Chicken.

   The object is to see who blinks first. You can guarantee yourself if won’t be Congress or the Bush administration. The United States does not cave in to ransom demands, and it’s not likely to start with Amtrak.

   One of two things will happen. Either Amtrak senior management and its board of directors will back down and settle for less, or, some highly motivated strategist will find a way for our nation and passenger rail system to be completely rid of these people and their unsavory games at the earliest possible moment.

   Anybody know a good strategist?

Still proud to be a wacko, as defined as Amtrak Acting Chairman Michael Dukakis when he refers to members of the ARC and their supporters,