Volume II Number 29 – This Was The Week That Was – An Amtrak Saga

May 10, 2002

We’re in the middle of the Stan Bagley’s term as President of Amtrak. Mr. Bagley, who is normally known as an Executive Vice President, has the top spot during the transition between the departed Mr. Warrington and Mr. Gunn’s official arrival next week on the 15th. So far, Mr. Bagley’s presidency seems to be without incident. Best wishes to him during his term in office.

1. It’s still true: Trust through verification. Many will recall that famous Reagan-era slogan regarding dealing with the failing communists in Eastern Europe. It’s still true today, but this time regarding Amtrak.

   David Gunn will officially arrive next week in his new position as head of Amtrak. Regrettably, he will still have six members of the failed board of directors to deal with.

   Many Amtrak True Believers, desperate for any sign of good news regarding the company, have already attempted to put Mr. Gunn on a pedestal and believe he’s going to “save” Amtrak.

   Don’t forget, many of the same things were thought about Tom Downs and George Warrington on their arrivals as freshly minted heads of Amtrak.

   For now, there is no reason to doubt Mr. Gunn’s veracity and his dedication to his what seems to be almost insurmountable tasks ahead of him.

   But, considering what he has to deal with and the many vices of Amtrak that have to be eradicated, it will be best to take a positive, yet cautious approach to Amtrak management over the next many months. Too much has happened for rational and reasonable people to believe that the entire world of Amtrak is going to change overnight with just the arrival of one person. However, as said before in this space, best wishes to Mr. Gunn and his efforts.

2. The new national dining car menu has rolled out. Here’s something surprising about this alleged money saving venture: The cost of the pre prepared food now served on Amtrak (some highly respected chefs have already issued warnings about the chicken, and how it is best avoided) is higher than the cost of the fresh food that was previously used. The thinking in this scheme is that the savings will come to Amtrak through a reduction in personnel, because the new food requires less hands to prepare. Keep in mind that a reduction in personnel also overall provides a reduction in customer service and a reduction in choices for special needs, too.
3. Many are aware that the Cardinal, Amtrak’s only train that is mandated to run by federal statute (courtesy of the doggedness of West Virginia’s senior Senator, Robert Byrd), has been reconverted from a Superliner consist to a low level consist. The triweekly Chicago to Washington train has a new consist of a baggage car, crew car, two Viewliner sleepers, a TMI Diner, a lounge, and three Amfleet II coaches.

   The old Superliner consist has been shifted to help fill the gap in the Superliner fleet left when the Auto Train derailed in Florida in April. Amtrak has so starved itself of rolling stock by not fixing anything with even minor repairs necessary, that the Auto Train wreck took the company well below the minimum daily requirements necessary to run the national system.

   The Kentucky Cardinal, too, that runs as a section of the Cardinal, has also been converted to a single level operation.

   Overall, even though Florida lost sleepers and a diner on one of its three daily trains, this was not a bad decision to convert the Cardinal and use it’s Superliner equipment elsewhere.

4. The Wednesday, May 1st departure of the eastbound Sunset Limited from Los Angeles to Orlando saw the train leave the terminal without a single coach attendant for the train’s four coaches. Conductors and Assistant Conductors were the only crew available to assist the passengers with baggage and other needs. No one was available to clean and restock restrooms, keep garbage cans empty, or perform other necessary duties.

   The reason for this was the assigned crew member marked off the trip at the last moment, and crew management was unable to quickly find a replacement. Since the extra boards have been eliminated by Amtrak, it’s tough to come up with a willing worker quickly anymore. As the Northeast Corridor continues to be staffed by 11,000 employees, and national system trains have been cut to and beyond the bone, this is just another problem that David Gunn needs to address as quickly as possible. In the meantime, somebody’s grandmother is having to schlep her own bags and visit a less than pristine unisex restroom on a train that carries thousands of passengers annually.

5. The best travel bargain in Amtrak is still around, but it’s tough to find it. A South Florida confederate of your humble correspondent, who travels regularly between his Gold Coast home and Central Florida decided to purchase one of the Florida rail passes from Amtrak, with an annual fee of $249. For this modest amount of money, the bearer of the pass is entitled to unlimited unreserved coach travel on the Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Palmetto, and Sunset Limited anywhere those trains (and connecting Thruway motor coach connections) go within the state lines of Florida. It’s a great bargain, and is very popular with the few people who know about it, since Amtrak doesn’t have the money to promote the pass.

   When the gentlemen went to purchase his pass this week, he was delighted to discover that the pass has been put on sale for just $199. Too bad no one knows about this. There are a lot of empty trains south of Orlando that these passes would help to fill.

6. The Railroad Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee sent a love letter to Amtrak this week, approving legislation which, if passed as written, will provide Amtrak with $1.975 billion for FY 2003, $775 million more than Amtrak demanded through its attempted extortion program earlier this year when George Warrington was still with the company.

   While the subcommittee generously provided this money, many think it’s doubtful the bill will stay intact. If passed as is, Amtrak would receive about one fifth of the DOT appropriations available in the overall budget guidelines.

   Anyone believing that Amtrak will receive that huge chunk of the budget in a year that the Coast Guard is being beefed up and there are a myriad of transportation security concerns in every other form of transportation is probably whistling past the graveyard.

   Many believe, through one way or another, Amtrak may receive up to $1 billion before all of the shouting is over. Beyond that, most think it’s just not going to happen.

That’s it as we await the arrival next week of David Gunn. Here’s hoping he’s a man who believes that to be a success, he needs his own team surrounding him in the executive suite. As soon as he can clean out the upper layer of failed Amtrak management, the quicker he can advance a positive agenda for Amtrak.