United Rail Passenger Alliance

Vol. 1, No. 7 - October 14, 2004

1. It’s often true that no good deed goes unpunished. Amtrak is the good deed doer in this case, allowing the Rx Express to run between Miami and Toronto. The Rx Express is a media stunt, consisting of two private cars hooked on the back of the Silver Meteor and the Adirondack, carrying a contingent of senior citizens in a quest to garner publicity about the U.S. government prohibition against the importation of prescription drugs from Canada. The charge by the organizers of the Rx Express is that Amtrak is not letting them talk to the press along the way (only north of New York City), thus denying the group its opportunity at all the publicity it can garner in its quest to break federal law.

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Vol. 1, No. 6 - October 06, 2004

1. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has politely declined to be held up by Amtrak for an annual subsidy of $2.5 million to keep the Three Rivers train running. PennDOT has said the cost is too rich for the Commonwealth’s coffers, in addition to already paying for the Keystone Service. (more…)

Vol. 1, No. 5 - September 30, 2004

1. Amtrak is a business, not a tool of social engineering. Amtrak for too long has been bedeviled by starry-eyed leaders who thought it was either a huge federal jobs program or transportation necessity. Neither is true. One academic has even suggested that it’s essential for Amtrak to provide low cost transportation to the public. Not true, either. If Amtrak is to become healthy and survive into the future, it must be both thought of as a business, and run like a business. As long as it depends on federal handouts, it will always be in danger of collapse.
2. Amtrak President and CEO David Gunn is not the savior of Amtrak, and when the history books are written, will not be regarded as Amtrak’s best president, as many now proclaim. Even though he started off with a bang and did excellent work cleaning up after his predecessor, he does not have the vision to make Amtrak a true participant in a national transportation network. Mr. Gunn has a political tin ear, likes drama too much, and is far too focused on the NEC while ignoring the national system, which early in his stewardship he declared would be maintained, but not expanded. Actually, Mr. Gunn has continually presided over cuts to the national system and services such as the loss of dining and sleeping cars, as well as routes. (more…)

Vol. 1, No. 4 - September 22, 2004

1. Memo to Amtrak: Today is the first day of Fall, meaning the beginning of cold weather. Please note, that very, very soon, the weather will turn freezing in Northern states, including Illinois. Therefore, cars in the Chicago yards will be subject to sleet, snow, and constant freezing conditions. This is not a ‘maybe’ situation, this is a ‘certain’ situation. Do not insult us all again this year with the excuse that ‘it’s one of the coldest winters we’ve experienced lately.’ That excuse is not viable. Winter is coming, plan for it, including making sure that all rolling stock, motive power, and switches are ready for inclement weather. All of this equipment was designed to work in both warm and freezing environments; it’s a matter of planned maintenance, not pure luck that keeps this equipment working in all weather conditions. (more…)

Vol. I, No. 3 - September 16, 2004

1. Good news from our Canadian cousins: Peter Armstrong’s Great Canadian Railtour Company, operator of Rocky Mountaineer Railtours in Western Canada has been selected by Canadian National Railway Company to operate passenger rail service over CN’s newly acquired BC Rail in British Columbia.Previously BC Rail operated a rail diesel car train between North Vancouver and Prince George, considered by many to be the most spectacular scenic route in North America. On an interesting note, part of the new service will take GCRC trains over a part of the VIA Rail Canada route between Prince George and Jasper, Alberta, the route of VIA’s Skeena, which runs from Jasper to Prince Rupert on the BC coast, a stop on the Alaska Marine Highway. Full scale operations are scheduled to begin in 2006.

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Vol. I, No. - September 03, 2004

1. Sad, but, true, Amtrak is using the occasion of the end of its mail and express business to hack away at the national system.

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Vol. 1, No. 1 - September 01, 2004

1. Amtrak President and CEO David L. Gunn issued a special employee advisory on Friday, August 27th notifying company employees the railroad is exiting the mail and express business by early October. (more…)

Andrew C. Selden, President, Minnesota Association of Railroad Passengers; to the

National Railway Historical Society,
Minneapolis, MN
July 2, 2004

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