CA brings fight with Amtrak to Congress

[jis]

Responses to a couple of points mentioned above.

NCDOT got a FRA grant earlier this year to replace their rebuilt, but old, cars.

I have heard a rumor that they are seriously considering tacking onto the Amtrak Amfleet I replacement order if they can work things out.

Keolis and Bombardier are foreign (European) owned.

Bombardier is a Canadian multinational, not European.

Keolis is based in Paris, 70% owned by SNCF and 30% by the Quebec Deposit and Investment Fund.

 

[nti1094]

Some interesting reporting from the Trains magazine News Wire:
https://trn.trains.com/news/news-wi...on-with-operators-of-state-supported-services
Trains also has copies of the letter to congress and Gardner's snippy response.

If you closely follow the California state-sponsored services, this fight over Amtrak's opaque accounting practices is nothing new.

What is interesting is the head of the San Joaquin has been less afraid to "say the quiet part out loud" (Amtrak employs questionable accounting when it comes to state-sponsored services) and this marks the second time she's been willing to air that grievance in public (she also testified to Congress about a year ago).

Also new is that the heads of the Pacific Surfliner and Capitol Corridor are going on the record in support of the complaint about Amtrak's accounting.

This will not go well for Amtrak if they are not careful! If you have time, google her congressional testimony. Listen to her comparison of Herzog and Amtrak.

 

[nti1094]

The state agencies can always take over the operation of their trains themselves, or hire another contractor, if they don’t like the way Amtrak charges them, right?

They are already looking into contracting. Stacey is head of both the San Joaquins and ACE train. She said Herzog (who runs ACE) actually returns money at the end of the year if the cone in under budget. And for 5 years they have. Amtrak, the exact opposite