Letters to Senators from WI Assn of Railroad Passengers (From a Facebook Amtrak group)

[amtkstn]

This is the letter sent from the Wisconsin Association of Railroad Passengers (thank to Terry Brown for drafting) to our Senators. If you live in Wisconsin please send it to Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson adding your support to WisARP. If elsewhere edit accordingly and send to your representatives.

“I reach out to you today to encourage your support for Amtrak in any COVID-19 relief measure you may pass. It is also requested you contain relief for State Partners including the State of Wisconsin for the coming months.

As of February 2020, Amtrak was breaking revenue and ridership records nationwide and was trending towards a historic net-zero operating loss. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, losses for Amtrak service systemwide are currently projected to reach $1B this year.

Amtrak is doing its best to minimize harms to customers, employees, and our many partners. However, without congressional help, the following outcomes are likely:

Layoffs

Even more drastic service reductions and suspensions, and

A post-pandemic Amtrak that will look very different from the Amtrak we knew as little as one month ago.

Amtrak serves and employs your constituents directly in the State of Wisconsin, primarily with the Hiawatha service and the Empire Builder.

Please ensure that Amtrak receives the immediate emergency relief it needs to protect your constituents and continue serving tens of millions of Americans long into the future.

As I type, the COVID-19 pandemic had already led to,

A 90 percent reduction in ridership, including the Hiawatha service,

An 85% year-over-year reduction in future bookings,

Significant reductions in service for number of cars on trains and number of trains, including reducing the Hiawatha to one train daily each direction, down from seven trains daily.

Reduced hours for many employees, and

Painful salary and retirement plan cuts for many other employees, including hourly paid employees.

Residents in many of the communities served by the Empire Builder may have no other effective option for intercity travel.

Passenger rail is vitally important to connect the clusters of cities in which Americans increasingly live; limiting the ever-growing congestion on our roads and interstates; and reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change.”

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Its tough for a lot of people right now. Not just Amtrak employees.

As of this past Monday, my kid's hours were reduced from 8, per day, to just 2, per day. As of this past Friday, he was fully laid off. So yes, the COVID-19 pandemic is painful for him too.

Please remember him, when you write your Senators.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Its tough for a lot of people right now. Not just Amtrak employees.

As of this past Monday, my kid's hours were reduced from 8, per day, to just 2, per day. As of this past Friday, he was fully laid off. So yes, the COVID-19 pandemic is painful for him too.

Please remember him, when you write your Senators.

Everyone who's not a Millionaire will need plenty of help during this crisis!

Special attention and care needs to be paid to Education,Medical operations,those with children @ home, the Homeless, the elderly on fixed incomes and Gig Workers!

No Corporate Bailouts should be happening on our Dime, Low interest Loans are plentiful and most Corporations have plenty of Cash! ,( especially to Non-American Companies like Cruise Ships come to mind, NOT a Necessity!)

The Financial help should go First to those OUT of WORK, no matter what their job.

Reputable Economists are saying that the Bill's passed so far are a Start, that as much as $10 Trillion Dollars in assistance to workers and Smsll Businesses will be needed till were back in our feet and this crisis is over!

Let your Congress Critters and Senators know, they shouldn't be going home next week feeling their work is done and tell the Whitd House to get off their Duffs and Lead, even if means they have to be "Shipping Clerks!"!