Private company wants to run Missouri Amtrak svc

[Superliner Diner]

The state of Missouri is considering an offer from a St. Joseph company to take over Amtrak's passenger rail service from Kansas City to St. Louis.

The rest of the story is here.

 

[Superliner Diner]

Link to another story about the same issue.

 

[battalion51]

I don't know how I feel about the private industry running trains. For example I've ridden on Tri-Rail which is a Herzog run company, more than once I've found the trains to be dirty and understaffed. The only crew on board is a Conductor, Engineer, and ocasionally a security guard. The crew has a tendancy to stay in the cab car on the north end of the train (except for when the Engineer walks through to move to either the cab car or engine (but this is almost always done when no passengers are on board). It bothers myself and a quite a few of my friends that there is no AC or Fireman on these trains, what happens to this commuter that's running at 79 MPH if the Engineer has a heart attack? You plow into a car or another freakin train because you dont see a stop signal. This is just one failing of te private industry, I'm sure there are many more out there.

 

[AlanB]

It bothers myself and a quite a few of my friends that there is no AC or Fireman on these trains, what happens to this commuter that's running at 79 MPH if the Engineer has a heart attack? You plow into a car or another freakin train because you dont see a stop signal. This is just one failing of te private industry, I'm sure there are many more out there.

Well that's what the deadman’s feature is for, to stop a train whose engineer has been incapacitated.

The only crew on board is a Conductor, Engineer, and ocasionally a security guard. The crew has a tendancy to stay in the cab car on the north end of the train (except for when the Engineer walks through to move to either the cab car or engine (but this is almost always done when no passengers are on board).

On the other hand if that where the crew is, I have to wonder what happens to a passenger having a heart attack or similar life-threatening problem.

 

[battalion51]

On the other hand if that where the crew is, I have to wonder what happens to a passenger having a heart attack or similar life-threatening problem.

Wait wait, am I having visions of Boston?

 

[AlanB]

On the other hand if that where the crew is, I have to wonder what happens to a passenger having a heart attack or similar life-threatening problem.

Wait wait, am I having visions of Boston?

Hey it could sadly happen anywhere at anytime. So it has to be something that any transit company worries about.

 

[tubaallen]

It bothers myself and a quite a few of my friends that there is no AC or Fireman on these trains, what happens to this commuter that's running at 79 MPH if the Engineer has a heart attack? You plow into a car or another freakin train because you dont see a stop signal. This is just one failing of te private industry, I'm sure there are many more out there.

Well that's what the deadman’s feature is for, to stop a train whose engineer has been incapacitated.

Yes, and besides, that's the way Amtrak has been doing it for a while anyway. Not to mention commuter companies like our Metra.

 

[battalion51]

Wait wait whoa whoa, are you suggesting Amtrak does not run with a Fireman or an AC? If that's what you are saying, you're way off. Almost all routes run with both an AC and a Fireman. Routes I can think of that break this rule are the 89/90 run between JAX and LAK and JAX and FLO because of the crappy hours, so they run with no Fireman.

 

[AlanB]

I can't speak to other routes, but I know that the City of NOL runs with no fireman. At least from NOL to Jackson, MS. The engineer for my train told me that personally.

I also seem to recall either Arizona or New Mexico trying to sue Amtrak to force them to have an engineer and a fireman when traveling through their state. The courts told them that they have no jurisdiction over the RR and that only the FRA can enforce such a rule.

 

[battalion51]

I would say it's safe to say most primarily daylight routes on the intercity system run with a Fireman. But when you think about it, it should be the other way around since accidents are more likely to occur at night.

 

[AlanB]

I would say it's safe to say most primarily daylight routes on the intercity system run with a Fireman. But when you think about it, it should be the other way around since accidents are more likely to occur at night.

Well again, the City of NOL runs with just an engineer and no fireman out of NOL. It leaves at 1:55 PM and the first crew change comes at Jackson, MS. The train arrives there at 5:44, which except for a few months in the winter is not after dark.

Officially night starts at 6:00 PM, so I would have to disagree that it's not safe to say that all intercity trains run with a fireman in daylight.

 

[tubaallen]

You're right, that there is an AC probably 90-95% of the time. But I guarantee that there is NO Asst. Engineer (a.k.a. fireman) about 90-95% of the time. The only exceptions are the states that have ruled that there must be one...which are not many. Trust me on this...I worked all over the board over the summer.

 

[battalion51]

But I guarantee that there is NO Asst. Engineer (a.k.a. fireman) about 90-95% of the time. The only exceptions are the states that have ruled that there must be one...which are not many.

Wait now, remember this post that Alan made...

I also seem to recall either Arizona or New Mexico trying to sue Amtrak to force them to have an engineer and a fireman when traveling through their state. The courts told them that they have no jurisdiction over the RR and that only the FRA can enforce such a rule.

 

[tubaallen]

Eh, so maybe I don't know about that. But what I do know is that the majority of the time, there is only one person up in that cab. I rode with one of them last summer.