Southwest Chief News & Future Operations

[Anthony V]

I wonder if this news would have any effect on efforts to finance the installation of PTC on the Rail Runner line, for better or worse. Tell me what you think.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1194626/rail-runner-gets-new-payment-plan.html

 

[bretton88]

I wonder if this news would have any effect on efforts to finance the installation of PTC on the Rail Runner line, for better or worse. Tell me what you think.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1194626/rail-runner-gets-new-payment-plan.html

My guess is not. NM will just redirect the money saved to roads. The state is responsible for paying the construction bonds, but Rio Metro is responsible for operation and upkeep of Railrunner. Being that one of the reasons they used for backing out of the raton line purchase was "we won't have money for road upkeep!" I would be surprised if they diverted anymore money to Railrunner.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

There is a Fire Anderson petition on change.orhlg

Most interesting. Can you copy and paste a URL that would take us directly there?
Regards,

FMC

https://www.change.org/p/amtrak-have-richard-airline-ceo-anderson-removed-as-ceo-of-amtrak

 

[KmH]

Amtrak improved QoS to the point Santa Fe allowed Amtrak to call the train the Southwest Chief.

 

[railiner]

Amtrak improved QoS to the point Santa Fe allowed Amtrak to call the train the Southwest Chief.

That's true, but if John S. Reed, (RIP), was still around today, bet they would take back the name again....

 

[cpotisch]

Amtrak improved QoS to the point Santa Fe allowed Amtrak to call the train the Southwest Chief.

That's true, but if John S. Reed, (RIP), was still around today, bet they would take back the name again....

If the CL or LSL were called the "Capitol Chief" or the "Lake Shore Chief," I'm sure he would claw his way out of his grave and deal with Anderson personally.

 

[MikefromCrete]

Amtrak improved QoS to the point Santa Fe allowed Amtrak to call the train the Southwest Chief.

That's true, but if John S. Reed, (RIP), was still around today, bet they would take back the name again....

Reed was probably the last railroad CEO to give a crap about passenger trains.

 

[railiner]

Amtrak improved QoS to the point Santa Fe allowed Amtrak to call the train the Southwest Chief.

That's true, but if John S. Reed, (RIP), was still around today, bet they would take back the name again....

Reed was probably the last railroad CEO to give a crap about passenger trains.

He certainly was among a small handful...such as William T. Rice (SCL)...both of those gentlemen languished hard over the eventual bottom line decision to 'join Amtrak'...

 

[fredmcain]

There is a Fire Anderson petition on change.orhlg

Most interesting. Can you copy and paste a URL that would take us directly there?
Regards,

FMC

https://www.change.org/p/amtrak-have-richard-airline-ceo-anderson-removed-as-ceo-of-amtrak

Thank you ! BUT! ! ! ! Will this really help? I'd be glad to take a chance and sign it but I'm reluctant if it's just a gimmick. I seem to recall that change dot org was heavily involved in a lot of controversy a few years ago - I think they wanted to get George "Dubya" Bush out or something, didn't they? Can't remember exactly anymore but I do vaguely seem to remember that their efforts didn't go very far.

Regards,

Fred M. Cain

 

[fredmcain]

cpotisch, on 10 Jul 2018 - 3:33 PM, said: "Nah, those stayed on the Southwest Limited (which finally drags the thread kinda sorta back on-topic)."

Here, here! I second the hint. Which leads me to the question, has anybody heard anything on the Southwest Chief issues the last few days? I have been "Googling" on Google news looking for items but found none.

The last substantial development I was able to find involved Senator Heinrich from New Mexico from about June 22nd, I think it was. Supposedly he was considering new legislation that would protect the Chief. I e-mailed him for more info but he did not respond. (No real surprise there since I'm not a New Mexico resident.)

Anybody have any good updates?

Regards,

Fred M. Dain

 

[railiner]

I too wonder about the value of those online petitions....

I wonder how many signatures on one of those, would equal the visit by an advocate to the office of their senator or representative to voice their concern, even if only to a staff member?

 

[cpotisch]

cpotisch, on 10 Jul 2018 - 3:33 PM, said: "Nah, those stayed on the Southwest Limited (which finally drags the thread kinda sorta back on-topic)."

Actually that was RPC...

Nah, those stayed on the Southwest Limited (which finally drags the thread kinda sorta back on-topic).

 

[fredmcain]

cpotisch, on 10 Jul 2018 - 3:33 PM, said: "Nah, those stayed on the Southwest Limited (which finally drags the thread kinda sorta back on-topic)."

Actually that was RPC...

Nah, those stayed on the Southwest Limited (which finally drags the thread kinda sorta back on-topic).

Ah, well, whatever. I thought it was a good point in any event - and tactfully made at that.

But! Anybody heard any new Chief news?

Regards,

Fred M. Cain

 

[cpotisch]

cpotisch, on 10 Jul 2018 - 3:33 PM, said: "Nah, those stayed on the Southwest Limited (which finally drags the thread kinda sorta back on-topic)."

Actually that was RPC...

Nah, those stayed on the Southwest Limited (which finally drags the thread kinda sorta back on-topic).

Ah, well, whatever. I thought it was a good point in any event - and tactfully made at that.

But! Anybody heard any new Chief news?

Regards,

Fred M. Cain

Yeah, it's no big deal. As to Chief news, if anyone learns anything new that is of note, I'm sure they'll post it, so we'll all have to just be patient.

 

[looshi]

I heard from a friend that Amtrak cancelled the assistant conductor position he had applied to out of the La Junta crewbase. That's probably not a good sign.

 

[Seaboard92]

I remember reading a story once a out an Illinois Central engineer once who on a twenty to thirty mile downgrade that was fairly straight looked at his fireman and said lets see what these e units can do. And they had it going about 113. So yeah it's possible to coax a locomotive up that high.

 

[jis]

Their governor was supposedly set for 116mph.

 

[bretton88]

Watch Colorado in this drama, there's a few interesting counter-ideas they're bouncing around, none of which might come to fruition. What I can say is they're pushing hard for a La Junta terminus if this breakup comes to pass. Colorado has an interesting bargaining position and may try to see what they can do with it.

 

[jis]

Does La Junta actually mean Pueblo? [emoji848]

 

[KmH]

No. It actually means "the joint" or "the meeting".

 

[jis]

It could eventually mean Denver [emoji12]

 

[bretton88]

I'm going to say my own opinion on this: it makes a lot of sense for Colorado to push for a Colorado terminus. Even La Junta leaves options open for Colorado to work with Amtrak on service alternatives/possibilities. A Dodge City terminus for the Chief is not nearly as useful to Colorado.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Rest assured NARP/RPA is on this...

Sign the Southwest Chief Petition!

https://www.railpassengers.org/happening-now/news/blog/add-your-name-to-the-save-the-southwest-chief-petition/

 

[DSS&A]

Thanks!! I signed it today and forwarded it to others. Please pass this link to as many people as possible.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Anderson wasn't hired so "hundreds of people" could tell him "how to run a railroad". He was hired to tell hundreds of railroaders how to run a passenger transportation business. Emphasis on "business". He seems to be doing a good job of it.

It should not be a business. It is an amenity of a civilized country.

Well said. National passenger rail as a conventional business ended on A-Day. Passenger rail as a profit center ended long before that. Amtrak today is no more a profit driven business than I-10 or the FAA.

There is a Fire Anderson petition on change.orhlg

Most interesting. Can you copy and paste a URL that would take us directly there? Regards, FMC

https://www.change.org/p/amtrak-have-richard-airline-ceo-anderson-removed-as-ceo-of-amtrak

Thank you ! BUT! ! ! ! Will this really help? I'd be glad to take a chance and sign it but I'm reluctant if it's just a gimmick. I seem to recall that change dot org was heavily involved in a lot of controversy a few years ago - I think they wanted to get George "Dubya" Bush out or something, didn't they? Can't remember exactly anymore but I do vaguely seem to remember that their efforts didn't go very far.

The while point of signing a petition is to join forces with strangers who share a common goal or concern. Nobody is promising that they'll never disagree with you on any other issue. Keep in mind that George "Dubya" Bush submitted budget proposals with zero dollars for Amtrak. If Congress had followed his lead Amtrak wouldn't even be here for Anderson to mess with. Luckily for you George probably doesn't read Change.org and has no idea who you are.