The Aurora Group - a new rail advocacy group

[Amtrakfflyer]

https://api.neonemails.com/emails/content/-u-jXmXZ9gg2mIMvKkdRwh6hsQvCgC5_-9Z8ib-ZCPY=
Got this email today from a new Chairperson of RPA. The interesting point for me was her “shoutout” to George Chilson. No mention that he’s severing ties with RPA to start his own rail passenger advocacy group. Aurora Group is coming out of the gate swinging hard against Amtrak’s management it appears. Article in CA’s Steel Rails latest newsletter page 10.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

When anyone finds a link to this new group, can they post it, please?

I belong to RUN (Rail Ussr’s Network), but they are more about targeted local projects.

I would love to know more about a new national passenger rail advocacy group.

 

[TinCan782]

RailPac's "Steel Wheels" magazine just recently had this page in their third quarter issue. I first found this image on Facebook's "Friends of Amtrak La Plata" group.


https://secureservercdn.net/198.71....tent/uploads/2022/08/Steel-Wheels-2022.Q3.pdf

 

[Kimwhit]

https://api.neonemails.com/emails/content/-u-jXmXZ9gg2mIMvKkdRwh6hsQvCgC5_-9Z8ib-ZCPY=
Got this email today from a new Chairperson of RPA. The interesting point for me was her “shoutout” to George Chilson. No mention that he’s severing ties with RPA to start his own rail passenger advocacy group. Aurora Group is coming out of the gate swinging hard against Amtrak’s management it appears. Article in CA’s Steel Rails latest newsletter page 10.

Just a quick clarification...I serve on the RPA Southwest Council and George is quite active and leads our discussions...The work of theauroragroup.org is not in conflict imo

 

[jis]

Just a quick clarification...I serve on the RPA Southwest Council and George is quite active and leads our discussions...The work of theauroragroup.org is not in conflict imo

I agree. There has been a good collaborative relationship developing and the last info I have, George is still a member of RPA. I don’t know how these rumors start. I know folks in the Aurora Group from Florida are also in RPA except one.

 

[Kimwhit]

https://TheAuroraGroup.org

 

[railiner]

Doesn’t “United We Stand” enter into the mindset of passenger rail advocates?

Would’t a single focused large group speak with a louder voice, and have more clout, than splintered smaller groups when lobbying the decision makers?

Or has the “movement” suffered the same sort of splits that have plagued other organizations that have conflicting agendas, and/or ego’s of ambitious leaders?

Sad…

 

[jis]

Doesn’t “United We Stand” enter into the mindset of passenger rail advocates?

Would’t a single focused large group speak with a louder voice, and have more clout, than splintered smaller groups when lobbying the decision makers?

Or has the “movement” suffered the same sort of splits that have plagued other organizations that have conflicting agendas, and/or ego’s of ambitious leaders?

Sad…

Actually it is better to at least notionally have two cooperating in the background groups so that they can play good cop - bad cop more effectively. That is what is fortuitously starting to happen now, which IMHO is a good thing.

 

[user 14106]

I think different people have different styles, approaches to advocacy, and priorities. It can be tough in one organization for everyone to always see eye to eye on the best approach and in a big national advocacy group like RPA you have a lot of different priorities to balance. Ultimately I think in this case the two groups probably works better rather than the people who differ in their approach constantly butting heads and arguing. I am more in line with the approach the RPA takes but it's good to have a spot for those who prefer a more aggressive approach that’s kind of laser focused on long distance issues to be free to take that approach if that’s what they wish to do and I think there’s also room for overall cooperation on specific issues - after all most of us all have the same end goals in mind even if we may have differences on approach.

There are aspects of some of the stuff Aurora has put out that I don't agree with - particularly one document where I sensed what seemed to be *** for tat negativity towards northeast corridor services and one point that advocated taking equipment from other services for the benefit of western long distance - I personally don’t like the idea of pitting various services against each other. But I’m sure there are some that don’t agree with the more behind the scenes manner that RPA deals with Amtrak and would prefer a more aggressive tone. I’m sure there’s also people that don’t agree with my personal take on advocacy so it’s good for everyone who cares about these issues to have a place to make their voice heard in the manner they wish. And there are times that do come up (like what was going on with the southwest Chief bus proposal) where you do need to make some noise and sound the alarm as that can be important to raising awareness about certain issues that come up.

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

https://theauroragroup.org/

 

[Shanson]

Where is their list of officers?

 

[jis]

Where is their list of officers?

It is an LLC with the following officers:

George Chilson, Co- Chair, San Diego, California

James Tilley, Co-Chair, Jacksonville, Florida

George Chilson is a retired entrepreneur, former marketing
executive and Chairman Emeritus of the Rail Passengers
Association.

James Tilley is President of the Florida Coalition of Rail
Passengers and previously held the position of Vice
President-Car Management, Genesee & Wyoming Railroad
Services

James Tilley is also a member of the RPA Council representing Florida, like me.

I have no idea why this is not mentioned on the web site.

 

[cirdan]

I think different people have different styles, approaches to advocacy, and priorities. It can be tough in one organization for everyone to always see eye to eye on the best approach and in a big national advocacy group like RPA you have a lot of different priorities to balance. Ultimately I think in this case the two groups probably works better rather than the people who differ in their approach constantly butting heads and arguing.

I agree with this.

Also a single group being for or against something can easily be overlooked, but the concept of a coalition of different groups with different political cultures and priorities jointly getting behind an issue, and each pulling their own clout in their own way, is more difficult to sweep aside.

 

[Kimwhit]

Where is their list of officers?

On website says leadership - Co Chairs James Tilley and George Chilson