Amtrak Watcher
Lead Service Attendant
The January 2003 edition of “IEEE Spectrum” magazine has a long, but very positive article on the advantages of passenger rail, the prospects for passenger rail in the U.S., Amtrak, and David Gunn, who is referred to as an “unsung hero.” “IEEE Spectrum” is a specialized magazine aimed at engineers, but is often available on larger news stands. The 4-page article, which starts on page 66, is a bit technical, but extremely positive on passenger rail. It has some sound, well-reasoned and disciplined arguments on many aspects of this complex subject. It is very critical of the situation in the U.S. as many comparisons are drawn with other regions of the world that make the U.S. look backward and silly. The opening banner reads…
“North America is facing a transportation crisis. Highways in urban areas are becoming more congested every year. Airlines are teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, clinging to bewildering fare strictures and otherwise alienating customers. Fuels still come from regions of the world that are potentially unstable. It’s time for North Americans to get serious about high speed rail.”
“North America is facing a transportation crisis. Highways in urban areas are becoming more congested every year. Airlines are teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, clinging to bewildering fare strictures and otherwise alienating customers. Fuels still come from regions of the world that are potentially unstable. It’s time for North Americans to get serious about high speed rail.”