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I saw this article about US Senator Roger Wicker's comments at the dedication of Marks, MS new station stop on the CONO route.
Here is a quote: Wicker walked the coaches with members of the Southern Rail Commission, stopping to chat with travelers in their seats and the crew in the café car.
“I don’t think the general public understands how well this works and how well it can work,” Wicker says, adding, “I think Amtrak corporate leadership ought to get on a few routes like this and ride them every now and then. I’d like to see our new (Amtrak) board members do that. I think it will be an eye-opener. This is a vital service; if Amtrak were an airline, it would be the third largest.”
Asked if the interconnection between all the cities and towns involves more than just corridors, he said, “Absolutely.”
Wicker has been an active member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; although not on the appropriations committee, he and his staff have paid particular attention to Amtrak funding in general and efforts to bridge the relationships necessary to get funding for a station at Marks and restart service along the U.S. Gulf Coast, in particular.
“I think the (increased) level of funding speaks for itself,” he says. I think there is a view in Congress and on the committees that this is an efficient use of taxpayer dollars.”
When asked whether Amtrak management was committed to operating a national passenger rail network, Wicker replied, “I can’t speak to that. I will say they were willing — eventually — to listen to us. It took awhile, but here we are — and we’re smiling!”
Here is a quote: Wicker walked the coaches with members of the Southern Rail Commission, stopping to chat with travelers in their seats and the crew in the café car.
“I don’t think the general public understands how well this works and how well it can work,” Wicker says, adding, “I think Amtrak corporate leadership ought to get on a few routes like this and ride them every now and then. I’d like to see our new (Amtrak) board members do that. I think it will be an eye-opener. This is a vital service; if Amtrak were an airline, it would be the third largest.”
Asked if the interconnection between all the cities and towns involves more than just corridors, he said, “Absolutely.”
Wicker has been an active member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; although not on the appropriations committee, he and his staff have paid particular attention to Amtrak funding in general and efforts to bridge the relationships necessary to get funding for a station at Marks and restart service along the U.S. Gulf Coast, in particular.
“I think the (increased) level of funding speaks for itself,” he says. I think there is a view in Congress and on the committees that this is an efficient use of taxpayer dollars.”
When asked whether Amtrak management was committed to operating a national passenger rail network, Wicker replied, “I can’t speak to that. I will say they were willing — eventually — to listen to us. It took awhile, but here we are — and we’re smiling!”