Allen Dee
Lead Service Attendant
The case for a new, improved Amtrak
by Peter A. Picknelly, an executive of Peter Pan Bus Lines
This a cross-post from the Yahoo! Amtrak Group.
Here's a link to the story:
http://www.metro-magazine.com/t_featpick.c...cfm?id=90508780
As usual, I would like to add my own pithy comments.
Although his statistical figures appear to be accurate, Mr. Picknelly, as countless others before him have, claims that Amtrak can be operated profitably. No other intercity passenger rail system in the world can operate at a profit, so why should Amtrak be held to that level of accountability?
His statistics are today's figures.
Let's take a look back to the early 1970s, when Amtrak was in its infancy, operating hand-me-down, worn-out equipment inherited from the freight railroads.
Most of the airlines were financially healthy. Most of the intercity bus companies were financially healthy. Many of the freight railroads were failing. The domino effect of the highway lobbyists had not yet completely trashed our total transportation infrastructure.
At the time, Greyhound controlled 70% of the intercity bus industry. Greyhound transported more passengers than all of the airlines combined and generated more passenger-miles than any single airline.
None of these statistics apply today.
Most of the major airlines are bankrupt, save for a few of the low-cost carriers like Southwest and Jetblue. Many trucking companies have since gone out of business, Consolidated Freightways is a good example. Greyhound is rapidly shrinking. Peter Pan's only saving grace is that they are located in the highly-populated Northeast. The remaining freight railroads are so overwhelmed with traffic that they are unable or unwilling to yield to the occasional Amtrak train. Many of Amtrak's routes are experiencing record-breaking ridership. Had it not been for the Acela failure, the Northeast Corridor would be in much better shape today.
Many of the highways and bridges in America are literally falling apart. The highway lobby let us down!
by Peter A. Picknelly, an executive of Peter Pan Bus Lines
This a cross-post from the Yahoo! Amtrak Group.
Here's a link to the story:
http://www.metro-magazine.com/t_featpick.c...cfm?id=90508780
As usual, I would like to add my own pithy comments.
Although his statistical figures appear to be accurate, Mr. Picknelly, as countless others before him have, claims that Amtrak can be operated profitably. No other intercity passenger rail system in the world can operate at a profit, so why should Amtrak be held to that level of accountability?
His statistics are today's figures.
Let's take a look back to the early 1970s, when Amtrak was in its infancy, operating hand-me-down, worn-out equipment inherited from the freight railroads.
Most of the airlines were financially healthy. Most of the intercity bus companies were financially healthy. Many of the freight railroads were failing. The domino effect of the highway lobbyists had not yet completely trashed our total transportation infrastructure.
At the time, Greyhound controlled 70% of the intercity bus industry. Greyhound transported more passengers than all of the airlines combined and generated more passenger-miles than any single airline.
None of these statistics apply today.
Most of the major airlines are bankrupt, save for a few of the low-cost carriers like Southwest and Jetblue. Many trucking companies have since gone out of business, Consolidated Freightways is a good example. Greyhound is rapidly shrinking. Peter Pan's only saving grace is that they are located in the highly-populated Northeast. The remaining freight railroads are so overwhelmed with traffic that they are unable or unwilling to yield to the occasional Amtrak train. Many of Amtrak's routes are experiencing record-breaking ridership. Had it not been for the Acela failure, the Northeast Corridor would be in much better shape today.
Many of the highways and bridges in America are literally falling apart. The highway lobby let us down!
