Re: #Why Amtrak is dying when we need it the most?

On Jun 21, 2:50 pm, Kurt Lochner <kurt_loch...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
wrote:
> "senile, craven" <semencan...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> sniveled and whined:
>
>
>
>
>
> > 4095 Dead remarked upon:
>
> > > The rolling stock of the New York City subway system consists of
more
> > > than 6,400 cars.
>
> > > Amtrak, by contrast, only has 632 usable cars in operation.
>
> > > For the entire country.
>
> > > Just ... wow.
>
> > > Details from the New York Times article.
>
> > > The problem is that rail has shriveled. The number of "passenger
> > > miles" traveled on intercity rail has dropped by about two-thirds
> > > since 1960, and the companies that build rail cars and locomotives
> > > have also shrunk, making it hard to expand.
>
> > > ...
>
> > > Today Amtrak has 632 usable rail cars, and dozens more are worn out
or
> > > damaged but could be reconditioned and put into service at a cost of
> > > several hundred thousand dollars each.
>
> > > And it needs to buy new rail cars soon. Its Amfleet cars, the ones
> > > recognizable to riders as the old Metroliners, are more than 30
years
> > > old. And the Acela trains, which have been operating about eight
> > > years, have about a million miles on them.
>
> >...and yet it's all they need.. why should they have more.. nobody
> >rides the damned things anyway.
>
> Prove it..
>
> --Bloviations of the past come back to haunt now..
> _____________________________________________________________________
>
> "I never made any claims I couldn't back up...."
>  --Canyon <stevencan...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Wed, 26 Feb 2003 17:11:30 GMT
>
> "I don't need to back anything up, you moron, cause unlike
>  yourself, my self image is not dependent on what others
>  think about me."
>  --Canyon <parkie_u_w...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Wed, 26 Feb 2003 19:59:42 GMT
>
> "I have no need to demonstrate what I know,[..]"
>  "MY self image is very secure...."
>  --Steven Canyon <G...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Tue, 13 Aug 2002 13:57:10 GMT
>
> "[..] my ego isn't even slightly effected by what others
>  might think of me."
>  --Canyon <stevencan...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Wed, 26 Feb 2003 17:08:28 GMT

I recall very specifically that McCain wanted to cut all Amtrak
funding one year.  Am not sure if it speaks for an inherent dislike of
publicly funded mass trans****t or if there was some specific issue at
the time, but in my experience, a threat or an action to cut off all
funding and let a form of vital ttrans****tation die is one of the
reasons I might not vote for him, no matter how much I dislike the
alternatives.
Everyone is focusing on oil/gas, but we should be focusing on
restoring mass transit between cities and within.  There are systems
that might be able to be restored if the rail tracks are still there.
One of the problems is that years ago when Senator Spector and others
promoted the frieght Conrail systems, the passenger services went
downhill.  Owner****p of the tracks is with the freight company and the
passenger service is second priority.  There is no money in promoting
mass transit for eleccted public officials.  They get their campaign
monies and other goodies from promoting the highway systems used by
truckers and built by cement lobby, and promoted by tourism, trade
industries and your friendly AAA and gas companies.  The ppublic is
always at the bottom of the barrel, and apparently McCain knows where
to get his campaign money from.  So, years ago, when I and others
fought for mass transit over the hi9ghway systems, we were villified,
phones tapped, investigators infilitrating citizen organizations, new
and unusual tax audits.  So, as long as we allow the officials to play
this game, we will continue in the same path.  My bet is that Nader
will effect more change in this area than the others.
Keep on the need for more public and mass transit.
best to all,
Villa Rosa