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Dec 10, 1970.
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AMTRAK REQUIREMENT TO HAUL EXPRESS
MAY BE RESCINDED
In the recently-signed legislation continuing Amtrak funding for another year, the requirement was written in that Amtrak must increase its hauling of premium freight, done largely in conjunction with ExpressTrak. That company is now in bankruptcy, and Amtrak earlier under president Gunn decided that hauling this freight was not worth the effort, as it was not a profitable enterprise and was slowing and interfering with Amtrak's prime mission, to carry passengers. The NY Times seems to have uncovered a bit of a scandal in finding that Congressman Knollenberg (R-Mich.) inserted that piece of legislation in the Amtrak funding bill in order to help out ExpressTrak, a donor to his political efforts. Consequently, said the Times, Knollenberg said he will
work to reverse that piece of legislation. Amtrak advocates saw the Knollenberg
insertion as another example of micromanaging Amtrak to its detriment.
But other examples of micromanagement remain in the bill, one of the worst
being that Amtrak is being sharply restricted in its freedom to offer discount
fares, a practice that other transportation modes are allowed to use, and
one that improves Amtrak's bottom line by filling trains at slow travel
times.
DAVID GUNN HIRED BY THINK TANK Former Amtrak president David Gunn has been hired by the conservative Free Congress Foundation, chaired by Paul Weyrich. Weyrich has been an effective advocate for Amtrak and public transit, although many conservatives express opposition to these transportation modes. It would appear that Gunn, himself a Republican, has an
opportunity to generate further support for Amtrak among conservative lawmakers.
AMTRAK AND THE THREE DAVIDS The three Davids are on the minds of most rail advocates these days: the fired Amtrak President David Gunn, Amtrak Board Chairman David Laney, and Gunn's temporary replacement as President, David Hughes. They form a big question mark in advocates' minds because of lack of outside information about their activities, plans and motives. The first question is why was David Gunn fired? It was widely recognized
that he was the best thing that had happened to Amtrak in its existence.
Even if his firing would not have an effect upon the future course of Amtrak
operations, it seemed unwise from a public relations standpoint because
of the appearance of Amtrak being cavalier in discarding such an effective
leader.
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