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   Amtrak's Arrow reservations computer was almost totally not functioning from Friday evening until Saturday afternoon, Eastern time. As a result also, certain functions such as reservations were not available on Amtrak's Web site. 

   This problem evidently created some loss in patronage, and in addition some trains had no manifests, or lists of passengers, available, so that crews did not know whom to expect boarding at stations. 

   There were no computer-generated tickets issued at stations while the computers were out. This meant that anyone showing up at stations
intending to purchase or pick up tickets, could not use the Quik-Trak machines. It also meant that ticket agents could not use the computers to check reservations, fares, or anything else.

   Everything was ticketed on those old-type, red-carbon-paper multiform book tickets,
where the agent has to fill in exactly the right information in little boxes using a ballpoint pen, pressing down HARD to make seven carbon
copies, with fares and charges looked up in a tariff book, the way it USED to be done. 

   No business class upgrades were issued at some
stations; due to the workload; the Conductors had to sell the upgrades on board, and some of them were working alone...no Assistant Conductor...because of an unfilled job vacancy or day-off without an extra board employee being called.
   
   One train Saturday would have simply been cancelled due to no crew, because
both the Conductor and Assistant Conductor were off, except that an employee who had arranged to take that Conductor job CALLED Crew Management and told them to put him on the job. Crew Management had simply quit working to fill vacant jobs when the computers went out.
Source: Gene Poon.

RailPAC endorses Amtrak-Laney funding proposal with reservations
  The Rail Passenger Association of California's board of directors on June 4 issued the following endorsement:

I.  ENDORSEMENT

    In the interest of national security and the provision of alternate forms of transportation, RailPAC endorses, with some reservations,  the "Amtrak Strategic Reform Initiatives and FY06 Grant Request," calling for "rebuilding America's Passenger Rail System," as submitted to the Congress by the Amtrak Board of Directors, its Chairman David Laney, and President David Gunn in April, 2005.
 (See complete article here)
   
Sources of hostility to Amtrak funding: Analysis

AMTRAK VERSUS MINETA IN MONTANA: THE STRANGE BATTLE OVER THE EMPIRE BUILDER
 
 
 
 
 
 

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DOT'S MINETA HARASSING AMTRAK &  AMTRAK'S REPLY TO THE MINETA LETTER
NARP: DOT OVERSTATES LONG DISTANCE TRAIN PRICE TAG BY $600 MILLION
SENATE HEARING UNDERLINES AMTRAK FUNDING CRUNCH; LONG-DISTANCE TRAINS NOT THE PROBLEM
The shape of long distance trains to come.
AMTRAK HEARINGS BEGIN; AMTRAK SUBMITS BUDGET REQUEST
MESSAGE FROM AMTRAK PRESIDENT DAVID GUNN TO EMPLOYEES APRIL 18 ON THE ACELA EXPRESS PROBLEM
FRA NOMINEE FACES SENATE COMMITTEE, SAYS AMTRAK'S BUDGET WILL NOT BE ZERO
EMPIRE BUILDER DERAILMENT BELIEVED CAUSED BY TRACK PROBLEM
COLORADO HIT BY MASSIVE SNOW STORM--TRAINS CONTINUE RUNNING
AMTRAK APRIL 25 SCHEDULE CHANGES
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