2001 news archives

Photo gallery

Subscription info

Rail gift shop

Rail Travel News is a twice-monthly print publication, published since Dec 10, 1970.
Publisher: Message Media Company,
PO Box 9007,
Berkeley CA 94709.
Website copyright © 1997-2005 by Message Media Co.

Contact us
Site map

June 13, 2005.

Dear Amtrak Co-workers,

Let me address two subjects that were in the news last week.

First, progress is being made on the Acela problem and there's reason to believe that the manufacturer will have approved brake rotors soon. This means we may have the first of the trains coming back next month; but only gradually. When we have a real operating plan in place, I will let you know.

Some of you have told me you were surprised by the congressional hearing last week on the subject of Amtrak's food and beverage service.
While some of the criticism about our food service is fair, some of the testimony by JayEtta Hecker of the GAO was false, and Bill Crosbie did a nice rebuttal job at the hearing. At the suggestion of several employees, I've asked that the GAO's testimony and a strictly factual rebuttal be sent to you. Look for it shortly.

Nevertheless, there are some things that we are doing to better manage our food and beverage costs. First and foremost, the current contract is
a bad one, and it's not going to be renewed as it is.

But front-line employees can help decrease our losses. Too often I hear that cafés are not opening for the first 30 minutes of a trip or [they are] closing early, and especially around meal times that can mean hundreds of dollars in sales.

Let me also ask that conductors and LSAs remember to make announcements about the café car; we want to encourage sales, and every little effort helps.

I was saddened by the GAO's intimation that food service can be delivered by employees making minimum wage. That kind of talk is unfair
to our employees. They don't know what they are talking about.

Ignore comments like that. Continue to do your job well, treat our  passengers with respect and kindness and see to it they have an
enjoyable trip.

Sincerely,

/s/ David L. Gunn
Source: Gene Poon, Amtrak

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
 
 
 
 
 
 

Cover of forthcoming issue

Subscribe today!
For new subscribers
Renewing subscribers
To subscribe by US Mail
Request sample copy

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
Join or donate to the National Association of Railroad Passengers.
Site map