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Index to recent news postings Rail Travel News is a twice-monthly print publication, published since
Dec 10, 1970.
Many more
items have been added at
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 EVACUATION IN TODAY'S TRANSPORTATION MONOCULTURE
"An evacuation plan via Amtrak train for New Orleans residents
trapped by Hurricane Katrina's devastation and floodwaters is being worked
out..."
At one time, this already would have been underway, thanks to
the reserve fleet of semi-retired railroad passenger cars that were parked
in yards
In today's lean and mean environment, years of cutbacks have
left the U.S. and Canada without a reserve, as every car that can be put
in service is
Similarly, cutbacks in the scheduled intercity bus system have decimated the organizational structure that once reached into small towns with managements that were capable of handling major emergencies. Charter bus specialists dominate the industry today, and economics prevent them from staffing with the much-despised "middle managers" who were counted on in past emergencies to organize military movements and relief operations. In today's transportation monoculture, with a few exceptions,
if you can't evacuate yourself in your own or a stolen car through jammed
traffic, you'll
AMTRAK MAY HELP EVACUATE NOL Amtrak president David Gunn and Mayor John Robert Smith of Meridian MS were reported on Aug 31 to be in talks to work out an evacuation plan by Amtrak train for trapped residents of the Gulf Coast following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Senators Trent Lott of MS and Mary Landrieu of LA were also involved in the planning. The plan would have to be approved by FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Three lines might be used: the UP and CN to the west, the
NS and the Crescent line towards NY.
EFFECTS OF HURRICANE KATRINA UPON LOUISIANA (Aug 29) With hurricane Katrina approaching New Orleans, all rail service to and from that city was suspended on Saturday, August 27. Amtrak moved its equipment out of New Orleans on an evacuation train of 20 cars, believed to be destined for Memphis. About a million residents evacuated New Orleans on Sunday August 28, mostly by highway. As of Sunday night the storm was still at the Category 5 level. New Orleans has not been hit directly by a hurricane in forty years, and Louisiana has never before been hit by a hurricane of this magnitude. Unless some drastic change in the storm's path occurs,
which seems unlikely, rail operations will be devastated in the area, and
passenger and freight rail service might not resume for weeks. Click
here to view Amtrak's plans for modified service as a result of the
storm.
AMTRAK LAUNCHES UPGRADED EMPIRE BUILDER STARLIGHT TO EMPIRE BUILDER CONNECTION ENDED DOWNEASTER FUNDING IS ASSURED PIONEER ROUTE REINSTATEMENT REQUESTED IN LOTT BILL LOTT-LAUTENBERG BILL PROVISIONS IMPORTANT FOR PASSENGER RAIL SENATE COMMITTEE PASSES LOTT-LAUTENBERG AMTRAK AUTHORIZATION BILL SENATE COMMITTEE TO ACT ON AMTRAK AUTHORIZATION TODAY NARP applauds their bill SENATE COMMITTEE ADDS $50 MILLION TO AMTRAK FUNDING CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR TO BE HIT WITH DETOURS IN LATE SUMMER AND FALL CALIFORNIA TRAINS REACH MORE RIDERSHIP RECORDS SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE OKAYS $1.4 BILLION FOR AMTRAK DOT WANTS TO CUT OUT SLEEPING CAR, DINER, LOUNGE AND CHECKED BAGGAGE SERVICE ON AMTRAK TO SAVE MONEY. NARP RELEASES REBUTTAL TO PROPOSAL: HOUSE VOTE SAVES AMTRAK FUNDING SUMMER SOLSTICE IN BERLIN 1971 HOUSE COMMITTEE FAILS TO INCREASE AMTRAK FUNDS President Gunn Reacts to House Subcommittee's Anti-Amtrak Vote Amtrak President Talks of Acela and Food Service (see complete article) Amtrak computer outage creates problems with trains, reservations, tickets (see complete article) RailPAC endorses Amtrak-Laney funding proposal with reservations (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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