Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor

[AMTRAKwannabe]

How does a government agency (Amtrak) fight the government? They can bypass the FRA if they want...

 

[opus722]

Amtrak is not a government agency. It is a for-profit, in name at least, corporation in which Congress owns all the preferred stock, that is voting control, and private companies, mostly the successors to the railroads that contributed to Amtrak, own the common non-voting stock. It cannot bypass FRA rules anymore than a totally private company could.

 

[AMTRAKwannabe]

Explain the fact that it is publicly funded, like FEDERAL highways, the FBI, the IRS, and all government agencies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amtrak

 

[opus722]

It is a government owned corporation like the USPS or TVA. It receives an operating subsidy, but it is not a government agency in the same sense that the FBI or IRS is. Government corporations, in theory, are supposed to be shielded from too much political interference and maintain a separate legal presence. Being a corporation, they take in revenue separate from their government budget. Congress selects the board and Amtrak's executives as the National Passenger Rail Corporation's share holders.

 

[Blutorse4792]

Say what you will about Tricky Dick Nixon, but I always thought Amtrak was a pretty interesting compromise.

 

[wkwood]

Ha Ha well it was either that or Bombardier. Yeah, the ACS-64s aren't the prettiest locomotives out there by with true regenerative breaking and a wealth of new electronics I think
they'll be right at home on the NEC. After all they're replacing the AEM-7s which has been on the tracks since what, the 70s? I've you've looked at one of those lately, they've been appended on, attached to and rebuilt like something out of a sci-fi movie Complete with RV Air Conditioners on the roof!

 

[nicky9499]

they've been appended on, attached to and rebuilt like something out of a sci-fi movie Complete with RV Air Conditioners on the roof!

That's one of the characteristics of US railroading that make it unique and interesting. Me like.

 

[AMTRAKwannabe]

I like the class III's that still use alco's and baldwin's :hehe:

So, to sum up what some people think should happen to AEM-7's...............a video!

 

[Kris94]

This is a case of too little, too late. The USA should've started this way back then. More right after WWII. They waited much too long. With all the people in the country and it would take a ton of money we don't have to reconstruct the rail lines and alter cities to do available space. Especially in major cities like Chicago, LA, NYC and Boston. Trying to maneuver would be extremely difficult.