Here We Go Again

by Joe Aiello, Director of Community Engagement & Organizing

I take no joy in writing a blog like this, pop culture jokes aside, but this is my soapbox to stand on.

So here goes…

Thanks, Khaled.

Just as we were celebrating the good news coming out of Mobile this week, word hit of equipment issues causing delays (now cancellations) for the Empire Builder. This following a derailment that forced the Southwest Chief route to be shortened. Following equipment shortages due to a late arriving California Zephyr, causing the cancellation of the Chief. Following a number of cancellations out of Chicago for various Illinois Service trains. Following the loss of equipment on routes such as the Eagle, Crescent, and Capitol.

You get the picture.

Add in overhead wires falling, heat kinks, etc., and it’s not been a good summer for passengers.

We deserve better.

Let me put this out there: I’m not here to add to the “it’s all Amtrak’s fault” chorus. Decades of underinvestment, crumbling infrastructure, climate change & extreme weather, continuing global supply chain issues are all, for the most part, out of their control.

That said, there IS plenty of blame to go around. Communication snafus, passengers stranded with no alternatives available, rising fares, and it feels like it's the same story each week.

I know what some of you are thinking - but no, people at Amtrak are not working from within to kill off the long-distance network. That’s just not based in fact.

But you can see how conspiracies start, right?

The money from the IIJA is working, but it can only do so much when you have had to go to Congress each year and fight over scraps. And when you only have, at best, one train a day on the long distance side...

We deserve better.

Our office does have regular, productive conversations with Amtrak officials, which has helped lead to a number of changes and improvements - equipment leaving Beach Grove and heading into active service, more details on the ongoing Adriondack drama, and updates on wash racks - just to name a few.

But, still, we deserve better.

“Better” is going to take work. We have heard rumors that capacity help and better amenities for some routes are coming, and we know that new state and corridor trains are around the corner. But what does that do for us now?

This is why we have been working with allies and pushing Congress to adopt a “Rail Passenger Bill of Rights”, something that is a no-brainer for elected officials when airlines go haywire, but what about those of us who prefer their massive multi-ton transportation options to be closer to the ground?

The transportation bill reauthorization clock is already ticking, you can be sure that your Association will be on the front lines once again and will continue to bring these problems to light with our friends on the Hill.

We will stay focused, secure that bag, and continue the fight.

“We go hard. In everything we do, we’re going to accomplish our victory and our goal.”

Because we will get better.