Re: The UP vs. BNSF Management Style
Author: Scott Schiechl
Date: 02-06-2007 - 09:38
Amtrak IS NOT a guest of the railroads, it is a customer. Amtrak pays a fee for the host railroad to convey its trains over their lines. As a customer they are entitled to service which some railroads do a better job of providing than others. The UP handles 3 of Amntrak's long- distance trains including its most popular (Coast Starlight) and its most troubled (Sunset). These are also the worst performers in terms of timekeeping. While most long-distance passengers are not time sensitive they do resent trains routinely being 4+ hours late. Congress needs to give Amtrak the funding it needs to pay for track improvements to increase capacity and the legal tools they need to punish railroads that cannot keep a schedule.