Autothrust Blue
"Those are your factual recollections, Captain?"
I don’t even wanna start on what I think of RTD…
France bans short-haul flights
- Thread starter HJB
- Start date
Pilot Fighter
Well-Known Member
Well, Amtrak is kinda federal. They have been able cherry-pick routes and don’t have to lay track, but haven’t been able to break even in any year of their existence.
ahw01
Well-Known Member
No I mean the funding for improvements. Similar to highway building in the 30s. Amtrak is just the operator not the infrastructure owner.
In the UK the infrastructure is owned/managed separately to the operator franchises, who are required to lease their trains. I wouldn't advocate that model.
Autothrust Blue
"Those are your factual recollections, Captain?"
I don’t care if it makes money. Not unlike USPS.
Though I favor outright nationalization of all interstate rail simply because the Class Is are miserable entities that won’t do capital improvements either—not to mention their abhorrent labor relations and continuously clogging up passenger service.
Pilot Fighter
Well-Known Member
My point was, with hefty federal funding, doubled in five years, Amtrak can’t make money on more than a couple of routes.
Last edited:
Autothrust Blue
"Those are your factual recollections, Captain?"
RA wanted to abandon long distance routes and focus on the regional intercity stuff when he was CEO, much to the angst of the rail fans. I go back and forth on that because I think most of the long distance stuff makes for good YouTube content but not always the best or most practical form of transport.
There are a bunch of shorter corridors that could be electrified RIGHT NOW, too, but aren’t because aforementioned Class Is.
ASpilot2be
Qbicle seat warmer
The one thing about the long haul trains is they serve a lot of towns in the middle, so they offer good connections to the big city going either direction. But you're right, not many people ride it start to finish. That doesn't make as much sense if you're trying to get from Chicago to LA fast and cheap.
ahw01
Well-Known Member
Yeh definitely a win for 2-4 hour legs. The 3 day trips are something else. I think jet travel beat the sleeper train in the 60s, though Europe's network is pretty good. Richard Anderson for FAA admin?
Autothrust Blue
"Those are your factual recollections, Captain?"
Ehhh. Sure. Better than the last guy, I suppose.
scooter2525
Very well Member
I’ve done that from FRA. Long 24 hours of travel going from somewhere then FRA, then
the few major cities I’ve been to outside the US seem to do this really well.
Beep
Well-Known Member
Isn’t Amtrak a class 1 railroad as well?
Pilot Fighter
Well-Known Member
No, classes apply only to freight railroads.
Pilot Fighter
Well-Known Member
I don’t really care if they make money, my concern is lack of public interest in riding trains.
Right here, in most of the East/Central, and significant parts of the Western, good ol' USA, we used to HAVE that infrastructure!
Yeah, it was already built out. It already existed. Most folks loved it. For instance, you could get form city-center Madison, WI to city center Chicago in a bit more than an hour-fiddy! Then, being city center, you could walk off your train and, typically, walk to your destination!
What a WIN!!! You actually had to take a small walk during your day. With a walk every day, there was no need to spend $60-$80 per month for a gym membership!!!!!
Really!!! Yeah, we did that! That all once existed! Right here in YOUR city! Right here in 'Murica!
Right here! Right here in America when America used to be great again!
Not France. Not UK, Not Germany. Not Suisse. Nope, right HERE. Right here in the USA.
But then, the uber wealth started telling YOU that WE are all about economic efficiency!!! Given that misinformation, we (?) decided it was far more efficient to rip up the rails.
Please recall, ONE rail engine can pull more than 50 cars. Those cars can carry up to 100 Pax each. THAT is efficiency!!!
Ripping up that level of efficiency to sell road-building ?? ... Ripping up that level of efficiency to sell all of us schlubs 4 sets of rubber and one engine each, and, typically, one car per occupant!?!
THAT'S profit !!! (??)
Please be aware, young ones, PROFIT is different from EFFICIENCY! In fact, most of the time, those two concepts are inimical. Efficiency is generally enhanced by the elimination of profit. Profit, properly understood, is the ultimate economic waste. And, as every good MBA will tell you -usually with nary a clue what the heck he's talking about- "waste is bad, m'kay!".
Beware of what you are told on the innertubes and TV, especially in the absence of your own actual knowledge of your own nation's history.
Last edited:
///AMG
Well-Known Member
I miss the Q already......though fortunately QX has retained their free beer (often a full can)
SurferLucas
Southern Gentleman
The Q was something else. The 73 reminds me a little of her.
There are few things better than handflying SEA-EAT, on a clear day…cleared for the visual just past Snoqualmie Pass, turning over The Enchantments, descending whilst turned at Leavenworth and then right into 12.
Or flying the tight visual into YYJ runway 9.
ASpilot2be
Qbicle seat warmer
I do miss doing the Seattle to Victoria runs on a nice day.
SurferLucas
Southern Gentleman
Did 19 mins, YYJ-SEA…depart 3, fly just at barber pole, bay visual 16R…ahhhhh
ASpilot2be
Qbicle seat warmer
That's really impressive!
///AMG
Well-Known Member
Not related to YYJ, but I once did (IIRC) ~30 mins EUG-NUW. I remember Seattle center asking us our mach.....replied "0.96"......we were at like FL220 or something absurd, probably completely blowing up their airspace, but hey, we were late for our land time 
Woulda been shorter, had they not had to vector us west of the SEA departure corridor
Woulda been shorter, had they not had to vector us west of the SEA departure corridor
