WASHINGTON, D.C. — In written testimony at last week’s congressional hearing on positive train control, Amtrak backed away from earlier statements indicating it would not operate on lines without PTC.
The written testimony by Scot Naparstek, Amtrak’s chief operating officer, was offered at the Sept. 13 hearing of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure’s Subcomittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
In it, Naparstek says, “… let me be clear that Amtrak’s goal is to continue to operate all of our services over all of our current routes come January 1, 2019. Exactly how we accomplish this will vary across our network, based on the specifics of each route, but … we believe we will have strategies in place that will permit us to continue operations until operational PTC or PTC-equivalency is achieved for all of our network.”
In February, Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson had said in testimony to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure that Amtrak would not run on lines without PTC or a PTC waiver. In written testimony, he said, “in certain areas, where signal systems are not in place, we will reconsider whether we will operate at all;” appearing before the committee, he added, “And I doubt I will.” [See “Amtrak CEO says passenger trains will not run over track without PTC or PTC waiver,” Trains News Wire, Feb. 15, 2018.]
Naparsteck’s testimony said 37 segments on the Amtrak network are not expected to have PTC by the Dec. 31, 2018, deadline, but should be able to “apply for an alternative schedule” for implementation. It is also assessing those areas eligible for “Mainline Track Exclusion Addedums,” which waive the requirement to install PTC. Combined, such areas cover at least 2,100 miles of track in the Amtrak system, the written statement says, and assessment of all of them is ongoing, with those eligible for waiver of PTC to completed by the end of October and the rest by the end of the year.
These assessments, his statement says, will determine “what mitigations will be necessary to adopt for a given location over a given period to ensure Amtrak has a high degree of confidence in our ability to operate the safest possible railroad, short of the installation of PTC.”
Lack of PTC, despite an FRA waiver of the requirement for it, has figured in Amtrak’s proposal to run a bus bridge over part of the route of the Chicago-Los Angeles Southwest Chief. At a August meeting in Raton, N.M., which presented details of the bus-bridge plan, Stephen Gardner, Amtrak’s senior vice president and chief commerical officer, said the Amtrak board of directors had mandated that the company would not run on lines without positive train control after Dec. 31. [See “Amtrak says it will not run trains on routes without PTC,” Trains News Wire, Aug. 27, 2019.] Amtrak had said Trains reporting of the meeting was in error; Trains stands by its reporting, and a Kansas report on the meeting reported that Gardner said “positive train control is the board policy regardless of exemptions granted by the Federal Railroad Administration. [See “Analysis: Amtrak, stakeholders clarify positions on ‘Southwest Chief,’ PTC,” Trains News Wire, Aug. 31, 2019.
“I wonder how many of the contributors to Trains’ blogs and forums would call Mr. Anderson or his fellow executives devious, dishonest, etc. to their face?”
Based on the letter Amtrak sent last spring regarding the Southwest Chief, riddled with errors and falsehoods, and then denying their August meeting comments re PTC (which Trains and other attendees strongly contest), I would do so without hesitation. And I was a fan of Mr. Anderson at Delta.
https://www.railpassengers.org/happening-now/news/blog/former-amtrak-president-questions-railroads-commitment-to-national-network/
I continue to ask – Has the proper cost ever been calculated for the “bus bridge” vs running the train as is? How many buses (and bus drivers) are required at the same time? How will the rail equipment be handled at the exchange points? I could point out more problems, but I expect this gives the general idea. No – the bus bridge will never take place, I’m sure.
Headline is misleading. FRA currently decides how compliance applies to each railroad (or part thereof).
Looks like “Trains” is getting ahead of itself. They are already reporting in AUGUST of 2019.
[See “Amtrak says it will not run trains on routes without PTC,” Trains News Wire, Aug. 27, 2019.] Amtrak had said Trains reporting of the meeting was in error; Trains stands by its reporting, and a Kansas report on the meeting reported that Gardner said “positive train control is the board policy regardless of exemptions granted by the Federal Railroad Administration. [See “Analysis: Amtrak, stakeholders clarify positions on ‘Southwest Chief,’ PTC,” Trains News Wire, Aug. 31, 2019.
Charles:
Great response & insight. And as a multi-million miler on NWO (now Delta), I’ve spent one heck-of-a-lot of time at DTW/MSP/SEA/SEA/NRT hubs. Thanks for the conversation.
“Devious, dishonest people are in charge.”
I wonder how many of the contributors to Trains’ blogs and forums would call Mr. Anderson or his fellow executives devious, dishonest, etc. to their face?
Captain obvious woke up!
Wonder what the story will be next week?
This is insane. Mean what you say, say what you mean.
I really don’t understand the SW Chief idea. Why do you need PTC when there are only two trains a day over the line in question?
Sadly nothing in this new Amtrak obfuscation prohibits the company from claiming a bus bridge is “continuing” service. We still need definitive Congressional language as was included in the Senate’s Moran amendment.
This is a crock of you-know-what! Saying “we believe we will have strategies in place that will permit us to continue operations until operational PTC or PTC-equivalency is achieved for all of our network.” means nothing because that strategy may be a 500 miles “bus bridge” from nowhere to nowhere. These guys are just deflecting and hoping that Congress stops paying attention for long enough for them to kill off patronage and then justify discontinuing service.
We’ve always complained about Amtrak’s obfuscating things, but its become a joke under Anderson. It’s clear what he wants to do, the only question is how he goes about killing off the “network.” Once that’s done they can move on to killing off everything else because there won’t be enough congressional support to keep Amtrak alive.
Devious, dishonest people are in charge.
KIP WILLIAM GRANT – Am I the “Charles” who you refer to in your recent post? If so you may have misunderstood my “many” posts supporting the airlines. I’ve never said we don’t need Amtrak trains. Actually I’m a NARP/ ARP member for five decades. I think we need more trains not fewer trains. What I’ve said in my many posts is the following (1) Most places don’t have any trains (Green Bay, Des Moines, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Nashville) or have very very very few trains (Atlanta, Salt Lake, MSP, Cleveland) but manage to stay on the map. (2) Even places that do have trains, the trains don’t necessarily go where the people need to get. Example: Kansas City has a train, but don’t people in Kansas City go to Orlando or Tampa or Denver? (3) Amtrak has failed and the airlines have succeeded. Doesn’t mean I’m happy about it, I’m telling you like it is. (4) Life has forced me into a regular commute to a place where Amtrak doesn’t go. The nearest Amtrak stop is 200 miles away with one daily train that calls in the middle of the night. So I fly, I’m grateful for the superb airline service to my destination. I get where I’m going in the time I’d spend waiting in Chicago to transfer to a train that doesn’t even go where I need to go. Kip, let me ask you this. Have you ever been to the MSP airport? How many people at that airport, which is enormous, are even going to a place that Amtrak serves from Minnesota? Some are, most aren’t.
“Exactly how we accomplish this will vary across our network, based on the specifics of each route, but … we believe we will have strategies in place that will permit us to continue operations until operational PTC or PTC-equivalency is achieved for all of our network.”
That statement doesn’t rule out the planned “bus bridge” to connect the two rail segments of the SW Chief.
Not Trusting a WORD from AMTRAK management regarding cancelling, or not cancelling, non-PTC LD routes come 1 January, I grabbed a sweet route for a Thanksgiving weekend treat, traveling from where I grew up to where I live today. All for $410 and 84 hours of my holiday weekend !!
Start at 0845 on the Blue Water (LNS-CHI), then enjoy Thanksgiving lunch in the Loop. Then off on the Cardinal (CHI-WAS) overnight (Slumber-coach – remember the one-day sale last month?) to connect the next evening (Saturday) with the Silver Meteor (WAS – FTM) arriving home Sunday, late afternoon. The latter two routes are “PTC threatened” for LD Trains OFF if AMTRAK doesn’t reverse course – so it sure seemed like a great “land voyage” strictly for pleasure (and memories) purposes while the opportunity presents itself so inexpensively.
“Yes”, Charles, this trip validates your many posts about how LD trains are not really worth more than being a way to see the USA from 10, vice 30,000, feet – as leisure travel. It’s a crap-shot for anyone to determine how much longer LD travel on trains will co-exist while Anderson’s in-charge. With a government that’s broke – to the sum of almost $1 trillion per year, something’s got to give. The Passenger Train lobby has little voice in Congress, so there’s little chance they’ll get involved with the LD train off issue between now and 1 January.
Thus – I’m enjoying LD train travel while I can. And at this price – why not?
Like my father use to say: “Run into the roundhouse (Richard), ‘cuase they can’t corner you there!”
I hope this is a sign that some common sense is starting to come into 60 Massachusetts Avenue, but with their credibility in the toilet, it’s tough to believe what comes from Mr. Anderson’s team. Look at the pure nonsense they are still dishing out about the ‘new, improved and oh so sexy’ meals being served on the Cap and the LSL. Give me a break – and a REAL break-fast, not b.s.
This is getting to be like coffee. Good for you this week, bad for you next week. But it is not surprising considering the utter turmoil that is our federal government these days. Sad.