Society President Steve Staffieri announced the cancellation, saying, “Despite the tremendous effort on the part of Bennett Levin, Amtrak has decided not to honor the agreement we already had with them.” Staffieri said tickets would be refunded.
The trip was to have been the highlight of the annual meeting and the last run of the runs as Levin has said he does not plan to equip the units with Positive Train Control, a crash avoidance system that is required after Dec. 31, 2018. “A huge amount of time, money and effort has been spent putting this trip together on the part of Mr. Levin, the PRRT&HS, and myself,” Staffieri wrote. “My sincere apologies to those who made their plans and reservations to be a part of our 50th annual meeting celebration and will not be attending due to this cancellation.”
The annual meeting features multiple seminars for model builders and historians, as well as bus trips to the Railroaders Memorial Museum and Horseshoe Curve on and to the Everett Railroad.
I am a former “legacy” airline employee of 25+ years and you can take my word for it that most airline CEOs today have no airline knowledge and they cant tell shoe polish from that other substance.
Everyone knows the underlying cause of this cancellation. Remember it this coming Fall.
David Gunn.Wick Moorman.Find it outragous that these %^&**( airlines charge $35 for a 2nd carry on bag & $65 for a 3rd one.Sounds like these stupid politicians who want to raise the gas tax because the cars have gotten more efficient.The almighty dollar is the most worshipped thing in this country today.
Does Amtrak really need any MORE enemies ?
It’s time to get rid of that new Amtrak President, he is a real piece of work. Look at the poor service the airlines provide. I guess most people want low fares which comes with a cattle car experience.
This is all intentional. The current Administration has no interest in Amtrak or railroads in general. Anything they can do to cut Amtrak, and make it irrelevant to the electorate, is what they intend to do. Even profitable services such as private car/train movements are on the cutting block. The less the public “needs” or “wants” Amtrak, the easier it is to reduce or cut it.
Mr. Chandler is absolutely correct! Reason #1 while I’ll drive for two days instead of fly. Airlines suck!
Great job Amtrak. Don’t you dummies realize that you’re alienating the American constituency that provides the greatest support to your half-baked “railroad.”
Just awful. Amtrak has become an antiseptic stink bomb in my opinion.
In what respect did this trip run afoul of AMTRAK’s new “rules”? I thought this was all private equipment with a private operator. Or is AMTRAK saying that because part of the trip would have run on their track that it counts as a special trip/charter?
Again, this is how airlines do business. Cancel flights, let the customers scurry to find alternatives. I have been stuck more than once, and by Delta, too. This is going to be a sad day for all concerned.
Dang, I was going to head to Altoona that weekend just to see this.
Jim Norton, I agree with you. Chris Thompson, I wonder if there is lawyer out there that could comment on the question of whether PRRT&HS could sue Amtrak over this breach of contract.
Amtrak sucks. Anderson sucks too.
Amtrak should have honored any agreements they had made before the start of this new policy. Amtrak should be made to pay any expense the historical society incurred because of the cancellation.