WASHINGTON — The White House formally announced on Tuesday the nomination of Rick Allen Dearborn to a five-year term on Amtrak’s board of directors, where he would succeed former BNSF Railway executive Jeffrey Moreland. Dearborn, 52, an Oklahoma native, was executive director of President Donald Trump’s presidential transition team and served as deputy White House chief of staff for legislative, intergovernmental affairs and implementation, from which he resigned early this year.
Before serving in Trump’s administration, Dearborn worked for six U.S. senators, including as chief of staff to Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., from 2005 to 2017. In 2003, President George W. Bush nominated him and the Senate confirmed him to be assistant secretary of energy for congressional and intergovernmental affairs, in which post he served for one year. Before that, he was director of congressional relations at The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, which has been critical of Amtrak and federal investment in passenger rail.
There is no transportation experience on Dearborn’s resume. He and his wife now split their time between Alexandria, Va., and Birmingham, Ala.
— Malcolm Kenton
why can’t they find someone with at least some rail experience or is a railfan. I still don’t know how Anderson got to be head, who nominated him and why, have never heard, big secret I guess.
BRADLEY MCWILLIAMS
In the vast scheme of government spending, Amtrak’s budget is nothing more than an accounting error. Maybe we could have more than a skeletal system if the proper funding was appropriated. More routes, more frequent services, better connections, and newer equipment would all lead to economy of scale while serving a greater portion of the population. Ridership is up for some reason despite all the handicaps and worn out equipment. With enough services, it could skyrocket. More and more people hate to fly due to the sheer inconvenience of getting from the parking lot to the gate and then being loaded like cattle into a small tube and breathing recycled (stale) air. That is, those who can’t afford the high first class prices. If you’ve been on a bus lately, it isn’t anything like the one on which Shirley Temple sang in that movie. A friend of mine took a recent trip on a bus and ended up with a seat mate with killer breath. She found out bus stations don’t even sell chewing gum. Buses are not a decent option and there are many towns they no longer serve.
another GOP clown with NO railroad experience !
Mr Forbes – is not Oklahoma served by Amtrak?
I think the new Amtrak CEO let’s try to make trains fly, he did not care about the people that cannot fly he will can prove his Airlines
Call your senators and congressmen don’t let him tear up Amtrak leave the Southwest Chief alone have a place for us elderly people to eat during travel
Charles Landey, When Anderson took over at Amtrak,the recovery rate from ticket sales versus operating expenses were in the 90% plus range and most trains were running close to capacity. Amtrak needed a leader that would enhance the train experience,not degrade it.
ROGER – Yes it’s all political. Politics in USA started around AD 1773 when Sam Adams and John Hancock had at each other in Boston. Not with the Trump administration. Stuff was happening at Amtrak when Obama was president, and before that as well. Amtrak has been in a death spiral for at least the last decade. Donald Trump became president last year, 2017.ROGER There is a picture of the train named after you on Page 67 of Scott Hartley’s brilliant book, “The New Haven Railroad: The Final Decade”.
Y’all are PATHETIC!!! It is so fun to read through all these comments. “Politics” my ass! Hahahahahahahaha
LMAO) 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
No experience. Typical.
At least both Alexandria and Birmingham are served by Amtrak. Unlike Oklahoma.
Charles Landey, It is all political!
Look, it’s very simple–Dearborn and the recent past 2 board members nominated this past year are nothing more than a “catspaw” inserted by the administration to support the current members of the Board and their sycophants left over from prior management turnover. Their mission is clearly to take apart and take down the National Network of long distance routes; continue to divert funding for the National Network to fill the void of the NEC.
Rather than waiting to watch this goal achieved, we should be directly attacking the heart of Amtrak’s funding now by demanding the withdrawal of PRIIA, and taking a position that withdrawals Gateway Project funding in lieu of long distance route funding.
Very simple–fight now, or, withdrawal to the beach of Dunkirk. Passenger railroading is at a momentum today of threat never greater than since 1970.
For what it’s worth, contact your U S Senators and ask them to oppose Dearborn’s nomination. I did.
Mike Lustig
ROGER WILLIAMS – Amtrak is doing a really fine job of dismantling itself.
He will fit right in with Mr. Anderson
Charles Landey, what we are witnessing is an all out assault by the current administration to dismantle Amtrak.
I appreciate everyone’s concern about the Amtrak board but some of it’s over the top. I don’t recall any criticism of Amtrak board appointments under presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush 41, Clinton, Bush 43 or Obama. Were all of these board members rock stars? Guess not since they left Amtrak in a hot mess. I’d like to see a perp walk for every board member who installed Joe Boardman as Amtrak president and CEO and/or kept Boardman in the corner office when the man proved to be a lunatic.
Some of the previous comments have finally hit on the reason that many countries can have wonderful and modern passenger train systems and the United States can not. Our country believes that we have to police the entire planet and as a result there is nothing left for anything that might benefit the citizens of this country. Just think what $715,000,000,000 could do if used for infrastructure.
Don’t forget about the DoD money being spent on “Space Force”. Now that is something we really need (NOT). If they can spend money on that, they can spend a pittance on Amtrak.
Charles Landey
You are so wrong about the military budget, the DoD did an internal investigation several years ago(when the budget was in the $500 Billion range) and found $125 BILLION dollars in waste. The report was squashed because the DoD was afraid Congress would cut their budget. So instead of fixing the problem and directing that money to where it was needed, we get a $200 Billion(give or take) increase which probably increases the waste close to $200 Billion in itself. That extra money could’ve gone to Amtrak and the DoD could just as easily make do with a budget of $525 Billion, if they eliminated all waste spending.
Also, keep in mind that Amtrak’s budget represents about .01% of the total Federal budget, which is basically pocket change, so it’s not really a waste of anything, it could be doubled and still wouldn’t amount to a hill of beans in the big picture that is the Federal government…by the way, U.S.P.S. is a bigger waste of money than Amtrak, and has far higher losses(they’re essentially set up the same way).
If we don’t want to keep Amtrak going then the current (and past administrations) are going at it the correct way. As for Federal spending of tax dollars the biggest portion of federal spending is the military (Social Security is self funded through payroll taxes not income taxes). As for military spending stretched thin with a 715 Billion dollar budget our military spending tops the total of the next 6 or 7 biggest spenders combined.
Bradly, If intercity rail travel is converted to buses, I will just drive my car. I have no use for traveling by intercity bus.
No, GALEN, the military budget is stretched very tight.
In reference to the “failed social welfare programs” referenced below a mere pittance compared to the 2019 military budget approved by the Senate of $715 BILLION. Think there’s any waste in there we could use for other purposes?