Amtrak to STB: We Want New Host Railroad Rules

Amtrak to STB: We Want New Host Railroad Rules

The authority vested in the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to decide issues concerning passenger trains has been expanding lately. On May 27, Amtrak asked the Board to intervene in a dispute with Canadian National (CN) over a number of issues, including on-time performance (OTP), penalties for low performance, and incentives to improve performance.

Seems like Amtrak is feeling very emboldened to flex its statutory authority over the host railroads as of late. Of course, from the railroads's perspective, it might look a bit more like this.

Imagine Nixon deregulating instead of creating the NRPC in the first place. Might have had a viable high-speed intercity passenger rail network long before now.

While by no means is it my intent to "diss" your immediate, I have difficulty with such, Mr. Amtrakowitz.

While I hold that "dereg" should have come about under the Truman administration rather than Carter's, the "writing was on the wall" for the viability of passenger trains as soon as WWII ended and "the Troops came home" (slight reprieve during Korea). "Dereg" of passenger fares would have meant nothing, the axe would have been out all the sooner, and the "postwar" order of 2000 some passenger cars would have never occurred.

The Interstate (and Defense) Highway System was simply what "We The People" wanted - and Eisenhower (possibly influenced by first his 1919 "X-Country Road Trip" and his preference to use highways to supply troops during the '44-'45 European Offensive) simply gave it to the People. This no doubt influenced the Notable Scholars in their ranking Ike as our fifth greatest president.

"Whole different story" for freight; but there are other Forums at this stie at which that matter has been addressed.