What will Trump mean for Amtrak?

Unfortunately, none of us have the slightest clue what he may do in re: Amtrak. Considering that he has already severely cracked down on agencies with perceived ties to the Obama administration, and that he has drawn extremely heavily from Heritage Foundation recommendations, that may overwhelm his populist "Invest in America" agenda. I'm quite concerned that he and Congress will attempt to privatize Amtrak and sell the NEC, for instance, and when that runs into bipartisan urban opposition, settle for divesting the Amtrak Michigan line Porter-Kalamazoo.

Mostly though, he has been extremely outspoken, extremely vague, and extremely untruthful. He wants to "hold us in suspense" until he acts.

mtuandrew wrote:Mostly though, he has been extremely outspoken, extremely vague, and extremely untruthful. He wants to "hold us in suspense" until he acts.

Bashing Trump isn't going to help the cause of Amtrak or other passenger rail. Let's wait and see what his plan is for 'infrastructure investment..including rail"

CarterB wrote:

mtuandrew wrote:Mostly though, he has been extremely outspoken, extremely vague, and extremely untruthful. He wants to "hold us in suspense" until he acts.

Bashing Trump isn't going to help the cause of Amtrak or other passenger rail. Let's wait and see what his plan is for 'infrastructure investment..including rail"

THANK YOU!!! I don't even understand how this stupid thread got started in the first place EXCEPT to bash Trump. Most of the posts aren't even really rail-related, or just barely.
Peace,
Jonathan

That's my point, Messrs. CarterB and whatelyrailfan - we DON'T know. "Bashing" implies a smear campaign based on falsehoods, but his evasiveness and untruthful statements are a matter of public record.

I'm anxious about Amtrak's future under his administration. That said, whether or not I agree with SecTrans nominee Chao's views re: regulation, she has a record of competency and government service that makes me feel she will invest heavily in transportation infrastructure of all types if the President and Congress permit.

Still bashing!!1

PLEASE, let's all be patient and see just what happens down the road. I have an open mind and I intend to keep it that way as long as I can. One positive thing, Trump comes from New York which is pretty rail minded and he can see how vital Amtrak and the NEC is to New York and in fact the entire area.
Open minded
Noel Weaver

Noel Weaver wrote: Open minded
Noel Weaver

AMEN!!

Amtrak is so inherently political that a discussion of the politics of Amtrak funding is justified. It's probably even necessary. It would probably do us all good to keep our judgments about the new president, congressfolk, secretaries, etc., civil and low key here, but I don't think considering them is out of order if it helps us guess what might be coming. Trying to predict whether we're going to get an infrastructure plan from Trump the developer or a bunch of cuts from the small-government, Heritage-foundation wing of the Republican Party is a sensible thing to do. Trump's a New Yorker, but his most visible supporters are rural and small-city people who really don't like New York or Washington or Boston or anyplace in between and who don't live in rail-dependent places. It's an interesting set of political conditions, and I'd like to read about how it all might go together. Maybe we could restrict our statements about which people or news sources are biased in which directions to when we're talking about particular articles/claims/ideas, but again, it makes sense to evaluate sources that way.

Even private railroads are so much affected by regulations and trade policy and environmental and highway policy that we can't really understand them without talking about their political context pretty often. It goes all the way back to the first railroad charters, the first ROWs bought with eminent domain, and the first anti-railroad NIMBYs almost 200 years ago.

So I say be nice but keep talking Amtrak politics.

Sam Martland, Terre Haute

Amtrak should offer to rename the route of his choice the "Trump Train" if he provides suitable funding.

I doubt Trump himself has much time to think about Amtrak. I would like to know more about Ms Chao's views and likely policy.

Jehochman wrote:Amtrak should offer to rename the route of his choice the "Trump Train" if he provides suitable funding.

If the Trump Train is the old Broadway Limited I will be happy to ride the Trump Train! Someone pitch him the idea of a train between New York and Chicago and don't mention the Lake Shore.

Anyone handy with those sites such as Paint want to get to work on a rendering of existing Amtrak equipment IN A TRUMP livery?

Gilbert B Norman wrote:Anyone handy with those sites such as Paint want to get to work on a rendering of existing Amtrak equipment IN A TRUMP livery?

No need - it's already on sale. http://www.lionel.com/products/100th-an ... 0-6-28062/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Noel Weaver wrote:PLEASE, let's all be patient and see just what happens down the road. I have an open mind and I intend to keep it that way as long as I can. One positive thing, Trump comes from New York which is pretty rail minded and he can see how vital Amtrak and the NEC is to New York and in fact the entire area.
Open minded
Noel Weaver

Amen brother!

I agree with Mr Weaver,at this point in time there's been NO clues on what the overall plan,except for the gutting of ACA,
and holding the corprate CEOs to NOT outsource jobs overseas,or face HIGHER import taxes.
Lets wait for the State of the Union address to at least get an idea of his plans,please!