From Transportation Reporter to Obit Writer

I have long respected the work of "Amtrak friendly" New York Times transportation reporter, Matthew L Wald. Unfortunately, it appears that The Times has assigned him to a "new beat" - Obits.

Further, it appears that the ongoing USAir Delta Airlines "soap opera" is being covered by another reporter named Micheline Maynard.

This obit is linked solely to verify my statement - the individual deceased had no connection whatever to the transportation industry.

When Don Phillips joined The Times, I thought there was a powerhouse in place and that no general circulation publication on this planet could begin to match the transportation reportage The Times could potentially offer.

Now it appears that Mr. Phillips has been transferred to Paris and assigned to the Times owned Herald Tribune; I can only hope Matt Wald is not sent off to the Bronx Zoo to interview Lola the Chimp on her 21st birthday.

I hope I'm mistaken, but it seems like a lot of good talent is being "misdirected"; Bill Keller, I hope you are "out there" reading.

I heard that Mr. Phillips quit because they wanted him to cover just Airline security.

AmtrakFan

You may be thinking of the Washington Post, which used to employ him.

The latest issue of Trains magazine has a column from Mr. Phillips discussing his new job in Paris.

Yes, he quit the Post mostly due to the change in his job description, but seems happy with the new job in Paris.

Considering that most of its routes serve the Northeast, the New York Times has front page (left column) coverage of USAir's latest jaunt to the courthouse.

Regretably absent is Mr. Wald's byline.

While I am hardly in a position to criticize Ms. Maynard's reportage, insomuch as she is well versed in "writing Timesese" (they DO have a distinct style), is she bringing the insight to play that I know either Messrs. Phillips or Wald could present.

I should note that Times Business Travel writer Joe Sharkey has a byline, but his coverage is more directed towards "what will happen to my miles???"; I'm certain reporters in other cities in which USAir has a major presence has reporters assigned to that part of the story.

But somehow, I think Matt Wald (who by the way has written much "Amtrak Friendly" reportage for the Times) could bring to the table the insight to present to readers what could motivate those pilots to play ostrich rather than simply just look around and see they are surrounded by Southwest and JetBlue. When perfectly qualified pilots are prepared to work for them for say $90K and fly double the hours you do, what chance in hades hath you to prevail with your status quo that essentially has crashed and burned your seventh rate carrier???

OK guys (and gals, nowadays), have fun filling out your "apps" (possibly sitting in HR's "employment office" using your God-given lap and a clipboard surrounded by "wannabe' baggage handlers and other support personnel) with Southwest and/or Jet Blue. If your credentials are in order, sooner or later, likely you will "get on". But remember where you will be on those carriers' seniority list!!!

Mr. Norman's comments are apt. Several good transportation reporters with whom I'm familiar have been given other assignments or their journals have folded (Rip Watson of the Journal of Commerce is one). That having been said, Don Phillips seems to be happy at the IHT. At least he still gets to cover railroads!

To bring this back to Amtrak, I'm a US Airways "elite" member, used to the special lines and the seats at the front of the plane. Looks like I'll have to start working toward "elite" on someone else's airline fairly soon.

How does that relate to Amtrak? Amtrak competes with USAirways for passengers in the NEC -- and the same low-fare airlines that are squeezing US Airways will be squeezing Amtrak too. It's now possible to fly from PHL to RDU for $29 OW on Southwest. What does Amtrak charge?

Boston round trip is a bit more than $100 on Airtran from PHL. Last I checked, Amtrak wanted more than that for "regional" service, and about triple for Acela Express. Guess I'll be flying on my next business trip...

Recent reportage from Mr. Phillips:
http://www.iht.com/articles/537860.html

And Mr. Wald
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/13/national/13crime.html

In other words,

Mr Phillips' general transportation beat is best worked as a global beat out of IHT in Paris, vice a US beat.

John

Further, it appears that the ongoing USAir Delta Airlines "soap opera" is being covered by another reporter named Michelle Maynard.

The reporter's name is Micheline Maynard. Her resume is pretty heavy on reporting the airline and automobile industries. No idea what her stance is on Amtrak, or whether she even notices it.

Given the funding problems that a number of transportation providers, particularly passenger rail providers, are having ( read Amtrak, Septa, WMATA, etc.) being moved from covering transportation to writing obituaries may not be as big a move as it first seems!