DOT-FRA-RPD Passenger Train Friendly in Biden Administration

Any thoughts who Joe might appoint to this "chain" - Sec Trans, FRA Administrator, Rail Policy Development Chief, that could best result in a "passenger train friendly" administration?

To my knowledge, all three positions are "Executive"; meaning Presidential appointment and Senate confirmation.

Anyone?

Keep it "on point", SVP

Moderator Note: keep it civil and conspiracy-free, folks.

Given that Secretary Chao is also the Senate Majority leader's spouse it would seem at least possible that she might be asked to stay on ... Not for her policy views (whatever those might or might not be) ... Others below her would certainly change ...

I would not discount this possibility for multiple reasons ... It also would leave open some of the other Cabinet posts (Defense and VA in particular) which in other administrations have traditionally been considered for "across the aisle" appointments.



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I find that unlikely, Mr. O’Keefe, and think it’s more likely she will be speaking with DOJ investigators rather than DOT subordinates next year.

I don’t expect a huge change in direction at USDOT though - it has had the fewest apparent differences between administrations to my eyes.

There have been noises about LA Mayor Garcetti being nominated, but he recently had a personnel scandal which could have derailed that nomination.

Mr. O'Keefe, assuming Sec. Chou is willing to serve in the Biden administration, it certainly raises the spector of a Joe-Mitch "deal on something". There's nothing illegal about such; it's been part of politics since the Roman Empire.

Would any such deal be transportation related, especially on the thrust I intended to have this topic move forth, and if so, enhancing the interest of passenger rail, who knows.

Finally, regarding Mr. Stephens' immediate, Ms. Chou is to be commended for having "gone the distance" of the Trump administration. Further, I can't think of any scandal that involved either her as a person or her Department.

Oh there absolutely would be a sense of a "Joe-Mitch" deal but frankly it could be good politics. That being said if Secretary Chao were to simply tender her resignation effective at the end of the term and to do so graciously without adding to any pressure on the transition team that in of itself could represent a favor well received. This is probably the more likely outcome ...

I will say one thing ... I think the likelihood that Secretary Chao would want to create risks for her spouse are less than 0. I can almost guarantee you she would have surrounded herself with loyalists and made it clear that any attempt by the White House to insert spies would not be tolerated. After all ... Who wants to piss off the Senate Majority Leader? Certainly not the President even if it's "45".

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I am still mulling over who the likely rail appointees would be. Dannel Malloy, former Governor of Connecticut and currently Chancellor of the University of Maine System comes to mind.

I was wondering if there might be any obvious choices from New Jersey given the likely tunnel project and Amtrak work ... Former New Jersey Governor Christie Whitman (R) spoke at the 2020 Democratic National Convention on the first day. I'm guessing she could be in line for a post in the new administration.

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gokeefe wrote: ↑Sat Nov 07, 2020 6:23 pm I am still mulling over who the likely rail appointees would be. Dannel Malloy, former Governor of Connecticut and currently Chancellor of the University of Maine System comes to mind.

I was wondering if there might be any obvious choices from New Jersey given the likely tunnel project and Amtrak work ... Former New Jersey Governor Christie Whitman (R) spoke at the 2020 Democratic National Convention on the first day. I'm guessing she could be in line for a post in the new administration.

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There’s talk of Whitman for Secretary of Commerce, according to this Politico article (and Politico is generally sourced well for this kind of thing.)

The same article echoes Mayor Garcetti for SecTrans and also forwards Rep. Earl Blumenauer. Garcetti has done a lot for Biden and Harris, so despite harboring an aide repeatedly accused of sexual harassment there’s still a possibility Garcetti goes to Washington. I could see Blumenauer (cochair of the Congressional Bike Caucus) tapped to head the Federal Transit Administration though.

Might Patricia Quinn want a job in Washington, maybe heading the FRA Passenger Rail Division? Seems like she has done exceptional work in Maine these last 20 years.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Sat Nov 07, 2020 2:17 pm Mr. O'Keefe, assuming Sec. Chou is willing to serve in the Biden administration, it certainly raises the spector of a Joe-Mitch "deal on something". There's nothing illegal about such; it's been part of politics since the Roman Empire.

Would any such deal be transportation related, especially on the thrust I intended to have this topic move forth, and if so, enhancing the interest of passenger rail, who knows.

Finally, regarding Mr. Stephens' immediate, Ms. Chou is to be commended for having "gone the distance" of the Trump administration. Further, I can't think of any scandal that involved either her as a person or her Department.

There’s the potential for a campaign finance investigation to be made about Secretary Chao directing Federal money to Kentucky and Senator McConnell admitting it would help his campaign. Threatening such an investigation would be the kind of stick that, paired with a suitable carrot, could get Mitch to play ball with Joe in a way where he wouldn’t play with Barry.

Beyond that though, I honestly can’t see Chao wanting to stay in a Biden administration, nor Biden particularly wanting her to stay. If any Secretary had to stay in their role I would choose her though, she has been quietly competent in a way that in my opinion eludes most Trump cabinet members.

It will be quite a while before 2d, 3d and 4th tier slots get filled. Don’t anyone think we will get there before 2021 is out.

Before we start speculating there’s the small matter of:

BIDEN HAS NOT OFFICIALLY WON THE ELECTION YET.

The media saying he won doesn’t count when a number of states are either recounting votes, have still yet to count all of them (which we knew would happen with mail-in ballots), and the President has vowed to contest certain states’ results (which he has the legal authority to do). Don’t be surprised if the win goes to the President in the end.

And don’t forget the Republicans appear to still keep the Senate and even gained a couple of House seats here and there so it’s not going to be a “slam dunk”.

And for what it’s worth a reasonable approach to Amtrak regardless of who wins would be to try to make Amtrak as self sustaining as possible by turning it into more of a real estate company than just a transport agency, allowing them to lease parcels of land to developers, restaurants, etc. and collect more revenue that way (much like Fortress with Brightline).

With that kind of model they won’t need to keep depending on getting checks from the Feds.

Aside from the electoral college point you mentioned, which we can’t really tackle here:

NH2060 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 08, 2020 11:18 amAnd for what it’s worth a reasonable approach to Amtrak regardless of who wins would be to try to make Amtrak as self sustaining as possible by turning it into more of a real estate company than just a transport agency, allowing them to lease parcels of land to developers, restaurants, etc. and collect more revenue that way (much like Fortress with Brightline).

With that kind of model they won’t need to keep depending on getting checks from the Feds.

Amtrak does this already to an extent, at least where they own or manage properties. Sunnyside, Ivy City, and maybe Southampton St. already have active overhead development plans - 8th St (LA) and Chicago Coach Yard should be their next targets for development. (Possibly Hialeah, NOUPT, and Cedar Hill too, for industrial and commercial purposes if not retail, office & residential.) Not sure whether they already develop buildings along their self-owned rights of way, though I recall fiberoptic, gas, and electric power line leases as part of their business portfolio.

If you’re advocating that Amtrak be reassigned Federal non-railroad land that would otherwise be managed by NPS, BLM, DOD or other agencies though, or that BLM manage land for Amtrak and give them the profits, I’d like to hear more.

Mr. "Next FL-9 to be delivered to the New Haven Railroad", if President Trump somehow prevails in a manner you set forth, it would be rated as a "top ten" in the 6256 years of recorded history.

Now more to your immediate point, is that my favorite Journal columnist, Peggy Noonan, has set forth your same thought to her millions of readers - we voted for "divided government".

Now to passenger rail affairs, if Joe appoints, and the Senate confirms, a "passenger train friendly" chain through the DOT, "the stuff that counts" like Gateway has a chance of moving forth before an existing tunnel "springs a leak". We will no longer have a vindictive leader who felt it his place to "punish" a Metropolitan Area, because they didn't support him in either '16 or '20.

Finally, and echoing Mr. Stephens immediate regarding development of Amtrak owned air rights , I think Amtrak has been quite aggressive in that area. Look at 30th Street Phila. Look at Boston South Station (honestly not sure if they own that. Look at Chicago Union Station. and even Queens atop SSY as the Outter Boroughs become "fashionable" (hey, I remember when Brooklyn was "uh, not exactly"). All told, I give Amtrak high marks in that arena.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Sun Nov 08, 2020 12:40 pmFinally, and echoing Mr. Stephens immediate regarding development of Amtrak owned air rights , I think Amtrak has been quite aggressive in that area. Look at 30th Street Phila. Look at Boston South Station (honestly not sure if they own that. Look at Chicago Union Station. and even Queens atop SSY as the Outter Boroughs become "fashionable" (hey, I remember when Brooklyn was "uh, not exactly"). All told, I give Amtrak high marks in that arena.

Thanks for reminding me about 30th St, Mr. Norman. Baltimore Penn has a many-million-dollar development soon to be underway as well, Springfield Union just got rebuilt, and Hartford is coming eventually. Don’t know about PVD.

Whatever the case, there will be a lot of job openings soon. Biden’s official transition plan includes this gem:

Transit: Provide every American city with 100,000 or more residents with high-quality, zero-emissions public transportation options through flexible federal investments with strong labor protections that create good, union jobs and meet the needs of these cities — ranging from light rail networks to improving existing transit and bus lines to installing infrastructure for pedestrians and bicyclists.

mtuandrew wrote: ↑Sun Nov 08, 2020 1:51 pm Thanks for reminding me about 30th St, Mr. Norman. Baltimore Penn has a many-million-dollar development soon to be underway as well, Springfield Union just got rebuilt, and Hartford is coming eventually. Don’t know about PVD.

Whatever the case, there will be a lot of job openings soon...

Take Baltimore, and there's three big projects right there:

• The B&P replacement project, now at $5 Billion and counting.
• The new Baltimore Penn, which involves a parking garage, expanded dining, and better connections to existing mass transit
• The rebuild of BWI to accommodate 4-track operation.

Now take the NY/NJ area, and the biggest thing is... Gateway.

If Biden wants a promise kept notch, all he has to do is fund Gateway and the B&P replacement, coordinating with mayors of NYC, Newark, and Baltimore. I bet there's a ton of young bored Baltimorons who'd love a construction job, because that's good, clean money. I bet the same for NYC and Newark. I mean, how many were employed to build One World Center, 24/7?