Rate The (Amtrak) Presidents/CEO's

[Gilbert B Norman]

There are certainly enough sites that rate the 44 POTUS (Incumbent rates 42), how say we play "Rate The Amtrak Presidents/CEO's.

My top choice, with which surely many will agree: WGC

Bottom: GW

[Backshophoss]

#1 WG Claytor,#2 Boardman
Last,G Warrington," Delta Dick" Anderson(may the Agent finally win{Matrix reference})

[SouthernRailway]

By regular corporation standards, wouldn't Anderson be close to #1? He got Amtrak close to breaking even. I despise Flexible Dining and can't fathom losing long-distance trains, but I'd love it if Amtrak were break-even. Then it could be free(r) of government micromanagement and oversight.

I cannot think of a worse job than CEO of Amtrak: dependent on the whims of Congress for funding, and dealing with labor unions. Lovely.

[Backshophoss]

DDA didn't make friends with the host RR's and supporters ,started the "Panera Bread" menu to the eastern LD's.
Tried to kill off the LD services

[Westernstar1]

1. W. Graham Claytor
2. David Gunn
3. Paul Reistrup
4. Joe Boardman (if nothing else, a likable man).

Two people I would like to see as Amtrak's CEO:

Brian Rosenwald. For his contribution to the EB and development of the Starlight"s Pacific Parlor car.

Stephen Gardner: Possibly. Some, like Don Phillips, give him a high marks. I think it's hard to tell. Maybe overrated.

Richard (WS)

[Gilbert B Norman]

Richard H. Anderson (RHA) is higher on my list than to some around here and many who frequent the "advocacy" sites.

As Mr. SRY notes, and I concur, that he brought Amtrak to the brink of breaking even, albeit by a non-GAAP "cookie jar" measurement , I think is a commendable achievement.

Further, equipment that will enable Amtrak to fulfill its 21st century mission of providing transportation in markets where meaningful public benefit is realized, is now coming on-line.

Mr. Anderson forcefully showed Amtrak stakeholders what 21st Century rail passenger transportation is all about, and, sadly for the experiential and advocacy communities, what it is not.

[SouthernRailway]

Two people who should be CEO of Amtrak:

Patrick Goddard, President of Brightline
Wes Edens, CEO of Fortress

These are two people who've thought "outside the box" and have created Brightline, a truly amazing rail system that just blows Amtrak out of the water. It's the most lavish and most customer-focused rail system that I've ever been on, and I love it!

For Mr. Anderson: we need to face it, the US is broke and while Amtrak already provides an inadequate level of service, it's not going to get better given the current financial and economic scene. A CEO who focused on the bottom line, financially, is a good one. But I still despise Flexible Dining.

[photobug56]

I'm a Gunn fan from his days at NYCTA. Met him and Bill Bratton at the Transit Museum. Both very smart and approachable. And Gunn was very capable of owning up to mistakes.

[R36 Combine Coach]

I'm a Gunn fan from his days at NYCTA. Met him and Bill Bratton at the Transit Museum. Both very smart and approachable. And Gunn was very capable of owning up to mistakes.

I see Byford as a spiritual successor to Gunn. Both dedicated, driven, focused on system improvements and
showing the world how it can be done, and also both are TTC alumni.

[gokeefe]

I think we should probably have an entire thread dedicated to discussing Claytor's tenrue as CEO. He's widely admired and I think we'll deserving of it but his list of accomplishments is not very well understood.

Based on anecdotes I've heard along the way and his early support for the Downeaster I would have to say he's #1 as well with Boardman #2 for his support of the extension to Brunswick. Anderson would be #3 in my eyes for his financial success and Gunn #4 for his acumen and good management.

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[Gilbert B Norman]

Largely agree with your thoughts, Mr. O'Keefe.

Very simply, WGC saved Amtrak, when it needed Federal funding simply to pay the light bill - let alone meet payroll. While the "critters" in both the Legislative and Executive branches will always "talk the talk" of defunding, that Claytor was there and with both his influence on the Hill and @1600, ensured the agency (entity) was here to stay.

I can only hope that young railfans can respect how "groundbreaking" Labor reforms were on Claytor's watch. First it was then, the assumption of all crafts as employees of Amtrak occurred. Further, while so much of the industry's renaissance during the '80's was attributed to Labor's statesmanship in coming together to reform work rules that had been in place ever since Brakemen applied brakes to the cars and Firemen tended fires in the steam engine, all concerned could have said regarding Amtrak "the government will give 'em what they need, so let's just keep passenger work rules the same". Claytor ensured that what goes for the freight industry will also go within the passenger side as well - Amtrak or local passenger agencies notwithstanding.

[gokeefe]

I had no idea whatsoever that Claytor had secured changes to the work rules. That really is a very impressive accomplishment. Even more so that it occurred without a damaging outbreak of strife between labor and management that could have crippled Amtrak permanently.

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[Tadman]

This is a tough question. How do you rate them?

-By railfan fantasy of running the biggest network on the map with the nicest services, IE dining, sleeper, baggage...
-By revenue, profit, other financial measure
-By political success in increasing funding, capex, etc...
-By social good, IE moving the most passenger miles per dollar of subsidy or total budget

Because there is a different answer to all of those measures.

Claytor might be the best all-around president. The early (pre-reistrup) guy who turned down massive funding might be the worst. I'd also suggest the guy who decided to get creative with rolling stock instead of sticking to best practice might be on the awful list, because he hobbled the railroad forever with bad ideas, bad culture, and bad image with passengers and host roads that have to put up with the BS of failed equipment.

[Gilbert B Norman]

.The early (pre-reistrup) guy who turned down massive funding might be the worst.

Mr. Dunville, I believe you are addressing Roger Lewis, who was Amtrak's first President/CEO.

It did not take more than six months to realize that Amtrak would need to be funded. Anyone in the industry on A-Day knew they would need funding from the "get go", but then the charade had to be played.

So when Mr. Lewis made his first trek to The Hill, he was asked in a House hearing what kind of a railroad could Amtrak give the American people if we gave it a Billion (1972) dollsrs?

The answer he gave was to the effect of "sir, that would be more funds than we could sensibly commit".

What did you learn in school today, dear little boy of mine"?

[David Benton]

.The early (pre-reistrup) guy who turned down massive funding might be the worst.

Mr. Dunville, I believe you are addressing Roger Lewis, who was Amtrak's first President/CEO.

It did not take more than six months to realize that Amtrak would need to be funded. Anyone in the industry on A-Day knew they would need funding from the "get go", but then the charade had to be played.

So when Mr. Lewis made his first trek to The Hill, he was asked in a House hearing what kind of a railroad could Amtrak give the American people if we gave it a Billion (1972) dollsrs?

The answer he gave was to the effect of "sir, that would be more funds than we could sensibly commit".

What did you learn in school today, dear little boy of mine"?

How was Amtrak , having taken over a load of loss making passenger services , supposed to be self sufficient ? I guess the question is how could anyone be surprised it needed funding ? I know you were there Mr Norman, and i was just getting to grips with my first Tri-ang train set , and i do remember reading something in this vein before.