Associated Press reports that "Amtrak president says old equipment could slow expansion plans:"
WASHINGTON - Amtrak is still using some equipment that dates back half a century, and obstacles to getting new equipment could stand in the way of the railroad's expansion plans, the company's president told Congress on Tuesday.
Alex Kummant said one major difficulty is the lack of existing U.S. manufacturers of rail cars.
"While we have enough equipment to serve today's needs, we lack the equipment it takes to foster corridor development," Kummant said in remarks prepared for the railroads subcommittee of the House transportation and infrastructure committee.
"It will be a challenge to obtain the necessary equipment to fully exploit our intercity corridor development opportunities, as well as to modernize and replace much of the existing fleet, some of which dates to the early 1950s," Kummant said.
The word from Amtrak staff on the Empire Line is that some crucial switching and signaling equipment is so old that no one is alive who knows how to repair it or fabricate replacements. How soon before something breaks down that can't be replaced?
WASHINGTON - Amtrak is still using some equipment that dates back half a century, and obstacles to getting new equipment could stand in the way of the railroad's expansion plans, the company's president told Congress on Tuesday.
Alex Kummant said one major difficulty is the lack of existing U.S. manufacturers of rail cars.
"While we have enough equipment to serve today's needs, we lack the equipment it takes to foster corridor development," Kummant said in remarks prepared for the railroads subcommittee of the House transportation and infrastructure committee.
"It will be a challenge to obtain the necessary equipment to fully exploit our intercity corridor development opportunities, as well as to modernize and replace much of the existing fleet, some of which dates to the early 1950s," Kummant said.
The word from Amtrak staff on the Empire Line is that some crucial switching and signaling equipment is so old that no one is alive who knows how to repair it or fabricate replacements. How soon before something breaks down that can't be replaced?
No comments:
Post a Comment