Empire Commuter: Update on Holiday Party on the Rails

Bob Candeloro updates us on Holiday Party plans:

Holiday party is on for this Friday. While I plan on bringing beverages (beer, wine, soft drinks) and snacks, please feel free to bring whatever you might like to drink and/or eat. As far as securing our own car for Friday, Amtrak will not be able to accomodate us. Surprise, surprise. You'd figure after a 6-hour commute on Tuesday, they'd be able to round up an old car around somewhere. Anyway, this will not spoil the fun. As usual, we will meet in the first car, at the front of the train. Let's finish out the year in style ...

 

Empire Commuter: Next stop Hollywood!

The state of New York and Amtrak finally settled a long-running feud over a defunct plan to usher in high-speed rail service aboard rehabilitated turbo trains which former Governor Pataki initiated back in 1998. New York wanted $477 million in restitution from Amtrak but graciously agreed to $20 million after Amtrak kidnapped the trains in question, holding them hostage in a terminal in Delaware.

Now that everyone is back to being pals again, Amtrak and the NY Department of Transportation will split the tab for a new $10 million plan for track improvements.

After these nuptials, it's off to Hollywood, when they hope to sell the discarded trains as props in film productions.

Amtrak trains have previously appeared on TV shows including "House," "The Gilmore Girls," "What About Brian?" and "Sex and the City," and in films including "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?" In fact they seem to be anywhere other than arriving at their destination on time.

Since appearances are more important than reality to Amtrak management one can only hope that they settle permanently there and let someone else take over the Empire Line.

Holiday Party for Empire Commuters

One of our fellow Empire Commuters, Robert Candeloro, just told me about a party for some people who need to party very badly:

Just a reminder, on Friday, December 21 on Train # 237 (4:40PM), we will be having our holiday party. Please pass the following invite on to all our fellow Rhinecliff, Hudson and Albany riders. I am trying to secure our own coach (car) for the ride home, which will help greatly if we get a good number of people to show up. This is a one time deal, so pass the word and lets make it a good one. As they say, the more the merrier.

Okay to Highball !!!!!!

Empire Commuter: Never What You Want

When you want the train to move, it stops...

The Consumerist blog reports how an Amtrak train ran out of fuel 8 miles from a station and left the passengers to their own devices:

An Amtrak train traveling from San Diego to Santa Barbara ran out of fuel eight miles from its destination. Hartford Courant Editor Jeanne LeBlanc's daughter happened to be on the train, and recounted Amtrak's puzzling response.

Anyway, the passengers sat on the train for two hours, in the dark for the last 20 minutes, before they were allowed off -- but only if they could arrange their own transportation. She called her boyfriend and got a ride.

What would have happened if she could not arrange a ride? She has no idea how long the other passengers had to wait. The plan, the crew had told them, was to have a freight train push the Amtrak train to an intersection, where a fuel truck could reach them.

This happens just as Amtrak receives a guarantee of six years of funding from Congress and then raises the fares for regular commuters.

On the other hand, the SF Chronicle reported today that:

A pedestrian apparently absorbed in a cell phone call was struck and killed by an Amtrak train in San Leandro today after he walked around a lowered crossing gate and onto the tracks, authorities said.

The victim, a man who was not immediately identified, was struck at 12:30 p.m. by a northbound Capitol Corridor train at the Alvarado Street crossing, about 8 miles south of the Oakland station, Amtrak spokeswoman Vernae Graham said.

None of the 20 passengers or crew aboard the train was injured. That train and two others were delayed and another Capitol Corridor train was cancelled, Graham said.

Crew members aboard the Sacramento-bound train told authorities they saw the victim talking on the cell phone before he was struck, Graham said. The warning lights and gates at the crossing were functioning properly, she added.

Fatalities on and around the tracks are a common occurrence and I've heard from a disgruntled former station manager that it's because Amtrak management has determined the occasional lawsuits are cheaper than additional fencing.