News, Commentary, and Press Releases

News

2006: Andrew Selden sees a new year to fix old problems and bad perceptions December, 2005
Gilbert Carmichael: A Distinguished American Speaks About Amtrak Reform November, 2005
Amtrak in Perspective by Bruce Richardson, October 2005
17 November 2005: Amtrak can Flourish in the post-David Gunn Era. By Andrew Selden.
14 October 2005: Manufactured Hysteria Is Flying Over Subtle And Proper Changes For The Northeast Corridor. By Andrew Selden, Vice President, URPA.
12 October 2005: Amtrak to Form Northeast Corridor Subsidiary discussed in This Week at Amtrak
The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2005 (S.1516) is discussed in This Week At Amtrak starting with Volume 2 Number 20. The full text of S.1516 is on Thomas at the Library of Congress.
24 June 2005: Mineta Jumps the Track by Dennis Larson, VP URPA
30 May 2005: Letter to Railway Age regarding Amtrak reform
2005: Passenger Rail Reform Questions and Answers on the U.S. Department of Transportation site
2 July 2004: Three Radical Ideas Concerning Amtrak by Andrew Selden, presented to the National Railway Historical Society in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
20 June 2002: DOT Secretary Mineta describes Bush Administration's plans for Amtrak
11 March 2002: Corridor and Long Distance Myths and Realities by Andrew C. Selden
5 March 2002: Suggested Improvements For Railroad Passenger Service. by Michael E. McGinley, P.E.
14 February 2002: U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Press Release:
(ARC Chairman) Gil Carmichael says Amtrak Organization is Obsolete; Rep. Don Young says Amtrak Dysfunctional Corporation; ARC Recommendations Outlined.
[Carmichael] quoting from the ARC’s Action Plan: "The Council’s view is that there should be a bright future for passenger rail service in America. But the Council believes that passenger rail service will never achieve its potential as provided and managed by Amtrak. A new and different program is needed to move forward."

Commentary

This Week At Amtrak -- Weekly Updates
July 25, 2006:
Statement prepared for the Mississippi Senate Highways and Transportation Committee by Gilbert E. Carmichael
October 2005:
Amtrak in Perspective by Bruce Richardson. How did the American passenger train go from being a showcase for a huge and successful industry to a welfare stepchild of government?
20 September 2005:
Concepts Of The Successful Long Distance Train Of The Future.
18 January 2004: On High Speed Rail
October 2003: Finally, An Administration Followed The Law
July 2003: There Is No Free Lunch, So Stop Whining
June 2003: Looking Back at Amtrak Accidents
May 2003: The Canary Will Keep On Singing
April 2003: Finally the Sky Actually Is Falling
March 2003: Dining Cars as Cost Targets
January 2003: Who will be Handling Amtrak in the 108^th Congress?
"This Was the Week That Was," an Ongoing Saga of Passenger Rail (through June 2002)
June 2002: The "Invisible Hand" by Andrew Selden, posted June 2002
May 2002: "Private Varnish on Amtrak: Another Lost Revenue Opportunity" by Randy Schlotthauer, May 2002
Oral Statement to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, 11 April 2002
March 2002: "You Want More Rail Passenger Service? You Need The Long Distance Trains!" Comments by Noel Braymer, RailPAC President

Press Releases, Letters, and other News

30 May 2005: Letter to Railway Age regarding Amtrak reform
15 March 2004: URPA calls for new approach to Amtrak policy to reverse financial decline
9 September 2003: URPA questions Amtrak shutdown threat due to budget constraints
20 August 2003: URPA Endorses Bush Amtrak Plan
13 January 2004: 2004 Goals for an Improved Amtrak
23 May 2003: McCain - Hollings Letter
5 February 2002: URPA Proposes Win-Win Solution for Amtrak
1 February 2002: URPA Denounces Amtrak Threats
15 November 2001: URPA Endorses ARC Report on Amtrak
18 September 2001: URPA has emergency plan for Amtrak
25 June 2001: On Amtrak's refusal to disclose terms of the Penn Station Mortgage
8 June 2001: Letter to Secretary Mineta, 8 June 2001
7 May 2001: URPA's view of Amtrak
6 May 2001: A Statement by Bruce Richardson on his new position as President of URPA
2 May 2001: URPA names new slate of officers