(Volume 25, No. 12)
President's Soapbox
Action Plan for the Completion of the
Club Layout
1. IDENTIFICATION OF THE NEED AND JUSTIFICATION
Construction Progress on the Club Layout according to the original long term plan has become stalled except for the work being done on the south Staging Yard and detailing of the Idaho Falls segments.
The club needs to develop a portable modular layout for use as a traveling display to increase our exposure to the public, generate additional public interest and create more opportunities for participants.
2. SUGGESTED PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT
Identify separate functions for the club, namely;
For the purposes of simplification, this action plan will continue as part one, ERRHSI SILVERBOW and part two, ERRHSI MODULAR.
Part One, ERRHSI Silverbow
Finalize the plans for completion of the Silverbow and Yellowstone extensions using a double deck design.
Identify the various phases of construction into bench-work, track-laying, wiring, scenery segments with specific plans and standards.
Assign responsibility to a team leader (to be designated) for each construction phase.
Overall responsibility for design and quality control to be managed by the layout committee.
Complete the return loop per the original plan.
Develop and complete the module known as the "Creamery Module" which will also serve as the connection between the staging yard and the return loop.
Part Two, ERRHSI Modular
Identify the existing modules which are not compatible with the Silverbow Project and can be organized into a loop arrangement for operational display .
Design and build the necessary modules to form a completed loop.
Purchase or obtain an enclosed cargo trailer of sufficient size to store and transport the portable modules.
Schedule displays at public events to maximize exposure and public awareness of our activities.
Leo Harker
Timetable
Amtrak Won't Meet Goals
The Amtrak Reform Council met in Washington earlier in November and approved a resolution, on a 6-5 vote, to report formally to Congress a finding that the ARC believes Amtrak will continue to require operating grants after December 2, 2002 -- in other words, miss the 1997 legal requirement of operational self-sufficiency.
Significantly, the resolution was opposed by DOT Secretary Mineta's representative (Mark Yachmetz of the Federal Railroad Administration) and by the Council's Republican chairman, Gilbert Carmichael (who served President H. W. Bush as Federal Railroad Administrator). Also, the leading proponent of the resolution, Paul M. Weyrich, a longtime member of this Association, has made clear that he supports a national rail passenger system. Weyrich emphasized that, in spite of today's vote, "no trains are going to stop." That last quote is important: the trains will keep running. [A similar point needs to be made with respect to the lawsuit filed yesterday against Amtrak by Bombardier: the Acela Express high-speed train sets will continue to operate, and Bombardier will continue to deliver the five remaining sets in the 20-set order.]
With regard to the Council's action, NARP is concerned, however, that at a time of national crisis -- one directly related to intercity passenger transportation -- Amtrak, whose resources already are stretched to the limit, now must find time to draft a plan within 90 days for its own liquidation. Additional staff time doubtless will be consumed dealing with potentially negative consequences of that task on the its relationships with its lenders, and perhaps even with the willingness of customers to make long-term travel plans with Amtrak.
NARP believes that the ground under the US. transportation establishment has shifted fundamentally -- and favorably towards rail -- as a result of September 11.
* In the past two months, we have seen unprecedented editorial support for passenger rail and for Amtrak.
* In October, ridership on Acela Express and Metroliners in the Northeast Corridor was 43% above a year ago and revenue growth was substantially greater. Ridership was 11% above plan. Sleeping-car occupancy rates and revenues on most routes was stronger than a year ago. Amtrak's share of the total travel market likely rose, since airlines in October reported a 65% occupancy rate (down from a year ago) on flight schedules that most carriers had cut 20%.
* In November the Senate Finance Committee approved a tax stimulus package that includes a 3-year, $7 billion version of the High Speed Rail Investment Act, plus $2 billion for a new railroad tunnel under the Hudson River.
Like Amtrak, we are unaware that the Council's action reflected its statutory mandate to account for "acts of God, national emergencies, and other events beyond the reasonable control for Amtrak."
The fundamental problem facing passenger rail is inadequate public funding in general, and -- in particular -- the lack of a federal program for partnering with states on improving tracks which would in turn improve the economic performance of trains (including long-distance trains) running on the various federally designated high speed corridors. We do not see an Amtrak reorganization as likely to solve that problem.
Enactment of the High Speed Rail Investment Act and adequate annual appropriations for Amtrak are critical if the US. is to get the balanced transportation system we need to face the challenges of the new century.
From an American Association of Railroad Passengers E-Mail
New UP Numbering System
Thoughts of a UP Engineer
A new loco roster numbering for the "final" UP. renumbering. No surprises. All the SD-40's (tunnel motors, everything, including rebuilt SP) will be from 2650 to 3973. Then at 3974 the SD70Ms start. (The 3900 SD70M's are ex-SP.) They will not renumber the heritage engines at all. Of all the SD50's we have, probably over 100, counting the MoP (canary yellow ones), CNW and Rio Grande, they are only going to keep the ex-Rio Grande ones and that is on lease only. All the others are to be traded. I really hate that as the SD50's are the BEST engines I've ever had on passenger specials! They are easy to run, don't make transition, which makes them smooth engines as they accelerate. They respond well to throttle changes, aren't slippery, and the old control stand is user friendly on a passenger job. The SD70's are o.k. for passenger, but they are herky-jerky when accelerating and the dynamic brakes are touchy. I always wished the railroad would have kept some 50's for passenger.
I did see one of the Rio Grande SD50 repaints and it actually looked good with the wings over the former headlight blank. I see where they are de-rating the old B30-7A's from 3000 h.p. to 2250 for emission control. These engines, if you remember, were pioneers in that they had 12 cylinder 3000 h.p. engines in them. Conrail had some in the "C" wheel arrangement. The only problem with the high h.p. was the resultant black smoke. When you opened up the throttle they would make an Alco look "clean". You can only imagine coal black smoke coming out of that monstrous stack they possess. I had one as a standby engine on Amtrak. Of course I put on a show leaving the stations. It looked like a poorly fired oil-burner. The conductor told me the people were going to the dome car to watch the "smoky diesel".
The SD60M's are to start at 2240, the standard cab SD60's numbered below that. I think there are about 84 of those, depending on wreck damage. The GP38's will be numbered from 279 to 1088. GP39's (they are all Dash Two's, by-the-way) start at 1200 and go to 1250. The GP40's start at 1300 and go to 1540. I didn't know we had that many. It looks like they are going to keep the GP50's numbered 1610 through 1687. A lot of those don't have dynamic brakes.
Oh well -- get rid of the SD's for GP's, yeah, like I can figure that out. Get one on the point of a heavy manifest train over mountains, with no DB's. I noted with interest that the Heritage fleet doesn't list the fourth E unit, nor does it list the ex CNW F units. I also don't see the SD40X. I am sure that since they aren't active that is the oversight. I always hoped to see the F7's work on the road some day. Of course, the "Y" engines are numerous. It is very awkward when announcing yourself to the dispatcher as UP Y604, etc. The letter "y" doesn't flow well out of my mouth in conjunction with numbers. It always sounds like "why".
Contributed by Alan Udy
UP Special Paint Jobs
Just back from Kodak, so will clutter your mail box with a couple of views of UP's new public relations gizmos. The Olympic units will start their barnstorming shortly with a swing into the southern part of the system. SD-70m's 2001 and 2002 will lead the special replete with revived torch car.
The patriotism scheme is applied to 3 SD-70m's 4526, 27, 28. Flag is 3-D Scotchlight, so should be a real eye-catcher at crossings at night.
Contributed by Alan Udy
Flag paint scheme on SD-70m at Council Bluffs |
Olympic paint scheme on SD-70m UP 2002 |
New Amtrak Station
A new Amtrak station has opened at Newark Airport, connected to the airport by monorail. The new station allows commuter and through trains to stop at the airport, allowing flyers with east coast destinations to travel to their final destination by rail, rather than cluttering up the skies with another flight. Continental Air Lines has already eliminated its three Newark - Philadelphia daily connections in favor of the train.
From a Wall Street Journal Article