I'm trying to work on a trip report as well as get caught up at work, home, etc. and will hopefully submit a full report by this weekend.

Good luck

Thanks for your post -- it's just that this "shutdown" makes me nervous -- AMTRAK, to my knowledge, has NEVER had a "shutdown" in 30+ years! My immediate concern, of course, is that it may screw up my vacation this year, which I will not reschedule -- I have too many other trips and commitments for later in the summer and fall. Mt real long-term fear is that, if AMTRAK "shuts down," they may never re-open again.... In spite of Mr. Gunn's best efforts, a totally new reformed AMTRAK sounds great to us, but based on what we as a nation have learned (or not learned???) over the past 30 years, I don't know how the politicians and the public would take to a totally "new" AMTRAK if they had to start over from scratch.

Yes, I have kept the faith, and a lot of that faith rests on my faith in Mr. Mineta and Mr. Bush (Gunn is no problem -- he will do the right thing) -- I hope they too "do the right thing," and keep their word on all this political rhetoric we've been hearing for the last 2 days. AMTRAK needs money, and they need it NOW -- it's as simple as that.

Finally -- I hope, as part of Mr. Gunn's reformed AMTRAK, that he can get some workable realistic contracts with the freight railroads, and give them an incentive to run our (AMTRAK's) trains on time!! The freight railroads have always been a pain in the a**, especially the last few months! That needs to be the first reform!!

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U.S., Amtrak in Tentative Deal
Wed Jun 26, 9:53 PM ET
By John Crawley

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Transportation Department and Amtrak reached a tentative deal on Wednesday night for a bailout that would resolve the national passenger railroad's immediate financial crisis and avert a shutdown threatened for as early as next week.

In a joint statement, Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta (news - web sites) and Amtrak Chairman John Robert Smith said the two sides had made "excellent progress" in bringing the crisis to an end, and were on track to finalize the deal possibly by Thursday.

Amtrak last week requested help from the Bush administration so it could access $200 million in credit from its banks to keep its trains running through September. The railroad's creditors had refused to lend it more money because of its poor financial condition and an incomplete audit report for 2001.

While the Transportation Department or Amtrak did not disclose details of the tentative agreement, sources inside and out of the government said the two sides agreed to take a two-stage approach.
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Here's the scoop:

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First, the government would directly lend Amtrak $100 million to cover spending priorities for the first half of the summer. In the second stage, the Bush administration would work with Congress to come up with another $100 million at least to keep the trains running through September.

That aid could come in the form of a direct appropriation from Congress, a direct loan from the Treasury or a loan guarantee. A loan guarantee would enable Amtrak to access its line of credit.

Sounds like a marvelous trip, something akin to something I'd attempt. If the Three Rivers is on time, you should get to see Horseshoe curve. Do you change to the Three Rivers in New York or Philly?
Being on the WB Eagle you don't have to worry about your arrival into LA since there are trains almost every hour to San Diego(assuming thats where you are going).
Are you switching to the Empire Builder in Portland or Seattle(I see you are not making the same day connection in Portland)?
Have a great trip and we'll all be looking forward to your trip report.

Reggie

Reggie