RAILforum: AARP as possible ally?

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Posted by MJA (Member # 13) on :

Does anyone know if AARP is supporting Amtrak? Many of the passengers on long distance trains are retirees. We are the ones with the extra few days to spare for a cross country trip. But it goes deeper than that. Though only in my sixties, I dread the stress of flying. I can’t stand in a line for a couple of hours at the airport. I can’t tolerate being crammed into a small space with my knees bent for the extra couple of hours waiting for clearance for takeoff, or gate space after landing. On my last flight from LaGuardia, we “taxied” for an hour and a half, and that was long before 9/11. So even without the fear factor after 9/11, there is a large portion of the older population who simply can’t fly.

AARP has a loud voice representing a huge number of people. They could be an effective advocate for Amtrak.What train advocates are doing is great, but there simply aren’t enough of us to be heard. How about writing to AARP as well as our congressmen?

Posted by CK (Member # 589) on :

I think you ask a very good question. My wife & I have met some of the nicest people on Amtrak trains and many of them have been of age to belong to AARP. In recalling our conversations with these fine people, many shared the same interests in travel by long distance trains and could not, or would not travel by other means. I don't have the answer for you but I hope others might. Amtrak needs all the support it can get at this critical time.

Posted by TALKrr (Member # 683) on :

What about THIS idea: getting word out to ANYONE who has ridden a long-distance train within the last 5 years to send a message to Congress about the necessity of a long-distance passenger-rail system ! I know this sounds impossible , but wouldn't that be something !!

The problem is (and I have said this before) that only us avid rail advocates realize the IMPORTANCE of letting Congress know exactly how we all feel. Think of the MILLIONS of individuals who , over the years , have ridden a long-distance passenger train and really enjoyed the experience-----OTHER than us !! Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could convince THESE individuals to contact Congress ?

In all honesty, I wonder just how "flooded" the Congressional message board has been in support of Amtrak. Messages by the thousands, perhaps. We need messages by the MILLIONS. So you see what I am saying when I speak of as MANY individuals who have used long-distance passenger-rail over the last FIVE YEARS !!

In all honesty, I do not expect the American public to "protest" any cuts in Amtrak service until the long-distance system is shut-down COMPLETELY---and I mean completely.

There's an old saying that goes , "one really doesn't appreciate something until its gone."

I hate to say it, but maybe the best thing that COULD happen to Amtrak is to have a COMPLETE, SYSTEM-WIDE shut-down---temporarily of course. That means EVERY train , even those along the "precious" NEC. Let some of the guys/gals who ride THOSE trains experience what it's like to be without passenger-rail. Then they can "sympathize" with the rest of us who have seen trains "ripped" out of service left and right.

I say, either NO trains cease operation or they ALL (and I mean ALL) cease operation. THEN let's see how Congress reacts !!

Let's fight fire with fire !!

Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :

quote:
Originally posted by TALKrr:

There's an old saying that goes , "one really doesn't appreciate something until its gone."
I hate to say it, but maybe the best thing that COULD happen to Amtrak is to have a COMPLETE, SYSTEM-WIDE shut-down---temporarily of course. That means EVERY train , even those along the "precious" NEC. left and right.

That thought temmpted me as well, until I realized that if the system were shut down, even temporarily, a huge experienced workforce would be scattered and many employees would be lost to other industries. It would take a good deal of time to reconstruct the workforce and get things back to normal. Rookies would need to be trained (no pun intended) (Ok pun WAS intended), which costs money, and rookie service errors would be common for awhile.

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Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth.
-Mr. Toy

The Del Monte Club Car

Posted by Konstantin (Member # 18) on :

In response to what Mr. Toy said:

Amtrak's major problem is that many, if not most of their employees are worthless, rude people. I think it would be a wonderful thing to have them "scattered" as you say. Amtrak may be able to start over with real employees instead of the losers they have now.

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Elias Valley Railroad (N-scale)
www.geocities.com/evrr

Posted by mrlithian (Member # 1129) on :

MJA -- DO it -- write to AARP if you haven't already. They LOVE a cause like this. I will write, too, and suggest that this would be a good article in MM. I share all your comments about flying, and I'm only 60.

C'mon, all you Gray Panthers who like the train -- write to AARP and really bitch at them and tell them to join the fray.

Posted by Amtrak207 (Member # 1307) on :

I wish we could find AARP's stance on Amtrak as well. No help from me there; I was born after Amtrak was.
I believe any help would be appreciated, though. It would certainly show how sensible the organization is. The cause needs rallying on many fronts: NARP is busy, writing letters is another. What else can I do? Oh, right. Buy tickets.
In response to the idea of a shutdown, I still believe any reduction of service, with the political process in the way, would be semipermanent. Amtrak can't just start up a Desert Wind again; that process takes time, and during that time they are losing market demand and awareness. Look how long it took for the Downeaster to get going.

As for the constant stream of accusations that Amservice is poor, I don't want to start that topic in discussion here. That is divergent from the original topic, and frankly I'm sick of hearing about it from the same people all the time anyway.
If you don't like it, fly. I'll use your seat as the one I lean over on to sleep. Yes, on the lakeshore. Yes, in coach. I refuse to let the few bad employees that others have encountered serve as reasoning to make passenger trains extinct.
Yes, I do occasionally have good things to say.

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In memory of F40PH #757099-8
March 29, 1976-November 18, 2001

Posted by dolfun007 (Member # 1331) on :

Here is something to seriously think about.

On March 17, 2001 the California Zephyr derailed outside Nodaway, Iowa. Stella Riehl perished from brutal injuries too horrible for me to describe.

She was my mother and 69 years young.

I had a face to face meeting with the National Transportation Safety Board, in Washington, D.C. on February 5th, to discuss their progress covering their investigation.

It was explained to me that my Mother's age left little reason to be concerned about ALL the aspects of the dangers that faced the passengers on that train that evening. After all, only one person died. It seems the cutoff age for being concerned is "those over 60". What about the other 96 who were injured? Didn't they matter? And what about Dads and Moms on future trips?

I called for a complete investigation, we have been let down. http://www.pcisys.net/~dad