Fun article on one of Amtrak's now famous riders. Of particular interest to this forum:
"He throws parties for retiring conductors, and once had a crewman serenaded by bagpipes."
The entire contents can be found at: Joe Biden Article Posted by HopefulRailUser (Member # 4513) on :
Wow, bagpipes from one of the board members. This may work out for us RR fans.
Is the town all prettied up for the convention?
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
But where are the ponies?
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
This is an omen.......a good one I hope.
Posted by ellenorigby (Member # 9414) on :
Oh this could be good, very very good!!
Posted by train lady (Member # 3920) on :
The ponies are too messy to ride on the Acela
Posted by Ocala Mike (Member # 4657) on :
No ponies, but Joe mentioned Amtrak in his acceptance speech, albeit very fleetingly, i.e., McCain no bueno for Amtrak and veterans, unlike him.
Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :
Clearly, Biden is one of us! I don't mean just an Amtrak rider, but a Railforum member! Where else would he have gotten the idea? Now, which screen name are you hiding behind, Joe?
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
Hopefully this is a "good omen" -- BUT how does Mr. Biden feel about LD trains? He lives in the NEC...........
Would he continue to greet everybody and buy coffee for them on say the Southwest Chief or the California Zephyr?
Posted by Railroad Bill (Member # 5097) on :
Joe Biden was certainly promoting Amtrak last night in his acceptance speech at the Dem Convention. Mentioned it numerous times, how he depends on the train everyday and loves the people on the train. He should have an open ear for suggestions re: improving Amtrak's status in Congress and hopefully will put a bug in Obama's hear on supporting Amtrak.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
For those desiring to "cut to the chase', the Amtrak reference noted by Ocala Mike (Mike, you're "out" over at NHRHTA, how about here?) occurs @ 12:40 in the video:
Regarding Mr. Kimmel's thought, Sen. Biden likely thinks the same of the LD's as do I; they represent "the ways of Washington", or a catalyst for which to obtain Federal level funding for what really counts in the 21st century - and that is Corridors.
Posted by Ocala Mike (Member # 4657) on :
Gil, what do you mean by "out"? My real name? I will gladly provide same provided everyone knows I am not related to the Gov. of Arizona or Judge Andrew on Fox. Maybe you mean my politics?
Michael Napolitano (D-LIB) "Ocala Mike"
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Mike the O:
"D-LIB"? Democrat of Libertyville? Da Librarian? Der Libation? (I like that last.)
Posted by sojourner (Member # 3134) on :
I too was very gratified to hear Amtrak mentioned in the acceptance speech.
Posted by Ocala Mike (Member # 4657) on :
Henry, It's a remnant of my prior state of residence, the Empire State, which actually had a LIB (Liberal) party. Down here in soggy Florida, I'm just a registered Democrat.
Mike the O (blue in a red state)
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Mike the O:
I suspected as much, judging from your post history, but just wanted to view the campaign button.
Mine says "I Go Pogo."
Henry
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Despite what some may think around here, I am honestly "undecided". My prior Presidential voting record is 5R-5D-1I.
Illinois does not require a voter to declare a party affiliation.
But volks, Amtrak affairs is not on my list of voting concerns, as I'm confident that be there a McCain or Obama administration, what counts - i.e. the Corridors will be preserved as they are needed railroad transportation.
The LD? "thanks for the memories"; most being pre-A-Day.
To what extent must Sen McCain "kow tow" to the religious right especially with Court (both Appellate and "The Supremes") appointments? I await Sen McCain's VP selection, age of a President McCain is of concern. I know right now I can be comfortable with a President Biden (I'm worried about an occurrence I had best not talk about here); will I feel comfortable with a President Lieberman, Pawlenty, or Romney, I must still evaluate.
Addendum: It will be difficult for me to be comfortable with a President Palin. I don't know where our Republic will go should "the sun moon and stars all fall upon" this well intentioned "hockey Mom" whose private family matters have become open season for every stripe of the media. But then Harry Truman, who referenced "sun, moon, and stars" when on April 12, 1945 was sworn in as POTUS33, formerly an "unknown" much outside of Missouri, is considered by any measurement to be a "near great" President.
Volks, I paint a picture that my vote is simply too precious to throw away on an "Amtrak ticket" which simply means Obama-Biden. Likewise, I cannot be blinded by the fact that both Sen. McCain and I have worn the uniform of our country, yet Sen McCain suffered far more that I ever did wearing that uniform (my Nam tour`was essentially "365 and a wake up' with a little pop-pop around Tet to make for "Saigon Warrior" to mean for a few days "Warrior").
There will be solemn duty for all of us come Nov 4.
Posted by TwinStarRocket (Member # 2142) on :
Count me in with Mr. Kisor.
Statesmen like Pogo are hard to find. Who else can truly sum up the state of our nation's challenges so boldly as: "We have met the enemy and he is us."
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
Ahhhhh Pogo -
He was my father's favorite cartoon.
Mr. Norman, thanks for reminding us that there is so much more to consider than just how Amtrak might fare under the next administration....
Personally I'm looking forward to using my next 'Amtrak Ticket' on a simple trip to Baltimore on #80 a week from tomorrow. Final destination is Steamtown and a ride across the famed Tunkhannock Viaduct September 6.
Posted by Railroad Bob (Member # 3508) on :
Another lively Biden thread- hope it doesn't meet the "odd fate" of the last Biden thread we had...ie. vanished for some reason. (David, check your PMs)
Posted by irishchieftain (Member # 1473) on :
quote:But volks, Amtrak affairs is not on my list of voting concerns, as I'm confident that be there a McCain or Obama administration, what counts - i.e. the Corridors will be preserved as they are needed railroad transportation.
The LD? "thanks for the memories"; most being pre-A-Day
Still talking what the consultants want to sell us, eh. Where and while the LD trains still operate, many passengers continue to say "thanks for the transportation". If the Phoebe Snow operated through my town again (presumedly not stopping at Brick Church and Summit in New Jersey as in the past), that's exactly what prospective passengers would say today…in spite of not operating like the special chylde that has been upgraded to what all main lines in the USA ought to be.
Well, the status quo still remains that the LD trains aren't getting investment, and the "corridors" aren't getting investment…plus the only artery named as and being treated like the stereotypical (at this point) "corridor", that being the Northeast one, is also not getting investment (and doesn't need billions on the order of Kummant's recent outrageous claims).
It's a pity that neither candidate is another Theodore Roosevelt. We'd be able to stand against belligerents like Putin, Ahmadinejad, Kim, Hu, Fukuda and those in the shadows in Germany (people like Steinmeier, Stoiber and the rest)…plus, our infrastructure (and our manufacturing) would be on the way back.
(BTW, during Obama's acceptance speech, he mentioned Biden riding "the Amtrak train that he takes home every night"…and boy, is he laying on the rhetoric and talking points, many of which are not true whatsoever.)
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
We can be certain of one thing: Sarah Palin does not take Amtrak to work. This, of course, does not make her a bad person.
And I will resist adding any political snark to this thread.
Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :
quote:Originally posted by notelvis: Mr. Norman, thanks for reminding us that there is so much more to consider than just how Amtrak might fare under the next administration....
Amtrak, as a small potatoes budget item, and a miniscule portion of our economy isn't a big issue on the surface, but the larger issue of transportation is a huge issue largely ignored by politicians.
Transportation directly affects economic policy, energy policy, environmental policy, public safety, and overall quality of life. Thus I will weigh a candidate's policy on transportation very heavily. And any candidate who doesn't see how passenger rail - with its minimal environmemtal impact and inherent energy efficiency - fits into the mix doesn't deserve to be in a position of making transportation policy.
McCain, Obama agree to overlook transportation The title of this article is a bit misleading, because it does outline the two candidate's stated positions on transportation policy.
Posted by Mike Smith (Member # 447) on :
Biden has done enough in his decades in our Senate to keep Amtrak barely alive. If he hasn't helped Amtrak that much in the past 30 years, why would anyone think he will help it in the next few years?
Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :
quote:Originally posted by Mike Smith: Biden has done enough in his decades in our Senate to keep Amtrak barely alive. If he hasn't helped Amtrak that much in the past 30 years, why would anyone think he will help it in the next few years?
An acquaintence who was a former Oregon state DOT rail program director once told me that Biden has a very NEC-centric view of Amtrak, and he hasn't done much for the rest of us.
Of course, McCain has done far less for Amtrak than Biden. McCain was the one who formally introduced the nonsensical Bush Amtrak plan to the Senate in the form of a bill, but he didn't find anyone besides himself, and maybe one or two others, who supported it.
Posted by Mike Smith (Member # 447) on :
True, Mr Toy, but some people were elevating Senator Biden to the "be-all, end-all" savior of Amtrak, and that is not the reality of the situation.
Posted by TwinStarRocket (Member # 2142) on :
But Sen. Biden has the wisdom to see how the role of bagpipes contributes to the future of rail transportation.
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Not to mention ponies.
Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :
Thus far overlooked in this discussion, Biden Jr. is vice-chair of the Amtrak Board of Directors.
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
quote:Originally posted by Mr. Toy: Thus far overlooked in this discussion, Biden Jr. is vice-chair of the Amtrak Board of Directors.
Which may help explain the continued overwhelming northeast-centric view of Amtrak.
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
I for one think that we could economize by using smaller stagecoaches.......we wouldn't need as many ponies to pull them.
Oooops.......different discussion.
Posted by irishchieftain (Member # 1473) on :
quote:Originally posted by Henry Kisor:
We can be certain of one thing: Sarah Palin does not take Amtrak to work. This, of course, does not make her a bad person.
And I will resist adding any political snark to this thread.
Well, Alaska still has the Alaska Railroad, whose passenger service is minimal and tourist-oriented. They are still state owned and operated, that I can see (since 1985).
quote:
quote:Mr. Toy wrote: Thus far overlooked in this discussion, Biden Jr. is vice-chair of the Amtrak Board of Directors.
George Harris wrote: Which may help explain the continued overwhelming northeast-centric view of Amtrak
But strangely, no extension of such a view to other passenger rail systems in the Northeast. Not to mention, the B&O line through Wilmington receives no particular help that can be attributed to anyone with the last name of Biden.
One laughable point is that the Dems are hopeful that Joe Biden's birthplace of Scranton might help swing PA voters towards Obama. But "D-Amtrak" does't seem to have done much towards accelerating restoration of passenger service on the Route of the Phoebe Snow, which kind of belies any real focus Biden may have on the Northeast in particular, save one particular corridor…
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
quote:Originally posted by irishchieftain: But "D-Amtrak" does't seem to have done much towards accelerating restoration of passenger service on the Route of the Phoebe Snow, which kind of belies any real focus Biden may have on the Northeast in particular, save one particular corridor…
which is the one he rides.
Posted by irishchieftain (Member # 1473) on :
Sorry; meant to say that any alleged focus on that corridor is minimal at best. Amtrak doesn't even benefit, and what advantages they possess are being eaten up by time and neglect; MARC and SEPTA are further down on the meager totem pole. (Would Joe Biden ride MARC to Wilmington DE if the Penn Line were extended beyond Perryville MD?)
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
quote:Originally posted by HopefulRailUser: Wow, bagpipes from one of the board members. This may work out for us RR fans.
Miss Vickie, in the hope of "lightening up" a somber topic (Metrolink crash), I noted that I was at a family wedding on Saturday at which a bagpiper performed.
Oh well, the Bride's family name in McNicholl; so I guess such was "appropro". But then I had never heard the familiar Wagner wedding processional played on the bagpipe until last Saturday.
Posted by Judy McFarland (Member # 4435) on :
My daughter, the bagpiper, (now ex-piper since she sold her pipes this summer) played for a few weddings when she was a college student, but she didn't play the traditional wedding march. Usually it was "Scotland The Brave".
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
quote:Originally posted by irishchieftain: Sorry; meant to say that any alleged focus on that corridor is minimal at best. Amtrak doesn't even benefit, and what advantages they possess are being eaten up by time and neglect; MARC and SEPTA are further down on the meager totem pole. (Would Joe Biden ride MARC to Wilmington DE if the Penn Line were extended beyond Perryville MD?)
While MARC gives a nice ride up to Perryville (I did it myself two weeks ago today), I imagine that Senator Joe would opt for Acela. The MARC commuter is a milk run by comparison.