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Amtrak asks fed regulators to investigate Union Pacific handling of Sunset Ltd

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Re: Amtrak asks fed regulators to investigate Union Pacific handling of Sunset Ltd

#121

Post by pstuart »

stetrain wrote: post #59
mlindner wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nationalizing them would be a disaster. They were deeply unprofitable until the federal government de-nationalized them after it had nationalized them and practically ruined them in the process of that nationalization. Let's not ruin what good things there are.

You can nationalize the infrastructure without nationalizing the operations upon it. Many other countries use a system where one government-related entity manages in the infrastructure, and many private companies can pay to operate rail services on that infrastructure. This would actually allow market competition instead of geographic monopolies.

> You can nationalize the infrastructure without nationalizing the operations upon it.

That was the intention of my post.

Re: Amtrak asks fed regulators to investigate Union Pacific handling of Sunset Ltd

#122

Post by pstuart »

Symbiote wrote: post #105
Jochim wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We have something like this in the UK. It's a dogshit system that leads to service that is both awful and overpriced. The whole thing should be nationalised.

It's a good idea to nationalise passenger trains in Britain, but I'm not aware of anyone calling for freight trains to be nationalised.

My intention was to nationalize the rails; the current operators can still do so as private businesses but they now have to share with other operators (including passengers).

Re: Amtrak asks fed regulators to investigate Union Pacific handling of Sunset Ltd

#123

Post by Symbiote »

pstuart wrote: post #122
Symbiote wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a good idea to nationalise passenger trains in Britain, but I'm not aware of anyone calling for freight trains to be nationalised.

My intention was to nationalize the rails ; the current operators can still do so as private businesses but they now have to share with other operators (including passengers).

After initially privatising everything in the 1990s, which led to cut corners on track/signal maintenance and accidents as a result, Britain nationalised the rail infrastructure -- track, electric catenary, signals, tunnels, bridges and stations.

Companies (private or public) operating trains pay a fee to use the track.

This seems to be working much better.

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/who-we-are/

Re: Amtrak asks fed regulators to investigate Union Pacific handling of Sunset Ltd

#124

Post by mlindner »

thfuran wrote: post #54
mlindner wrote: post #51

The solution to fixing problems with Amtrak is to privatize it and shut down the unprofitable long distance lines or require states that want them to pay for them. Amtrak is already profitable in areas of high density if they weren't held back by all the unprofitable lines.

Should we shut down all the unprofitable highways too?

The federal highway system funding originated as a method of defense. Unless the military switches to using rail for transport then throwing highway funding into the military budget seems fine to me.

Re: Amtrak asks fed regulators to investigate Union Pacific handling of Sunset Ltd

#125

Post by Jochim »

Symbiote wrote: post #123
pstuart wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My intention was to nationalize the rails ; the current operators can still do so as private businesses but they now have to share with other operators (including passengers).

After initially privatising everything in the 1990s, which led to cut corners on track/signal maintenance and accidents as a result, Britain nationalised the rail infrastructure -- track, electric catenary, signals, tunnels, bridges and stations. Companies (private or public) operating trains pay a fee to use the track. This seems to be working much better. https://www.networkrail.co.uk/who-we-are/

The UK runs one of the worst rail services in Europe[0]. The involvement of the operating companies is a charade with the sole purpose of siphoning public money into private hands.

What value is a private operator adding to the system when tracks, signalling, timetables, and fares are managed by the public body? Especially given they aren't providing the rolling stock themselves.

Note that the private operators did such an awful job of managing timetables and fares that the responsibility was taken from them.

[0] https://inews.co.uk/news/long-reads/how-britains-railways-co...

Re: Amtrak asks fed regulators to investigate Union Pacific handling of Sunset Ltd

#126

Post by Symbiote »

Jochim wrote: post #125
Symbiote wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

After initially privatising everything in the 1990s, which led to cut corners on track/signal maintenance and accidents as a result, Britain nationalised the rail infrastructure -- track, electric catenary, signals, tunnels, bridges and stations. Companies (private or public) operating trains pay a fee to use the track. This seems to be working much better. https://www.networkrail.co.uk/who-we-are/

The UK runs one of the worst rail services in Europe[0]. The involvement of the operating companies is a charade with the sole purpose of siphoning public money into private hands. What value is a private operator adding to the system when tracks, signalling, timetables, and fares are managed by the public body? Especially given they aren't providing the rolling stock themselves. Note that the private operators did s…

Sorry, I was very ambiguous but I meant only that the public-run infrastructure was working much better than when that was privately run. Britain's railway network is one of the safest in Europe, and it's a very busy network.

I agree the private operators bring nothing. Train tickets are one of the few things that are more expensive in Britain than here in Denmark, and I can't think of anything at all that's better about trains in Britain, other than the more varied scenery.

(Advance ticket tomorrow morning London-Manchester, £40, walk-up peak fare £184. 2½ hours, 260km.

Advance ticket tomorrow morning Copenhagen-Århus... £38, walk-up peak fare £48. 2¾ hours, 310km by land.)

Re: Amtrak asks fed regulators to investigate Union Pacific handling of Sunset Ltd

#127

Post by 0xBDB »

msrenee wrote: post #111
jhghgfhgf wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's "damn cheap" because it's being subsidized heavily by US taxpayers. "The United States Postal Service (USPS) on Wednesday reported a net loss of $4.9 billion for the year ending Sept. 30."

The fact that the USPS is currently operating at a loss has a lot to do with a bill that passed in 2006 requiring them to prepay their employee benefits including pensions 50 years in advance. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_Accountability_and_En...

That got repealed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_Service_Reform_Act_of_2...

Re: Amtrak asks fed regulators to investigate Union Pacific handling of Sunset Ltd

#128

Post by msrenee »

0xBDB wrote: post #127
msrenee wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The fact that the USPS is currently operating at a loss has a lot to do with a bill that passed in 2006 requiring them to prepay their employee benefits including pensions 50 years in advance. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_Accountability_and_En...

That got repealed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_Service_Reform_Act_of_2...

Yep, in March. After doing 16 years worth of damage. Hopefully it wasn't too late.
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