No service changes or cuts to the Southwest Chief route
I am starting this start this petition cause these proposed service cuts or alternatives can lead to the eventual dismantling of the National Amtrak Network, start with the Southwest Chief.
I am petitioning you all to reconsider your position on the Southwest Chief. I understand you’re trying to make Amtrak great again with improved safety features, schedules and customer satisfaction which is commendable. Amtrak does need to be modernized and brought into the 21st century to be more competitive with air/ bus. I can respect that. Amtrak sure has needed a boost. However, it really concerns me on how you and the Amtrak board have taken the position on PTC with an Iron Fist. The FRA has granted Main line track exemptions to the BNSF railway for the Raton Subdivision and Parts of the Glorieta Subdivision owned by BNSF railway. vI see your point in wanting to make the route safer. However there has not been a single death and or derail on those subdivisions. Last I checked PTC was adopted for rail lines transporting heavy freight loads and passenger trains and has more than 15 trains per day. You’re wanting to put PTC on Raton & Glorieta Pass when the only user is the Southwest Chief? I’ve photographed the train in the last decade and the route needs better signals and sidings, along with bridges, and maybe in 5 years upgraded rail. There is a signal system in place it’s been working for years with our incident. That is only my personal opinion as a photographer who is out there daily photographing the train. What Amtrak’s main goal should be is replacing the super liner fleet and P42s. Those are in need of attention and upgrades.
However back to the Chief. The bus bridge you all propose would only dismantle the route with eventual discontinuance of the route in a decade or less due to lower and lower ridership. I read in the press how Amtrak mentions the Chief is losing money. But public transportation is not designed to make money and profit entirely. You’re gonna have days when you make money and days you won’t.
As a rider who uses the Chief on both ends of the spectrum via Albuquerque can tell you I will not be riding Amtrak anymore if a bus bridge is installed along with many other riders I also know. I plead with you and ask you not let this train fade into history by setting into motion the bus bridge. There is a reason why people take trains to see scenery not seen from the highway. Also your bus bridge is also a major concern on a logistics level and safety level. Raton pass is a steep climb for both trains and vehicles. But during the winter months the pass is closed for white out conditions at times and or severe black ice. Now can you all fully explain to me how Amtrak intends to bus passengers to meet with Train 4 in Kansas when the NMDOT & CDOTs may close I-25?
Are there plans in place if a bus was to crash due to black ice or snow conditions? But wait - when the highway is closed the railroads stay open or have delays. I’ve personally seen the Chief climb through the pass at safe speeds and successfully make it to every station when the Interstate highway is closed. Now has Amtrak addressed that the NMDOT (NMRX) territory East Isleta to ESS Lamy did get there full funding to implement PTC in the NMRX ABQ Subdivision? NMRX ROW ends in Lamy, so would Amtrak operate the Southwest Chief to terminate in Lamy if PTC is underway and then operational on the NMRX line, with a bus bridge in place?
There are so many questions that you all have not fully addressed and or not been fully transparent about. Remember, Amtrak is a railroad and not an airline. I can understand certain talking points presented by you guys at Amtrak but I cannot accept the fact you all won’t cooperate in the matter to ensure rural Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico have transportation. To be honest, it seems you are wanting your passengers and or shareholders including stakeholders to bow to your will and accept what is. Congress stands with us Amtrak passengers, why can’t Amtrak stand behind its own passengers?
One final thought; remember Amtrak stands for American Track, not NEC Track or New England Track - American Track! And it’s your sole responsibility to provide us Americans the transportation needed to get us from A to B. So please Mr. Anderson have an open mind and work with us and not against us. Hear what your passengers have to say. We want the Southwest Chief service to remain as is with no service interruptions and no bus bridge.
Also for my Delegation members who represent me in Washington D.C I thank you so much for the support and resources given to fight this issue. To quote Senator Hendrich
“We have fought for the Southwest Chief, we will fight for it again”
Which is so true. But also I beg of you members of the Senate and House of Representatives, along with yourself Mr. President. We need to look into these issues further and assist Amtrak in repairs and operations for the National Network. We cannot let this issue keep dragging on. Also we need to have some more congressional oversight on Amtrak & there business dealings. If Amtrak seeks to abandon routes and or stub routes with Buses replacing part of the route all because Amtrak does not want to pay operational & maintenance costs from now to 2030. We need congress to put Amtrak in check. There are so many towns and cities without airports and greyhound which have Amtrak stations and heavily depend and rely on them. For Richard Anderson and his Board to dismiss those small towns and cities at the snap of a finger is concerning.
For those in my State I please beg of you to work with the NM Delegation and all communities affected. No disrespect but from what I’ve seen with my state leaders is they wait for situations like this to resolve itself and when it can’t, they jump in at the last second. We need to be putting any available resources we can spare on a State, County, City Level. We need to ha...
