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Reporter Liveblogs a Pere Marquette Trip
Friday, December 07, 2007
On Monday, Grand Rapids Press (MI) reporter Ken Kolker liveblogged a round-trip to Chicago on the Amtrak Pere Marquette, three days after the train was involved in a serious read-end collision with a Norfolk Southern freight train outside of Chicago that caused 60 injuries. Kolker shows his lay credentials, referring to a couple boarding the train as, “climbing aboard the locomotive.” More notably, he also collected anecdotes from two passengers who were on the ill-fated train the previous Friday. 78 year-old Louisa Vargo, who still had a black eye to show for her troubles, nonetheless returned home by Amtrak as a vote of confidence in the safety of rail travel:
Despite the crash, she did not hesitate to ride Amtrak home. She takes this trip several times a month.
“I don’t even think about it,” she says. “It’s just another trip, I’m not apprehensive at all.”
Members of the traditional news media are beginning to embrace technology as a means to expose the public to the rail travel experience. At the vanguard of this phenomenon is Rafi Guroian, Director of Technology & Online Content Manager for Cox Newspapers Washington Bureau, whose Rafi on the Rails feature includes regular insights from his experiences on Amtrak. Guroian even went so far as to have a live webcam and GPS tracking during a recent two-week cross-country trip!
Hopefully, this is a trend that will expand. Not only do these “new media” ventures by traditional outlets provide greater exposure for the rail travel alternative, they can lead to greater accountability for the bad apples at Amtrak who the correspondents encounter, as Guroian did on a recent trip.
—Matthew Melzer
Posted by NARP
Tags: amtrak, news media, pere marquette, safety,Holland Sentinel Readers Confident in Amtrak
Thursday, December 20, 2007
In an unscientific readers’ poll, the Holland Sentinel (MI) asked, “How has the Amtrak [Pere Marquette] train crash in Chicago November 30 impacted the likelihood of you riding the train in the future?”
Check out these astonishing results:
Not only are the majority of readers confident that the train is safe, there are more folks who would ride Amtrak after the crash than those who would avoid it! As they say, all publicity is good publicity. And for the safe mode of train travel, good publicity is well-deserved, even if the rare incident is regrettable.
While commercial aviation is also, for the most part, a safe mode of travel, I submit that a scary, non-fatal situation in the air is much more likely to draw strongly negative reactions. On Sunday, my return trip from Miami was on American Airlines. As we descended towards Reagan National Airport, strong winds in the area contributed to severe turbulence, the kind that makes the wings visibly flap and causes even iron stomachs to drop. Perhaps a hundred yards from touchdown, the captain engaged full throttle and we aborted the landing. At this point, several people were crying, a few were vomiting, and a woman behind me was in the grips of an uncontrolled panic attack. We circled around for another landing attempt; the captain threw in the towel at about 1,000 feet and announced that dangerous 40-knot crosswinds were not worth the risk for our Boeing 737-800.
We were diverted to Dulles International Airport, where we landed nearly an hour late. However, we parked on the tarmac and awaited paramedics to board to treat the sufferer of the panic attack. Passengers were eventually allowed to exit onto the unique IAD people movers (“moon buggies”), which incidentally will soon be replaced in normal service by an intra-airport automated train system. American chartered coaches to get everyone back to DCA, and by that point we were two-and-a-half hours late.
The incident with our flight apparently made the local news, along with an earlier MIA-DCA flight that day which was also diverted to IAD, due to mechanical reasons.
Even if air travel is safe, the perceived perils are rightfully greater than that of train travel. Let’s also not forget that over 45,000 people die each year on the road; 15.5 deaths per 100,000 population is greater than the murder rate in many major cities.
It bears repeating: However you may be traveling this holiday season, stay safe out there!
—Matthew Melzer
Posted by NARP
Tags: air travel, airlines, amtrak, news media, pere marquette, safety,Malaise in the Airline Industry: Safety, Fuel, and the Economy
Thursday, April 10, 2008
This lead in today’s Financial Times says it all:
Chaos gripped US airports for a third straight day on Thursday as the government’s top transportation watchdog called for changes to airline safety oversight, citing an “overly collaborative” relationship between airlines and their regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration.
Calvin Scovel III, the US transportation department’s inspector general, made his comments before Congress as American Airlines cancelled 900 flights to perform safety checks, stranding thousands of air passengers.
American has canceled over 2,400 flights and counting this week due to potentially faulty wiring in its MD-80s, which comprise one-third of its fleet and form the backbone of its medium-haul domestic fleet. At least 250,000 passengers have been affected, far more than when Southwest Airlines grounded dozens of 737s last week. Disruptions are afflicting other airlines as well, and further groundings are likely as the FAA responds to the harsh light being shone on its inspection standards.
On Tuesday, Jon Stewart of The Daily Show responded aptly:
Stewart’s money quote:
It’s all sort of ironic, when you think about it. When you fly, you are inspected quite thoroughly, whereas the plane itself is, perhaps, occasionally vacuumed. See, with this administration, if a passenger blows up a plane, it’s a failure in the War on Terror. But if the plane just blows up on its own, eh, that’s the market self-regulating!
Yes, that’s hyperbole (Jon Stewart is a comedian). But if the aviation system is generally safe, why on earth would federal regulators start down the dangerous slippery slope of cutting corners, glossing over potential problems, and creating the appearance of impropriety in dealing with the airlines they’re supposed to regulate?
Meanwhile, external economic factors have eviscerated the viability of several airlines, while many survivors are trimming their capacity (for more coverage, see last week’s Hotline). Yesterday oil prices (Nymex West Texas Intermediate) surged to a record $112.15 a barrel before settling at $110.87, even though US demand over the past four weeks was 0.4% below the same period a year ago. Oil was $52 a barrel in January 2007. Here is a quick list of airlines that are now history, a list that is bound to grow:
December 26, 2007 – Maxjet Airways (offering London-USA business class service) files for bankruptcy protection
March 31, 2008 – Aloha Airlines ends passenger services after more than 60 years
March 31, 2008 – Champion Air (Minneapolis-based charter operator) announces flights will end from May 31
April 3, 2008 – ATA Airlines ends service, files for bankruptcy protection
April 5, 2008 – Skybus, start-up low-cost carrier which had 65 new Airbus A319 jets on order, ends service
April 9, 2008 – Oasis Hong Kong, budget carrier, ends service after 17 months
So far, Amtrak revenues do not appear to have been hurt by the economic downturn (or recession), and fuel prices probably are driving some business to Amtrak. This will likely hasten as airlines are forced to raise fares and further reduce capacity to stay in the black.
Intrepid blogger Aaron Donovan has noted that passengers trapped in the current nightmare at American’s hub at O’Hare have the option of Amtrak’s hub at Chicago Union Station, an easy ride away on the CTA Blue Line. Even taking a leisurely-paced long-distance train would be a faster option for many people than waiting for the next available flight, whenever that might be. And some passengers are indeed taking advantage of the train option.
[Amtrak spokeswoman Tracy] Connell says ridership has gone through the roof out of the Chicago area because of all the cancellations at O’Hare Airport. Some of its trains have seen up to a 60 percent boost in riders.
Amtrak has seen a spike in passengers since the flight cancellations began earlier in the week, especially in the Northeast, spokesman Cliff Cole said.
“Our ridership was heavy yesterday, is heavy today and is likely to be heavy tomorrow, based on our reservations,” Cole said Thursday.
Once again, Amtrak is proving its value and relevance by providing redundancy in a fragile transportation system.
—Matthew Melzer
Posted by NARP
Tags: air travel, airlines, amtrak, multimodalism, news media, oil, safety, the daily show,NARP On the Air Following Chatsworth Tragedy
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
In the wake of the tragic Metrolink-Union Pacific freight train collision in Chatsworth, CA last Friday, NARP staff have been interviewed by several media outlets. NARP’s overall message has been strongly in favor of industry-wide installation of Positive Train Control (PTC) or any other collision-avoidance system that prevents accidents like Friday’s.
On Saturday, NARP Executive Director Ross Capon and NARP Board member Ken Briers (a rail operations expert and former locomotive engineer) were interviewed on KPCC, Southern California Public Radio, as part of their “Off-Ramp” program. An archive is available both in Real Audio and Podcast format here. Capon’s interview occurs about half way through the program, starting at 25:45, and Briers’ starts at 44:05. (Note that despite the program’s name, it is not usually about transportation.)
Last night, NARP Director of Communications Matthew Melzer was on “Which Way, L.A.?” on KCRW, another Los Angeles-area NPR affiliate, advocating for collision-avoidance technology such as PTC. Streaming and Podcast archives are available here.
Sunday and last night, Capon also briefly appeared in segments on NBC Nightly News, pointing out that most of the nation’s passenger trains operate in shared-trackage situations, comingled with freight trains, and that Congress and regulators will need to examine the costs of implementing PTC.
—Dave Johnson
Posted by NARP
Tags: briers, capon, kcrw, kpcc, melzer, narp on the air, nbc nightly news, news media, positive train control, safety, tom costello,Senate Politics Impeding Rail Safety and Reauthorization Bill
Friday, September 26, 2008
On Wednesday, the House passed by voice vote H.R. 2095, which combines the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 and the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (the latter incorporating provisions from S. 294). Yesterday, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) placed a hold on the bill, preventing an up-or-down vote in the Senate without cloture.
In a Wall Street Journal article posted yesterday afternoon, “Senator Holds Up Bill on Train Safety Device,” Sen. Coburn is quoted saying “Amtrak loses $2 billion a year subsidizing food.”
This is an absurd figure, since Amtrak’s total operating grant is under $500 million—$490 million in the FY 06 and 07 appropriations bills, and $475 million this year.
No one thinks operations generate a $2.5 billion profit that mostly goes to offsetting food losses, yet that’s what Coburn’s math implies.
While Amtrak has reduced food losses since the June 9, 2005 House hearing on this issue, it is important to remember what Amtrak Senior Vice President—Operations William L. Crosbie said in his testimony then: “Amtrak’s food and beverage service is a fundamental part of the service that we offer on board the majority of the trains that we operate on a daily basis. Its primary purpose is to enhance ticket sales and ridership, not serve as a profit center.”
It would be nice if Senators could get the facts right, especially ones who are trying to deny the Senate the chance to vote on this bill.
—Ross Capon
Posted by NARP
Tags: amtrak, amtrak reauthorization, news media, safety, senate action, wall street journal,Good Week for Trains
Thursday, October 02, 2008
On Monday, the Senate voted 69-17 to cut off debate, clearing the way for the long-sought up-or-down vote on the Rail Passenger Investment Act (now named for and including the rail safety provisions). On Wednesday evening, the Senate gave final approval to the bill 74-24 (actually, one vote stronger than the financial overhaul bill that followed, which passed 74-25).
The roll call of how senators voted Wednesday night will be of great interest. It can be viewed here.
The members-only section of our web site has a more user-friendly version of the roll call, alphabetical by state, and side-by-side with other Senate votes of interest to us. (Update: It also has a stand-alone chart for the Senate vote on H.R. 2095.)
On Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Mary Peters traveled to Richmond on the train with Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Boardman to announce the $30 million in grants to 13 states, the first-ever such set of grants. She also emphasized strong ridership growth on trains and transit, and the decline in driving. Details, including list of the grants, are available here.
—Ross Capon
Posted by NARP
Tags: amtrak reauthorization, fra, safety, usdot,Lytton Op-Ed: CAHSR “Would Save Lives and Fuel”
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Kudos to NARP Board Member Dennis Lytton, whose op-ed piece, “High-speed rail would save lives and fuel,” the Daily Breeze (Southern California) published yesterday. Dennis does a fantastic job bringing into focus the long-term safety and environmental benefits the California High-Speed Rail project would bring. For more analysis, see the CAHSR Blog.
—Matthew Melzer
Posted by NARP
Tags: california high-speed rail, california proposition 1, california proposition 1a, dennis lytton, oil, safety,“Miracle in Rockville” a teachable moment wasted
Friday, May 15, 2009
On Friday, May 8, around 4:50 PM, a car was stopped in traffic at the Randolph Road crossing in Rockville, Maryland. A MARC train (the first one after Amtrak’s Capitol Limited) hit the car, forcing it into a crossing gate which impaled the car through the rear and front windows, coming within inches of the pregnant driver’s head (see link below for dramatic photo). Media attention apparently focused exclusively on the fact that the driver was miraculously unhurt (except for minor air-bag-related injuries):
She didn’t think to jump out of the car—although, if she had, she might have been hit by the train, Valencia said. It all happened in a matter of seconds, and when she opened her eyes after the collision, the gate arm was touching her head.
Here was an opportunity to avoid future accidents by imploring viewers not to enter a railroad crossing until the next vehicle ahead if far enough to let you clear the tracks quickly.
Motorists who fail to use common sense in this regard risk their own lives and their passengers’ lives. Such accidents also traumatize the engineer (incorrectly referred to here by NBC Channel 4 as a “conductor”) and wreak havoc on the schedules of (in this case) 3,000 MARC train commuters, many of whom have day care pick-ups and other commitments, as well as any motorists whose normal route takes them across this crossing.
It is wonderful that the woman and her unborn child were so lucky. But the fact that her driving error caused the accident, and that it is an all-too-common error, obligates the media to make use of this teachable moment rather than to focus exclusively on one lucky motorist.
—Ross Capon, NARP President
Posted by NARP
Tags: crossing, marc, safety,Counting Our Blessings
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Thoughts in light of yesterday’s Washington Metrorail disaster.
Our thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives and those who were injured in yesterday’s horrific Metrorail crash in Washington, DC. We are also keeping in mind the Metro employees who received a shocking reminder of just how important their jobs are and the awesome responsibility that is in their hands. That yesterday marked only the second train accident causing passenger fatalities in Metrorail’s 32-year history should remind the traveling public how safe mass trasit is. The National Transportation Safety Board has begun its investigation into the exact cause of the tragedy and, as with all such incidents, what we learn from their findings will make Metro and other transit systems even safer in the future.
My experience getting home from NARP’s Washington office yesterday, while harrowing, made me count my blessings. My plan was to take the 5:35 PM MARC Brunswick Line commuter train from Union Station. After almost half an hour waiting at the station hearing only that the track ahead was blocked, I learned via my mobile phone of the accident and determined that my train was not going to depart. I informed my fellow passengers and proceeded to find other means of transport. It took me two and a half hours, two bus rides and a lift from a kind stranger, but I made it home. Had I decided to leave only 15 minutes earlier, though, it could have been a lot worse, and I was lucky to be alive and unharmed.
Yesterday, I saw firsthand just how much a large city relies on its transit network. With a key segment of Metrorail and commuter service out of commission, the number of people forced into buses, cars and taxis, created huge traffic jams. If Metro’s trains and buses did not exist, there is no way the city of Washington would be able to function as it does. The subway network has only been around for three decades, but it literally consitutes the arteries that keep the city’s lifeblood flowing. When one of those arteries gets clogged or fails, the entire body is thrown into disarray.
This should serve a reminder of how indespensible our work is at NARP and throughout the rail and transit industries. We must continue our work to make trains—intercity, commuter and metro—a reliable, convenient, comfortable, and above all, safe travel method available to all Americans.
—Malcolm Kenton
Posted by NARP
Tags: commuting, disaster, metro, mobility, railroad, safety, tragedy, transit,©2009 National Association of Railroad Passengers | » NARP website
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