Jobs are being lost at Amtrak in Beech Grove (Indianapolis: travel, income)

[swmr1ml]

Did you know that jobs are being lost at AMTRAK in Beech Grove due to the fact that the government would rather spend money on a war than on our transportation system? Hundreds of jobs and lives will be affected due to the fact that the funding our rail systems needs to operate will be cut due to lack of government funding because of the very costly war-(5000 dollars a min.)Think of the lives of these average everyday people who will lose their jobs,for many this won't be the first time this has happened. Please write your congressman!

[ComputerConsultingLLC]

Amtrack is not a good argument - that rail system has been loosing money for decades and the only reason its around is b/c its subsidized by the government - it should have been shut down years ago.

[domergurl]

Amtrak could be a good argument. I prefer train travel to car travel and there are places where Amtrak is doing well (the coasts and the route from Milwaukee to Chicago). It's too bad that the car culture is so prevelant.

[TraderJack]

I'd love to take the train everywhere. It's just not possible or practical. Only major cities will be able to support rail lines for everyday transportation. The commuter trains on the San Francisco Penninsula have been suffering for many years even though it is in one of the highest density areas in the country. The light rail system in Sacramento is a losing proposition, requiring tax dollars to subsidize the miniscule ridership.

AMTRAC was a bust from the beginning. It was designed to provide transportation on existing lines and regain some of the glory of the old days of rail travel. Those days left us in the 50s and they're not coming back.

Countries with very high density like Japan, France, Germany may have successful systems. It's not going to be supported here in the US.

Oh, and it's not the government's job to provide transportation for you. The government provides for your safety and protection. You should provide everything else.

Your statement -

Did you know that jobs are being lost at AMTRAK in Beech Grove due to the fact that the government would rather spend money on a war than on our transportation system? Hundreds of jobs and lives will be affected due to the fact that the funding our rail systems needs to operate will be cut due to lack of government funding because of the very costly war-(5000 dollars a min.)Think of the lives of these average everyday people who will lose their jobs,for many this won't be the first time this has happened. Please write your congressman!

- Is your opinion, not fact. If you have factual information to bolster your claim, I would be very interested in reading it.

[Zig'sbird]

Originally Posted by swmr1ml

Did you know that jobs are being lost at AMTRAK in Beech Grove due to the fact that the government would rather spend money on a war than on our transportation system? Hundreds of jobs and lives will be affected due to the fact that the funding our rail systems needs to operate will be cut due to lack of government funding because of the very costly war-(5000 dollars a min.)Think of the lives of these average everyday people who will lose their jobs,for many this won't be the first time this has happened. Please write your congressman!

shrug

I always thought that Amtrak was struggling because it could not support itself. While I hate to see someone lose their job, the current commuter rail system in the States suck big time.

Btw, I also would like to see the proof that the war is the reason for AMTRAK failing. If I remember correctly, there has been talk about the government not giving AMTAK as much money for a while before the war.

[giveadang]

Does'nt anyone understand that the railroad started this town? In 1903 the railroad came to this sleepy little town, and made it grow, the workers built homes, people built buisnesses, and children were getting an education here. Seems everyone forgets that. I hate to see it go. Just another example of our economy.

[domergurl]

Originally Posted by giveadang

Does'nt anyone understand that the railroad started this town? In 1903 the railroad came to this sleepy little town, and made it grow, the workers built homes, people built buisnesses, and children were getting an education here. Seems everyone forgets that. I hate to see it go. Just another example of our economy.

But it's all about roads now hun ... building more and more roads. It's sad too because Amtrak COULD BE SO GREAT!! But nobody in this state cares, heck hardly any states care about railroads. See Nap & masterb .. I'm not just slamming Indy.

[grmasterb]

Originally Posted by domergurl

But it's all about roads now hun ... building more and more roads. It's sad too because Amtrak COULD BE SO GREAT!! But nobody in this state cares, heck hardly any states care about railroads. See Nap & masterb .. I'm not just slamming Indy.

The reality is that public transportation is subsidized everywhere, even in countries with much higher population densities than our own. The fact that we've designed our cities with a lot of elbow room makes it such that subsidies in the U.S. would likely be greater. That said, subsidies alone should not be an argument against building it, IMO

If Domergurl will allow me, I'll pick on Chicago more. Particularly in the western and northwest suburbs, there's a lot of positive development going on near the Metra stations as more people choose to commute via train to the Loop. I see no reason why the same couldn't happen here in Indy -- more development centered around public transportation (higher assessed values = higher property tax revenues), thereby reducing road congestion, which in turn, I believe, will attract more young professionals to our city. In short, I believe that public transportation, done the right way, can make our city better than we feel it is already. At the same time, we need to do it in a fiscally responsible way.

As for intercity travel, this is where you really see the difference between the U.S. and Europe. Because I didn't have a car when I was stationed in Germany, I used rail transportation almost exclusively. I loved it. If Amtrak didn't take 5 hours to get to Chicago, I'd take the train to Chicago. Long-term, I suspect it will be up to the states to address some sort of limited inter-city travel (see: MARC in MD and New Jersey Transport).

[domergurl]

see grmasterb ... I'm not so bad, we are in agreement. When I lived in Valpo, there were rumors of wanting to bring the south shore into town, which, coming from chicago, thought was a fan-tabulous idea. But every native Hoosier I spoke to got these scared looks on their faces and flat out said that rail transit brings in lower income people. I swear, that's what they said! They obviously haven't been to Oak Park, Wilmette and points north .. heck, Naperville, St. Charles, etc.

we've found more common ground .. friends??

This is almost 10 years old, but I keep wishing it would happen.

http://www.dot.gov/affairs/1999/fra0199.htm

[grmasterb]

Originally Posted by domergurl

see grmasterb ... I'm not so bad, we are in agreement. When I lived in Valpo, there were rumors of wanting to bring the south shore into town, which, coming from chicago, thought was a fan-tabulous idea. But every native Hoosier I spoke to got these scared looks on their faces and flat out said that rail transit brings in lower income people. I swear, that's what they said! They obviously haven't been to Oak Park, Wilmette and points north .. heck, Naperville, St. Charles, etc.

we've found more common ground .. friends??

This is almost 10 years old, but I keep wishing it would happen.

Secretary Slater Announces Extension of Chicago Hub High Speed Rail Corridor to Indianapolis and Cincinnati (1/28/99)

One of the worst things Indiana ever did was to tear apart its interurban train system.

Valpo has bus service now, and there's a line that runs to the Dune Park SS station. I believe I read where there's talk of an express commuter bus running to Chicago every day.

I have heard the naysayers in The Region with respect to SS expansion. Were it to come through, however, I think NW Indiana would explode in growth, Valpo in particular. I think there's talk of a special tax being on the ballot in Porter County to fund expansion since the bill to divert sales tax revenues in The Region towards SS expansion failed in the General Assembly this year.

Friends it is. And to be clear, I do like Chicago. I just tend to believe that all it has on Indy is scale. I do hate the Cubs and Bears, however.