Friday, February 22, 2008
Amtrak - Everyone's Favorite Whipping Boy
A couple weeks ago, the President submitted his budget to Congress. Among the thousands of programs to be funded in the proposal, there's a $900 million dollar request for Amtrak.
That sure sounds like a lot of money for a struggling railroad. Problem is, it's about half what the railroad actually needs. And the proposal is almost 50% less than the 1.3 billion that Congress was able to force through last year. The national passenger railroad has never been profitable and probably never will be. But, as critics like to conveniently ignore, there are good solid reasons why.
When the Amtrak consolidation started in the 1970s, big railroads like Santa Fe and Union Pacific started threatening to shut its passenger services down and concentrating on the much more profitable rail routes. The federal government bailed out these railroads by allowing the services to be spun off into a quasi-public service. What a sweet deal for the railroads. No longer beholden to the governments that helped them put their rail operations in place, the old railroads gave up their passenger rights to Amtrak and gets to charge the carrier rent for using its track.
In the meantime, Amtrak doesn't have the funding to maintain its rolling stock, and having to rely on other railroad's track doesn't allow the railroad to improve its on time performance or average speed from stop to stop. Couple this with much of its funding from state and federal government becoming reliant on running unprofitable routes on a regular basis.
Something finally gave in the last year or two, with the train line basically threatening to shut down most of its operations without increased funding, Congress gave in, authorizing 1.3 billion last year, enough to actually allow Amtrak to start working on capital projects and might mean long proposed high speed rail lines between places like Chicago and Detroit may actually inch closer to reality.
Better times may be on the way for Amtrak. If the President gets his way, Amtrak will be returning to its traditional role of being the red-headed whipping boy model of government malfeasance with subpar performance and quality. However, the Senate is aiming to give Amtrak 2 billion dollars in funding. A mere pittance when you consider that the budget is measured in trillions these days. But that 2 billion would be well spent to update its rolling stock and improve the portions of track that it does own in the Northeast.
That sure sounds like a lot of money for a struggling railroad. Problem is, it's about half what the railroad actually needs. And the proposal is almost 50% less than the 1.3 billion that Congress was able to force through last year. The national passenger railroad has never been profitable and probably never will be. But, as critics like to conveniently ignore, there are good solid reasons why.
When the Amtrak consolidation started in the 1970s, big railroads like Santa Fe and Union Pacific started threatening to shut its passenger services down and concentrating on the much more profitable rail routes. The federal government bailed out these railroads by allowing the services to be spun off into a quasi-public service. What a sweet deal for the railroads. No longer beholden to the governments that helped them put their rail operations in place, the old railroads gave up their passenger rights to Amtrak and gets to charge the carrier rent for using its track.
In the meantime, Amtrak doesn't have the funding to maintain its rolling stock, and having to rely on other railroad's track doesn't allow the railroad to improve its on time performance or average speed from stop to stop. Couple this with much of its funding from state and federal government becoming reliant on running unprofitable routes on a regular basis.
Something finally gave in the last year or two, with the train line basically threatening to shut down most of its operations without increased funding, Congress gave in, authorizing 1.3 billion last year, enough to actually allow Amtrak to start working on capital projects and might mean long proposed high speed rail lines between places like Chicago and Detroit may actually inch closer to reality.
Better times may be on the way for Amtrak. If the President gets his way, Amtrak will be returning to its traditional role of being the red-headed whipping boy model of government malfeasance with subpar performance and quality. However, the Senate is aiming to give Amtrak 2 billion dollars in funding. A mere pittance when you consider that the budget is measured in trillions these days. But that 2 billion would be well spent to update its rolling stock and improve the portions of track that it does own in the Northeast.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Four Crazy Nights: Unexpected Overnight Accommodations
You might be the same way. Love traveling, hate spending money to make it happen. Over the last few years, I've found a lot of different places to catch some shut-eye. Some amazing, some just amazingly bad. Nonetheless, I wouldn't trade these experiences for anything. Except maybe the Larouche cult trying to convert me to their style of politics. But even that was kinda fun, in a Jim Jones without the Kool-Aid kind of way. Anyway, here are some of the crazier, not so savory spots I've slept over the past few years.
1. The Tent - Munich, Germany
Is there anything better than a place to crash, hundreds of like minded travelers, and breakfast in the morning for eight dollars a night? If there is, I haven't found it yet. I spent three wonderful nights there in 2003, near the end of their season. The stay was pretty incredible. Meeting up with a lot of broke American backpackers, and a lot of Germans there for various reasons - including a few on business! The place sleeps about 300, all on the floor. They provide bedding, but bring your own sleeping bag. The bedding I got consisted of a foam pad, and four not-so-clean blankets. Including one with gum stuck to it. But when the beer is cheap, who cares where you sleep?
During my stay, I got attacked by Larouchites. Lyndon Larouche, political crackpot of the US, apparently has a political party in Germany and these people were staying there to campaign for their local slate of candidates in the Bavarian elections at the time. Larouchites from all over Europe came down to the Tent to headquarter a big weekend of campaigning. Problem was, none of them knew who the local candidates were. Their campaign consisted of protesting the US Presidency. Somehow this was going to get them votes, for local candidates.... in Germany. By the second night of inculcation, it got annoying, but the free beers I scored were pretty sweet - so I'd call it a wash.
This year the season opens June 15, and goes through early October. Rates for a spot on the floor of the big tent are Euro 7.50 a night. Click here to visit The Tent.
2. Amtrak
Need a cheap way to get across the country? And do you have a few days to kill? Than America's attempt at passenger train service is the right fit for you. Travel from Chicago to New York in a break-neck time of just 27 hours! That's only 15 hours longer than driving!
Seriously, though, when you catch sale fares, you can literally get from Chicago to New York for about 10 dollars sometimes. It's definitely an option for the budget conscious. Nights in the coach car, however, leave something to be desired. Seats are comfortable, but I always had the feeling I was one step away from being in a knife fight. Something there didn't feel entirely safe. And the feeling wasn't helped by when I woke up to find someone rifling through my bags directly over my head.
3. Botafogo Easy Hostel - Rio de Janiero, Brazil
There are few places I've found more relaxing than the Botafogo Easy Hostel. The name pretty much says it all. And it seems unique from other hostels in Latin America in that the vast majority of people there are actually from all over. So many of the travelers that were there said that in months, this was the first real international hostel they'd stayed at.
In some ways, the place felt like Cheers. There was a little bit of everything there. Cute Gay Brazilians, Drunk Canadians, Homeless French guys, Hot Belgian Women. Well, maybe not quite like Cheers - but close enough. It was a comfortable place to stay and there always seemed to be someone to talk to and pal around with. I don't think my visit to Rio would have been nearly as enjoyable anywhere else.
Check out cheap, comfortable digs here.
4. Den Roda Baten - Stockholm, Sweden
What better way to see the islands that make up Stockholm then by staying on a boat? Well it turns out, many. I was sick when I stayed there. Unfriendly staff. A Samoan guy picking pockets of the Japanese tourists in my room, bathroom sinks that didn't work and showers without hot water. All for 25 dollars a night! This makes my "Crazy Nights" list only because it was, without a doubt, the single worst hostel experience I've had. People find this place kind of hot and cold though. Some love it, some hate it... and some get bedbugs.
You might be the same way. Love traveling, hate spending money to make it happen. Over the last few years, I've found a lot of different places to catch some shut-eye. Some amazing, some just amazingly bad. Nonetheless, I wouldn't trade these experiences for anything. Except maybe the Larouche cult trying to convert me to their style of politics. But even that was kinda fun, in a Jim Jones without the Kool-Aid kind of way. Anyway, here are some of the crazier, not so savory spots I've slept over the past few years.
1. The Tent - Munich, Germany
Is there anything better than a place to crash, hundreds of like minded travelers, and breakfast in the morning for eight dollars a night? If there is, I haven't found it yet. I spent three wonderful nights there in 2003, near the end of their season. The stay was pretty incredible. Meeting up with a lot of broke American backpackers, and a lot of Germans there for various reasons - including a few on business! The place sleeps about 300, all on the floor. They provide bedding, but bring your own sleeping bag. The bedding I got consisted of a foam pad, and four not-so-clean blankets. Including one with gum stuck to it. But when the beer is cheap, who cares where you sleep?
During my stay, I got attacked by Larouchites. Lyndon Larouche, political crackpot of the US, apparently has a political party in Germany and these people were staying there to campaign for their local slate of candidates in the Bavarian elections at the time. Larouchites from all over Europe came down to the Tent to headquarter a big weekend of campaigning. Problem was, none of them knew who the local candidates were. Their campaign consisted of protesting the US Presidency. Somehow this was going to get them votes, for local candidates.... in Germany. By the second night of inculcation, it got annoying, but the free beers I scored were pretty sweet - so I'd call it a wash.
This year the season opens June 15, and goes through early October. Rates for a spot on the floor of the big tent are Euro 7.50 a night. Click here to visit The Tent.
2. Amtrak
Need a cheap way to get across the country? And do you have a few days to kill? Than America's attempt at passenger train service is the right fit for you. Travel from Chicago to New York in a break-neck time of just 27 hours! That's only 15 hours longer than driving!
Seriously, though, when you catch sale fares, you can literally get from Chicago to New York for about 10 dollars sometimes. It's definitely an option for the budget conscious. Nights in the coach car, however, leave something to be desired. Seats are comfortable, but I always had the feeling I was one step away from being in a knife fight. Something there didn't feel entirely safe. And the feeling wasn't helped by when I woke up to find someone rifling through my bags directly over my head.
3. Botafogo Easy Hostel - Rio de Janiero, Brazil
There are few places I've found more relaxing than the Botafogo Easy Hostel. The name pretty much says it all. And it seems unique from other hostels in Latin America in that the vast majority of people there are actually from all over. So many of the travelers that were there said that in months, this was the first real international hostel they'd stayed at.
In some ways, the place felt like Cheers. There was a little bit of everything there. Cute Gay Brazilians, Drunk Canadians, Homeless French guys, Hot Belgian Women. Well, maybe not quite like Cheers - but close enough. It was a comfortable place to stay and there always seemed to be someone to talk to and pal around with. I don't think my visit to Rio would have been nearly as enjoyable anywhere else.
Check out cheap, comfortable digs here.
4. Den Roda Baten - Stockholm, Sweden
What better way to see the islands that make up Stockholm then by staying on a boat? Well it turns out, many. I was sick when I stayed there. Unfriendly staff. A Samoan guy picking pockets of the Japanese tourists in my room, bathroom sinks that didn't work and showers without hot water. All for 25 dollars a night! This makes my "Crazy Nights" list only because it was, without a doubt, the single worst hostel experience I've had. People find this place kind of hot and cold though. Some love it, some hate it... and some get bedbugs.
Labels: amtrak, brazil, germany, hostels, munich, rio de janeiro, stockholm, sweden, travel
