Guest guest Posted November 13, 2005 Report Share Posted November 13, 2005 " Gunn was doing what the administration said 'could not be done'. His success was making the reason's for the administration's policy of breaking up Amtrak and selling its assets off to 'private investors' and dismantling almost all of the nation's few remaining long distance trains, more difficult. The annual reports under Gunn's leadership were simply too good to be tolerated. " *** coast- Train Riders Association of California Official TRAC Website: http://www.calrailnews.com/ Skoropowski Speaks Out on Gunn Firing [#05-54] TRAC E-Bulletin [#05-54] > > TRAC Members & Associates-- > > Politicians, newspapers, magazines, transportation experts and > advocacy groups have published a vault of material and opinions on > our national rail passenger system in the last few days. > Unfortunately, this was triggered by the firing of the popular, > effective, straight speaking David Gunn as President of Amtrak. > For those of you who wish to read up on the subject in detail, I > recommend going to Google News and typing in the words: [Gunn Amtrak] > and sorting by date. > > Members have emailed TRAC with many opinions and ideas, about 10 to 1 > against the firing. Many are quite upset and believe this is the > beginning of the end of the national system. In one of the Railway > Age stories Skoropowski refers to below, Gunn is quoted as saying of > his firing, " Anything they'll tell you is bulls_t . . . The > Administration is serious about taking this place apart. " These > stories are a *must read* and can currently be found at the following > link [note they may move soon as this is a 'breaking news' link]: > > http://www.railwayage.com/breaking_news.html > > I am passing on the following timely comments from Gene Skoropowski, > manager of the Capitol Corridor and NARP board member: > --\ \ ----- > Briefing/update (all opinions are mine): > > Attached are two stories from the " Railway Age " website . . . [see > link]. These two stories that pretty much sum op the 'events' of this > past Tuesday and Wednesday at Amtrak in Washington. We expect to see > no immediate changes in the Amtrak/CCJPA relationship for now as we > have a contract with Amtrak through September 30, 2006. We may need > to be giving some thought as to our long range relationship with > Amtrak, depending upon what happens in the next few weeks at Amtrak. > > Congress is not happy with these events, particularly with the firing > of Amtrak President David Gunn. Letters of outrage are pouring in to > US DOT (Sec. Mineta in particular) from both branches of Congress, > and from both parties. I suspect 'it is not over yet'. > > On the morning of the day that he was fired, Gunn had just issued his > 'FY 2005 Report to the Amtrak Board', indicating the condition of > Amtrak financially, operationally, and in terms of physical > infrastructure. It was Amtrak's best year in its existence, with > ridership at an all time high, employment at an all time low, cash in > the bank, no new borrowings, and rebuilding of locomotives, coaches > and track/signals well underway, all within budget. In short, Gunn > was doing what the administration said 'could not be done'. His > success was making the reason's for the administration's policy of > breaking up Amtrak and selling its assets off to 'private investors' > and dismantling almost all of the nation's few remaining long > distance trains, more difficult. The annual reports under Gunn's > leadership were simply too good to be tolerated. The reforming and > successful operation of Amtrak under Gunn's tenure did not follow the > administration's ideology and pre-determined 'conclusions'. They > fired him. > > Acting Amtrak CEO/president Dave Hughes is well known in the industry > and is a 'solid railroader' that will likely stay-the-course, for the > moment. Hughes was hired by Gunn, and therefore likely to be viewed > as 'tainted' by the Amtrak Board. I have worked with Hughes in the > past, and know him fairly well, as he was Chief Engineering Officer > for the Boston & Maine Railroad when they were our contract operator > when I was Chief Railroad Services Officer for Boston's MBTA, back in > the 1970's. Like Gunn, he is a no-nonsense person. > > That Amtrak Board, by the way, now consists of only 4 of the 7 > authorized members, barely a quorum to conduct business, and all are > appointees of President Bush. US DOT Sec. Mineta sits on the board > 'ex officio', so does not need Senate confirmation. He has never > attended a single Amtrak Board meeting (he sends his designee Jeffrey > Rosen) in more than 52 months in office. It is ironic that Mineta > chided Amtrak after the issuance of the GAO report, and he sits on > that Board that controls Amtrak. This is the strangest series of > events I have ever witnessed. Only the current chair, David Laney, > was appointed and confirmed by the Senate (as required of all Amtrak > Board members). The other two Amtrak Board members were 'interim > appointments' made while Congress was not in session, and therefore > these appointments never received Senate approval, and their tenure > on the Amtrak Board expires when Congress goes out of session. > > These 4 sitting presidentially-appointed Republican Board members > constitute the bare minimum for a 'quorum'. The is no representation > on the Amtrak Board by any other representatives of differing views > or user constituencies, as is called for in the law. As I said, > Congress is not happy, and easily could 'change the law' > restructuring the Amtrak Board constituency to its liking. Hearings > on this are schedule next week (Tuesday, 10am EST) by Congressman > Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio), Chair of the House Railroad Subcommittee. > Gunn has been invited to testify. This could be worth the price of > admission. LaTourette is reported to be furious over Gunn's firing, > as are virtually all members, regardless of party, on his > subcommittee. They were totally blindsided. > > Stay tuned. The saga is only beginning. The battle is for the soul of > the American intercity passenger railroad system. And if we will have > a network of intercity trains at all. > > Gene > > Eugene K. Skoropowski > > -- > Alan C. Miller > Executive Director > Train Riders Association of California > > Official TRAC Website: http://www.calrailnews.com/ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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