People are dying on the rails here in the United States thanks to the derailment of government-funded amtrak trains. This has been happening every week it seems.
What's the solution? Do we need to finally get rid of Amtrak once and for all? Or is more public funding the answer?
At this rate, taking the train in the U.S. will no longer be considered safe if this keeps up.
DO NOT TAKE THE TRAIN IN THE U.S. UNTIL SOMETHING IS DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Amtrak-Service-Between-NYC-Philadelphia-Suspended-374407211.html
>>69788389
No, this problem is happening since Amtrak doesn't get funding for even basic repairs.
Conservatives don't seem to understand that money is required to prevent needless tranportation deaths caused by poor infrastructure
Why is it always passenger trains that derail so often? The vast majority of rail traffic is commercial freight, yet derailings seem to be somewhat infrequent for business entities like CSX..
Could be that they're not reported as often as passenger train derailings, but it seems like I hear about an Amtrak derailing once every few months.
>>69788491
>this is the result of conservatives
You had your 15 seconds, I guess.
>>69788491
money for infrastructure is being sucked dry from pointless wars and welfare checks to the illegal or unmotivated, foreign aid, etc.
>>69788389
No one important rides trains in this country. They are only for coal and poor people.
>>69788491
>money is required to prevent needless tranportation deaths caused by poor infrastructure
Funny thing that, a whole bunch of money was intended to go towards rebuilding infrastructure as part of fighting the recession until those idiot feminists bitched about a "manconomy" or something to that effect. As is typical of them, the dems immediately folded like cowards and nothing actually went towards fixing infrastructure.
>>69788491
Why can't Amtrak maintain their own trains? Why does the tax payer have to shoulder the burden of maintaining the rail fleet of a business? Is rail travel that big of a benefit to America?
That's like saying if I want to eat from a fast food joint that isn't infested with rats and cockroaches, we have to give them subsidies to hire janitors.
>>69788562
crude oil trains have a better effect
>>69788389
>backhoe on the tracks
Apart from the conductor not slamming on the brakes fast enough, how is the train going to avoid an accident when some retard leaves heavy construction equipment on the rails?
>>69788750
Clearly something needs to be done if this is happening every week. Do you have any idea how many derailments Amtrak has seen in the past month? March has been a bloodbath.
>>69788684
Its a government agency dipshit. Like all governmental services, it runs over budget sometimes, especially when Republicans in the House keep forcing you to work with smaller and smaller amounts of money with older and older trains
>>69788574
to be fair the Koch brothers are signed in numerous articles for being the biggest threat against fixing/replacing the rail system. even Japan is willing to go in 50% to build a system from Baltimore to DC.
>>69788389
>having the same problems as a thirld world south american country
>>69788613
When a Democrat talks about "infrastructure", it's code for welfare. Every state Democrats get total control over has infrastructure go to shit because they redirect the money to welfare unless it's an all-white state.
>>69788942
Really? I thought Amtrak was an independent business.
>>69788389
I guess Americans are getting off the fat train
>>69788941
Hey, you all hired niggers. Deal with the nigger workers.
>>69788965
I think the 'most developed' country in the world generally has shitty infrastructure. not only rail, but also drinking water (flint..), electricity (blackouts, cables over ground, transformers hanging on posts), houses (built out of wood and cardboard instead brick and concrete). it's all disposable.
>>69788389
Well shit. I was on AMTK 131 from NYC to DC yesterday... Pic related, about how fast we were going through NJ
>>69788389
Government-funded railways were a mistake.
Privatize them and let the free-market demand for not dying take it's course, may the best Railroad Tycoon player win.
>>69788389
>What's the solution?
Get some straight white males to maintain the system and drive the trains again — Same problem with the D.C. subway.
>>69789247
American rail infrastructure is brilliant for freight. That's its main purpose.
>>69788684
It's not the trains, but rather the old tracks in need of replacing
>>69788491
Amtrak charges riders money. What's the problem?
GUYS
WAIT
HOLD ON
WHAT IF THE TERRORISTS ARE LEAVING PENNIES ON THE TRACKS TO DERAIL OUR TRAINS?
THERE WAS A GODDAMN BACK HOE ON THE TRACK!!!!!
HOW IS THAT BAD INFASTRUCTURE?
HOW IS THAT THE FAULT OF REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS!!!!!!
SAGE
SAGE
SAGE
SAGE
SAGE
>>69788673
Don't remind me. This gets me so pissed, and it's illustrative of why I've given up on the Democrats for good.
>>69789417
Niggers. Its government operated, so, forced to employ 80 niggers at the minimum. The nigs just embezzle money when they get a job handling it, none take their job seriously, and what white people work there hate the job because of doless niggers.
>>69789417
Amtrak doesn't get to set their own ticket prices, the government does.
So the government sets the prices low and then underfunds infrastructure spending. They cant set prices too high or no one would use the train. The only reasonable solution is to invest more money into rail infrastructure
>>69789402
So, they operate on the tracks, but track maintenance is outside of their purview?
>>69789684
Well, ain't that some shit.
>>69789344
In the long run, you get an incredibly screwed up system which ultimately serves no one. See how incoherent the NYC subway system is? It was originally built by three competing private enterprises. That's not to say the government is any good at running things efficiently, it isn't, and it would be great if the waste and corruption was cut out of it. In the long run, public transportation needs to move people from point A to B in the most efficient way possible. Using the NYC subway as an example, if it was constructed as a coherent system, it would be much better for that purpose.
Pic related, onboard AMTK 131
>>69788684
Amtrak is stuck in a hell between privatized and government run. The government requires they fix their ticket prices to a certain amount and mandates what trains they can and cannot run/use. At the same time they cannot run a profitable business with their arms tied and so depend on government funding in order to run.
They need to be let loose or become fully government controlled. This in between shit is fucked.
"Thee Faaullty Infaaaastrutyaaaa"
>>69789686
The problem is the track is not owned by Amtrak for the most part. There are dozens of small rail companies that own the track and 'lease' the rights to travel over them. Many of these companies no longer run trains of their own but simply collect tolls on their track.
They don't spend enough on maintenance and the government wont break the racket up.
I worked for one of the major rail companies in Canada and I will never travel by rail in any western country. I got constant news about train derailments that the average person doesn't hear about because it was a freight train and it derailed in the middle of nowhere, seriously like ~20 calls a year, and I only work in a small radius of a few hundred square kilometers.
>>69788613
/thread
>>69790032
Do you not fly too? Because the ratio of accidents is the same by volume. Except if you derail you start off on the ground so you have a chance of survival.
Oh and car accidents are the leading cause of death age 15-65. Do you not drive?
>>69789080
sage
if this was a private train corporation le Sanderbros would be screaming for a government takeover.
>>69790118
You're delusional if you think commercial flight accidents happen as often as train derailments
>>69790118
Plane crash = BIG PROBLEM, analyze and pour money onto it, to keep necessity of air travel
Car accidents = BIG PROBLEM, analyze and pour money into it, to keep necessity of low level independent transportation available
Train accidents = ignore it, it's been around forever and so it must be a simple system, take it for granted, accidents are dismissable aberrations
>>69788389
> living in a place where you're dependent on government provided transportation
I'll enjoy my freedom to drive where I want and not be a cuck thank you very much.
>>69788562
>crude oil train derails
>destroys town in fireball
It happened at least three times in the last five years.
>>69790313
Freight =/= Passenger rail.
Not to mention whens the last time muslims crashed a train into a building?
>>69790357
So you accept air and car transport is necessary so you are willing to take the risk but balk at rail which is safer than both? I see.
>>69790575
I'm saying there's a pattern of deliberate negligence when it comes to rail travel compared to other forms.
>>69788389
>What's the solution? Do we need to finally get rid of Amtrak once and for all? Or is more public funding the answer?
Why not stop using 50 year old metal cages as train cars and tracks that haven't been resurfaced since 1955? Trains work just fine in Germany and Europe. The north east corridor and west coast would be perfect for train travel if Americans didn't get fucked over by the airline and automotive industry lobbying to get rid of rail travel.
>>69790637
That's your opinion. My opinion is contrary to that. Freight lines get used much more often with far heavier weight loads. Passenger rail lines get higher/more frequent maintenance as they are understandably more subject to scrutiny when things go wrong.
For the massive amount of rail traffic that crosses this world daily the number of accidents is still quite low.
>>69790390
I don't know what point you're trying to make. I said it seems like there are more passenger derailments than freight derailments
>>69790641
>Trains work just fine in Germany and Europe
The 11 dead of Bad Aibling would probably disagree
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Aibling_rail_accident
>>69790973
Oh wow one incident in the last few years. I've been riding the train 2 hours every day for the last few years and nothing has happened to me.
>>69790816
That's only because passenger derailments are covered by the media. Freight derail is much less of a big deal.
>>69790641
I also want to rebuild our infrastructure, but we have to take care of the illegals and give China beneficial trade deals to the tune of 150 billion a year.
>>69788491
So that would make Bernie the Mothman, right Mr. Lahey?
>chicagoan
>the local gubmint recently stuck a deal with china to make new carts for the cta
>chinese trains
fuck
>>69788389
I know your feels. An american company derailed one of their petrol transport train in one of our city. Almost 50 people burned alive.
https://youtu.be/aPVRRgAtL4A
>>69788389
An Amtrak ride is usually just as expensive as a plane ticket, what the shit! NY to LA is 5 hours on a plane, 2.5 days on train. Fuck trains yo
>>69791018
>Trains work just fine in Germany and Europe
>Oh wow one incident in the last few years.
Train accidents in Europe in 2015 alone:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalfsen_train_crash 1 dead, 6 injured
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafz_train_crash 6 injured
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibbenb%C3%BCren_train_collision 2 dead 41 injured
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Stud%C3%A9nka_train_crash 3 dead 17 injured
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eckwersheim_derailment 11 dead 42 injured
and of course Bad Aibling
>I've been riding the train 2 hours every day for the last few years and nothing has happened to me.
Oh, well, in that case lets not get data in the way of your personal experience!
>>69791431
Don't worry. Their sacrifice stabilized nosediving oil prices. They're in the oil-god's heaven with the iraq kia.
yeah that's fucked up, you don't hear about trains nearly as much and on the flip side of that I'd imagine they're responsible for a fuck load of freight.
oh yeah and muh passengers, yeah.
It's not that left spending money on welfare, or the right uhhh wtvr being cheap. it's not paying the fucking light bill.
if charlie blows his salary on coke and strippers, he's in the dark because?
>>69791631
Do you want me to post every aviation and automotive accident and incident for 2015 as well? Because if so you better start up 3 addition threads to handle all of the posts
>>69789601
The hoe was probably left there by an illegal immigrant, so democrats.
>>69791582
Trains are not meant for long distance travel. Train travel is ideal for short to intermediate distance while air travel is ideal for intermediate to long distance. You might think why should I take a 4 hour train ride when I can just take a 1.5hr plane ride for only $50 more? Well factor in the 2 hours arrival at the airport before boarding, factor in security times and then queing, factor in the time spent on the tarmac, factor in the time spent waiting for your baggage, and then factor in the time spent driving to and from the airport. All of this easily turns a 2 hour flight into nearly 5 hours of time wasted. And don't forget about booking weeks or months in advance if you don't want an expensive middle seat in the back of the plane.
With rail travel you can buy a ticket 15 minutes before the train departs. You can show up at the station, which is in the center of the city, with as much baggage as you can bring with you and not worry about TSA or some rain. Seats on board trains have much more leg room and you can freely move about the train at any time. Many trains including dining cars or bar cars too. With flights, if they're not serving a complementary in flight meal then you'll be lucky to get a pack of peanut for "free" even though you paid x10 the price in your ticket.
>>69791905
If I would try to convince you that trains are less safe than cars in Europe, then indeed posting a list of car accidents would be sensible. But this is not the case. What you wrote was
>Trains work just fine in Germany and Europe
implying (since that is the topic of this tread) that something like the Amtrak accident would never happen in Europe, which is untrue (as I demonstrated).
Am I saying that the system in the US is better then the systems in Europe are? No, that would be daft. But resting on our laurels is a bad idea. We have to keep investing in our infrastructure. Bad Aibling was totally preventable. Accidents on single-track routes are preventable. Holes in GSM are preventable. Rail in Europe is not perfect, contrary to your opinion.
>>69789787
i havent rode amtrak in 3 years and i was scared of this same fate lucky i wasnt on this bus
>>69789461
>>69789461
GUYS
WAIT
HOLD ON
WHAT IF THE TERRORISTS ARE LEAVING PENISES ON THE TRACKS TO DERAIL OUR TRAINS?
done in by a glass dildo.
>>69789075
i gets huge government subsidies
i still have to pay 100$ for 1 way ticket from new haven to providence, and 200$ for boston to new haven, but they also need governments gibmes
>>69789075
It is, but the government is the only shareholder.
I've ridden the train cross county twice, it is very expensive and not very comfortable, better than a bus I guess.
I just feel like
it should be someone's job, you know
making sure there's no diggers on the tracks when the train will be there
like... surely someone had to be like "maybe I should move that digger"
"because it's on the tracks, where trains go"
Just wait until the Trump Train derails in Wisconsin! It's going to be HUUUGE !
BAN ASSAULT TRAINS!
>>69789684
>sets the prices low
It's already expensive as shit dude, ~700 dollars for round trip tickets Seattle to Cincinnati, not counting food, which is expensive on the train. That 700, it doesn't get you a bed either, or a shower, just a seat. Ontop of all that, most of the employees are as holes, and you're stuck with them for 3days. It takes forever because there are a thousand stops in the middle States, which is probably why they cant ake money. I can't take a train from Cincinnati to Cleveland without going through Chicago, but there are 6 stops between Reno and Salt Lake City.
>>69788562
Amtraks also are generally moving faster in transit than a freight train.
>>69790641
We have a huge country. Rail works in Yurope because everything is close enough to make building and maintaining the infrastructure economical in light of the demand for the service. This is not true in the US. The US has lots of open space between population centers and our population centers are much more dispersed. This means that passenger rail travel is not economical through most of the US. Our densely-populated NE corridor has a reasonably well-maintained line because that line actually covers its expenses. Not so for any other passenger line in the country.
>>69792435
I never said it was perfect. I said if America followed a more European vision to rail travel then they wouldn't have mishaps every other week.
>>69793888
That's why I said "north east corridor" and "west coast" in my post. I know rail travel in Kansas and most of America is not worth it but there are regions that could highly benefit from it if they knew how to properly implement it.
>>69794020
Those areas already have fairly well fleshed out rail systems.
>>69794378
I know. OP asked us what to do with Amtrak to stop it from messing up every week. I didn't say to build high speed rail from Topeka to Small Town, USA but rather to take care of the places where rail travel is already most important, such as the West Coast and NEC.
>>69793442
*yawn
>Yuge
>>69788389
>this problem is happening since Amtrak doesn't get funding for even basic repairs
you didnt even watch the video in the link. it happened because some douche bag parked construction equipment on the track
>>69796050
was meant for
>>69788491
This will no longer be a issue after trumps first year of president
We all know muslim immigrants are fucking with train tracks
>>69793026
I'm sorry you live in New haven friend
>>69788491
Amtrak does receive federal funding, and it STILL costs more to take the train than it does to fly. $300 person to travel from Boston to NYC by rail.
>>69788673
source me friend
>>69798402
>$300 person to travel from Boston to NYC by rail.
That's not even an accurate number. I just checked on Amtrak's website. It's closer to $150-$175
>>69788389
The American rail system is one of the best in the world. Notice how a derailment took place and it only resulted in two deaths?
That's because American trains are built like fucking tanks. Remember when that Amtrak train went off the rails on a turn in Philly? And killed, like, 7? An almost identical crash in Italy killed something like 80 because the whole train folded like a fucking accordion.
American rails are fucking fine. I mean, jesus, this derailment only happened because someone left a fucking BACKHOE ON THE TRACKS.
WE NEED TO GET RID OF TRUCKS ON THE ROAD
>>69796050
How the fuck did some idiot manage to park construction equipment on the tracks in the first place?
In China, all high-speed rail tracks are surrounded by fences with barbed wire.
>>69791631
>posts anecdotal evidence
>"You're dumb for posting anecdotal evidence!"
You're fucking stupid. Get statistics or get out
>>69789372
Well why the fuck can't we also have a brilliant system for passenger trains too?
Anyone who honestly prefers flying to trains is a dipshit.
>>69788389
>every week
Source? I only hear about these once every few years.
>>69788684
>Is rail travel that big of a benefit to America?
Without it then the midwest would just be empty, nobody would be able to sell their farmed goods.
>>69798658
That's still ridiculous
The free market would fix it.
>>69799267
Illegal Mexican construction worker my bet. Fences are no obstacle to them but a wall stops them cold.
>>69799678
It's funny how I used to think of this statement as a joke, but I've learned that the free market would indeed fix every fucking problem ever.
>>69788389
This happens because Amtrak is an incompetent organization.
>>69799568
>nobody would be able to sell the food supply that feeds the entire US.
Doubtful senpai.
>>69799610
meh, you don't take amtrak to get from point A to point B. If you just wanted that, take a plane or bus. You take amtrak to see the country up close in relative comfort.
>>69788562
>Why is it always passenger trains that derail so often?
I assume passenger trains go faster?
This is what government funding leads to: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/amtrak-lost-800m-on-cheeseburgers-and-soda/article/2503832
our train infrastructure is shit. we need to upgrade it and hopefully soon. i wish we had high speed rails even.
>>69800164
>It costs passengers $9.50 to buy a cheeseburger on Amtrak, but the cost to taxpayers is $16.15. Riders pay $2.00 for a Pepsi, but each of these sodas costs the U.S. Treasury $3.40.
How does this happen? This isn't the result of government funding. This is just very very poor decisions in terms of which vendors this food is being purchased from. How are they spending 16 bucks for a burger, who is supplying this to them for that money?
>>69798932
Don't forget to mention, the only people who died were the backhoe operators on the tracks. No actual passengers onboard the train died.
>>69799267
Active construction work on or near the tracks.
>>69798932
>t. Bernie Sanders
>>69799267
>How the fuck did some idiot manage to park construction equipment on the tracks in the first place?
Maybe they were doing some of that maintenance everybody ITT is calling for?
>>69799789
In my state some arab guy left a propane truck on the train tracks and they had to evacuate the entire town after the explosion.
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/03/24/freight-train-collides-with-tanker-in-nw-minn/
>>69788658
>poor people
Have you looked at the prices for Amtrak? It is usually more expensive than air travel. I don't know who trains are intended for.
>>69788389
>implying i give a shit about fucking Amtrak
>>69800673
people with fear of flying.
>>69788684
The reason Amtrak is so shit is because the commodity they ship is people.
People aren't worth that much so every trip is money down the drain. If they were shipping oil instead they could be making millions of dollars per train and be able to afford not derailing.
>>69788562
Freight trains are packed full of bullshit while passenger trains are light and empty.
>>69798932
>American trains are built like fucking tanks.
That's true.
But it doesn't make the American rail system better.
In Europe we lighter (=more vulnerable) trains, but far better safety systems so accidents don't happen in the first place.
Our system is safer, while having better acceleration and less energy consumption.
>>69788684
Rail travel can increase economy of cities and towns it passes through. You could live a few states away from work if we had high speed rail meaning more job oppurtunities.
>>69800990
>You could live a few states away from work if we had high speed rail
No you can't.
Nobody commutes by high speed train.
Not even in France where they are everywhere.
>>69801177
People already commute between NJ, NY and Conn for work here using trains.
>>69801329
I assume they just cross the border?
Not the same as commuting between, say, Virginian and New York.
>>69801611
well I really didnt mean those big states desu. i was more along the lines of northeast. The GOP states down south dont want rail period because they think nogs will venture into the white suburbs.
>>69788491
>it's the government's job to maintain privately owned assets
just fucking move to china you socialist dickhead
I take the train from Ridgewood NJ to NYC sometimes, and yeah. Shit does not seem safe at all. A train shouldn't be jumping like that, and all the employees are uneducated minorities hired to fill affirmative action government quota. I would not be surprised if that'll be the next train derailment
>>69800481
they're probably taking personnel costs and other stuff like maintaining the fridges into account
>>69801747
which is completely accurate
it is extremely easy for anyone to get anywhere in Europe. "the country side" means fucking nothing here
protect your isolated south, my burger friend
please don't become europe 2.0
>>69788389
>be american
>get derailed
>>69788491
Privatize the rail industry.
>>69788389
>american train control systems
>>69788491
They shouldn't get any money from government at all. If they can't run a rail business without handouts then they need to get out of the way for someone who can.
>>69788389
>hit backhoe
>obviously in the way of the track
Yeah, he sure could have avoided that.
Why dont we just just keep shit that shouldnt be on tracks off the tracks.
>>69790032
My dad works for a rail company here, they're allowed to cause something like 1.2m worth of damage per year before they're even reprimanded. This includes human casualties (I don't recall how they calculate the $ amount)
