Amtrak’s Going To The Dogs.
I am often nonplussed by members of Congress who are critical of Amtrak because the railroad operates at a deficit, although that deficit it’s barely a blip on any rational radar screen. The pressure to cut costs is relentless, nevertheless, and has been taken to extremes by Amtrak in an effort to appease those politicians. (My favorite and most ludicrous example, as regulars here know, is the removal of the three olives on a toothpick that garnished each Bloody Mary served in the Pacific Parlour Car on the Coast Starlight.)
So on one hand we have Congress badgering Amtrak to save pennies while, on the other hand we have members passing laws requiring Amtrak to add services that cost Amtrak out-of-pocket, otherwise known in the halls of Congress as “unfunded mandates”.
Case in point: Some time back, Congressman Jeff Denham (R-Calif.) wanted to take his bulldog, Lily, with him on a train ride. When he learned that Amtrak did not permit dogs on their trains unless they are working service animals, Denham knew what to do: get his colleagues in Congress to add an amendment to a pending piece of legislation requiring Amtrak to allow passengers to travel with their pets. Of course Amtrak got no additional federal dollars to pay for this new requirement.
I was reminded of this because I was just sent an email from Amtrak announcing a pilot program starting on October 12th that will allow passengers to travel with their pets on trains running in the Northeast Corridor. The Advisory spells out details of the Carry-On-Pet Program for Amtrak employees. And when I say “details”, I mean it goes on and on and on. A total of six pages. I hate to admit it, but I didn’t see anything in there that wasn’t necessary. Clearly, Amtrak has to thoroughly cover all the rules: animals must travel in a carrier that will fit under the passenger’s seat, for instance. Ironically, that means that Congressman Denham still won’t be able to bring his damn bulldog with him on the train. Lily is clearly too big.
Somewhere in the Amtrak bureaucracy there’s an accountant who has figured out what transporting all these pets is going to cost Amtrak. (I guarantee you it’ll be a lot more than those three lousy olives for my Bloody Mary.) Congressman Denham doesn’t care what it costs, of course.
Clearly, this is a case of the tail wagging the . . . Oh, never mind!
Thank you for bringing this point up, as it is the height of pathetic irony that this congressman, who is no friend of passenger trains, uses his muscle to get what he wants, in order for Amtrak to receive its pittance that barely sustains a skeletal system. This is worthy of “4 Pinnochios” by The Washington Post for such outrageous behavior.
We have a new political class in Congress whose motto is “Where’s mine?” They are oblivious to the effort required to run a long distance train and provide the level of service expected these days, particularly at the first class fare level.
Amazing how Congress continues to rubber-stamp the $300 Million per year subsidy for the Essential Air Service program (that was to have been temporary after 1978 airline de-regulation); yet, roll-up their sleeves and caucus on the details of food costs on Amtrak. How much time, effort, and money does Amtrak have to expend pacifying the demands of this Congress that has no insight into the traveling needs of the public?