June 28th-another Amtrak wreck further depletes the declining fleet of cars built 40 years ago.

Earlier in June 10 railcars were removed from service on the SAME day due to mechanical failures.

Amtrak Chair Coscia has overseen initiatives at Amtrak to discontinue long-distance trains servicing rural communities having few other transportation options.

If you care about a vibrant long-distance national rail passenger network, you should oppose Anthony Coscia's nomination for another term on the Amtrak Board of Directors.

On June 21st the Senate Commerce Committee sent Mr. Coscia's nomination back to the President.  Mark my words . . . his name will likely be resubmitted . . . we all must work together to tell the Senate to reject him once and for all.

 A NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS WITH A DIFFERENT SKILL SET IS REQUIRED
•    Amtrak requires a representative Board which complies with the law.
•    The railroad requires a “working board” willing and able to provide aggressive managerial oversight.
•    The board needs to ensure that management is committed to the long-distance network.
•    A Board possessing transportation & hospitality industry expertise.

Chair Coscia does not support long-distance passenger rail service across the U.S.

If he were supportive, he would not have supported tri-weekly service during the pandemic (against the advice of former Amtrak Presidents Tom Downs and David Gunn), storing cars (against the advice of Gunn) and then failing to return these many dozens of long-distance cars to service immediately.

Chair CThere are absolutely no spare rail cars to replace those damaged in the latest wreck!oscia is directly responsible for hiring RICHARD ANDERSON.

Chair Coscia repeatedly elevated Stephen Gardner to his present position as CEO.

Coscia is directly responsible for approving downsizing Amtrak mechanical forces before and during the pandemic which has directly led to Amtrak's inability, up to the present day, to fully equip long-distance trains.

As a member of the Chair of the Amtrak Board he championed the "National Network 2.0" plan in 2018 which would have discontinued many long-distance trains and relegated most others to 3 day a week service.

 

There are absolutely no spare rail cars to replace those damaged in the latest wreck

He supported the 2018 effort to initiate a "bus-bridge" on the Southwest Chief Route which was tabled only due to widespread public and Congressional opposition.