A Tale of 50 Years, One Year Apart. (Part 2)
Today, May 1, 2021 marked the 50th anniversary of the start of Amtrak. Back in 1971, few would have expected it to last 5 years, let alone 50. One year ago, it's future was very much in doubt. As P42 42, the Saluting Our Veterans heritage unit, made its first voyage on the westbound Southwest Chief after being mothballed for a few years, the gloomy day was very symbolic of the times. With it's already slim budget having been repeatedly slashed due to years of political wrangling, and the nation locked down in the midst of the deadly coronavirus pandemic, Amtrak's revenue tanked as ridership fell precipitously. But if ever there was an embodiment of the "Little Engine That Could," Amtrak soldiered on in the brutal year that was 2020. It was forced to embargo some short distance trains indefinitely, and cut almost all of its long distance trains to tri-weekly service.
One year later, on it's 50th birthday, Amtrak's future looks the brightest it has ever been. With a new infrastructure bill on the horizon, it will finally be able to replace it's aging fleet of locomotives and worn out passenger equipment. So the bright, sunny day today was appropriately symbolic of it's future. And just as symbolic would be cracked, dented, and worn out lead locomotive P42 13, not just of how brutal the past year has been, but how brutal the past 50 years have been.
A Tale of 50 Years, One Year Apart. (Part 2)
Today, May 1, 2021 marked the 50th anniversary of the start of Amtrak. Back in 1971, few would have expected it to last 5 years, let alone 50. One year ago, it's future was very much in doubt. As P42 42, the Saluting Our Veterans heritage unit, made its first voyage on the westbound Southwest Chief after being mothballed for a few years, the gloomy day was very symbolic of the times. With it's already slim budget having been repeatedly slashed due to years of political wrangling, and the nation locked down in the midst of the deadly coronavirus pandemic, Amtrak's revenue tanked as ridership fell precipitously. But if ever there was an embodiment of the "Little Engine That Could," Amtrak soldiered on in the brutal year that was 2020. It was forced to embargo some short distance trains indefinitely, and cut almost all of its long distance trains to tri-weekly service.
One year later, on it's 50th birthday, Amtrak's future looks the brightest it has ever been. With a new infrastructure bill on the horizon, it will finally be able to replace it's aging fleet of locomotives and worn out passenger equipment. So the bright, sunny day today was appropriately symbolic of it's future. And just as symbolic would be cracked, dented, and worn out lead locomotive P42 13, not just of how brutal the past year has been, but how brutal the past 50 years have been.