>>> WELCOME TO AT ISSUE.

I'M H. WAYNE WILSON.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US FOR A CONVERSATION ABOUT AMTRAK.

THE MAYOR OF PEORIA HAS BEEN PROMOTING THE POSSIBILITY OF BRINGING BACK RAIL SERVICE TO PEORIA.

SOMETHING THAT HASN'T EXISTED FOR APPROXIMATELY FOUR DECADES.

BUT THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES REGARDING AMTRAK IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS AND NATIONALLY THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.

INCLUDING OVER IN BLOOMINGTON NORMAL McCOMB.

TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WE'VE INVITED THE SENIOR PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER FOR AMTRAK, MARC MAGLIARI TO JOIN US.

>> GOOD DAY.

WE'RE GETTING READY FOR A RIBBON CUTTING ON THE PLATFORM WHERE I'M STANDING RIGHT NOW.

>> WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT NEW STATIONS AND HIGH SPEED RAIL AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

LET'S GO TO PEORIA, THE LARGEST MARKET IN ILLINOIS THAT DOES NOT HAVE AMTRAK SERVICE.

THE MAYOR PROMOTED THE SURVEY.

THAT SURVEY SHOWED 83% OF PEOPLE.

OF THE 31,000 SURVEYED, WOULD LIKELY USE POR SOMEWHAT USE RAIL SERVICE TO CHICAGO FROM PEORIA.

WHAT IS AMTRAK'S INVOLVEMENT IN THAT PROCESS.

>> THE STUDY AND THE SURVEY WERE DONE BY THE CITY WITH LOCAL OFFICIALS AND SOME PRETTY HEAVY HITTERS, INCLUDING FORMER CONGRESS MEN AND USDOT SECRETARY RAY LAHOOD.

WE'RE GOING TO LOOK THAT STUDY OVER.

ILLINOIS DOT HAS THE LEAD IN THESE THINGS, CONGRESS DECIDED IN '08, WHEN IT COMES TO ROUTES SHORTER THAN 750 MILES, REGIONAL ENTITIES LIKE STATE DOTS OR STATE COMPACTS BETWEEN STATES AND RAILROADS, THEY HAVE THE LEAD.

HERE IN MACOMB, WE'VE BEEN OPERATING THIS ROUTE UNDER CONTRACT WITH ILLINOIS.

OUR LONGEST STANDING CONTRACT IS 51 YEARS AND IT'S RIGHT HERE IN WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS.

>> SO DO LINES TO CARBONDALE, TO THE PROPOSED LINE TO ROCKFORD, TO MOLINE, TO BLOOMINGTON NORMAL, THOSE ARE ALL IDOT AND AMTRAK COOPERATIVE ADVENTURES?

>> WE OPERATE THE SERVICE FOR TRAINS THAT TERMINATE IN KANSAS CITY.

ILLINOIS DOT, THE TRAIN THAT CONTINUES ON TO KANSAS CITY.

THE MISSOURI DOT HERE UP IN GALESBURG, THERE ARE TWO STATE SUPPORTED ROUND TRICKS TO QUINCY FROM MACOMB.

ON SOME OF THESE ROUTES, IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING ON THE CHAMPAGNE SIDE AS WELL.

THERE'S AN OVERLAY OF NATURAL ROUTES, LIKE THE TRAIN YOU WOULD TAKE FROM GALESBURG TO THE WEST COAST, THOSE ARE NATIONALLY FUNDED ROUTES.

THERE ARE STATE FUNDED ROUTES THAT WOULDN'T EXIST WITHOUT A STATE CONTRACT.

THERE WOULDN'T BE A TRAIN HERE IN MACOMB WITHOUT A CONTRACT BETWEEN US AND ILLINOIS DOT, IF THAT CONTRACT DIDN'T EXIST IN THE TOWN OF NORMAL, THERE WOULD BE ONE DAILY ROUND TRIP, AND THAT WOULD BE IT.

THE STATES HAVE DECIDED THAT THEY WANT MORE CHOICES THAN ONE OR FEWER ROUND TRIPS A DAY.

AND THEY WANT SOMETHING THAT TIES THE STATE TOGETHER.

WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT HERE, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT IN PEORIA AND ACROSS JOLIET.

AND, OF COURSE, THE LONG DISCUSSED ROUTES TO THE QUAD CITIES AND TO ROCKFORD.

MOLINE ALREADY HAS A TRAIN STATION, THEY BUILT A HOTEL NEXT TO THE TRACKS AND LEFT SPACE IN IT FOR AN AMTRAK STATION.

I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN THE QUAD CITIES, PEORIA AND ROCKFORD.

GENERALLY SPEAKING, DRIVING IS PRETTY MISERABLE.

AND WHETHER IT'S A CAR NEXT TO YOU ON I-55 OR I-74 WITH SOMEBODY SHAVING OR YAKKING ON THE PHONE OR PUTTING ON MAKE-UP OR A TRUCK LOOMING IN YOUR REARVIEW MIRROR, IT'S NOT A FUN TIME TO DRIVE P.M. AND IT'S NOT GETTING ANY MORE FUN OR LESS EXPENSIVE WHEN WE SAW $6 A GALLON GASOLINE IN CHICAGO THIS SUMMER.

PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR OPTIONS.

WE CAN BE A PRETTY GOOD OPTION.

>> THE PROPOSED COST OF THE PEORIA CHICAGO RUN WOULD BE ABOUT $2.5 BILLION.

DOES ILLINOIS DOT FUND THAT OR DOES AMTRAK HAVE A ROLL IN THAT, OR DOES AMTRAK STAY ON THE OPERATIONAL END?

>> UNDER THE IIJA, THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT, THERE'S GREAT FUNDING AVAILABLE.

THE BEST FUNDING PICTURES EVER REALLY.

FOR NEW SERVICE OR ADDED SERVICE, WHERE THE FEDS WOULD BE PAYING 80 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMMOVEMENTS TO MAKE THE TRAINS RUN.

AND 90 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR AFTER THE FIRST YEAR FOR THE OPERATIONAL COST.

THE TIMING OF WHAT PEORIA IS TALKING ABOUT, WHAT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT IN THE QUAD CITIES AND ROCKFORD IS REALLY GREAT, BECAUSE NOW THERE'S THE BEST EVER FUNDING WINDOW AND IT'S OPENING RIGHT NOW.

>> JUST SO OUR VIEWERS UNDERSTAND, THERE'S A ROCKFORD PROPOSAL, THERE'S THE MOLINE PROPOSAL, WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THOSE TWO PROJECTS.

>> ILLINOIS DOT HAS THE LEAD ON THOSE TWO, THEY HAVE BEEN TALKING TO THE FOLKS ON THE TRACKS, IOWA INTERSTATE OWNS A TRACK.

THEY'VE BEEN NEGOTIATING ON THAT FOR QUITE A WHILE.

ON THE ROCKFORD SIDE THERE ARE A COUPLE RESULTS DISCUSSED, CERTAINLY THE MOST RECENT DISCUSSIONS, THE ONES ON GOING ARE THE UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD AND METRA, THE RAILROAD IN CHICAGO.

GET OFF OF THOSE TRACKS, GET ON UNION PACIFIC TRACKS UP TO BELVEDERE AND ROCKFORD.

THOSE TALKS ARE ON GOING TOO.

>> THIS BRINGS UP THE NATIONAL ISSUE WE'VE ALL HEARD ABOUT, AND THAT IS AMTRAK WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR DOESN'T OWN THE TRACKS IN MOST OF THE UNITED STATES.

FREIGHT LINES DO, SO YOU'RE NEGOTIATING QUITE OFTEN WITH RAIL LINES TO HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE LINES, AND THEN -- EVEN THEN SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GO ON A SIDELINE AND WAIT FOR THE RAIL, THE FREIGHT LINE TO COME THROUGH BEFORE YOU CAN GO BACK ON THE TRACK.

IS THERE ANY UPDATE ON THAT ARRANGEMENT?

>> WELL, THE FORTUNATE THING IS, HERE IN THE MIDWEST, NOT AS MUCH IN LIFE, BUT CERTAINLY INDIANA AND MICHIGAN.

AMTRAK OWNS A GOOD CHUNK OF THE TRACK, WHERE WE'RE GOING 110 MILES AN HOUR, OUT TOWARD CALLA KALAMAZOO KALAMAZOO, THE STATE OF MICHIGAN OWNS THE REST OF THAT TRACK.

IN MOST OF THE U.S., WE'RE ON FREIGHT OWNED RAIL TRACKS, AND THE FREIGHT COMPANIES MADE A DEAL WITH CONGRESS MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO, AMTRAK IS TO RUN ON THEIR TRACKS SO THEY CAN TRANSFER THEIR OBLIGATION TO RUN PASSENGER TRAINS TO US.

IN EXCHANGE FOR THAT, THEY HAVE AN ACCESS FEE TO GET PREFERENCE TO OPERATE ON THEIR TRACKS.

THIS IS A ONE-TRACK RAILROAD HERE IN MACOMB.

IF THE FREIGHT TRAIN IS LONGER THAN OUR PASSENGER TRAIN AND THERE'S ONLY ONE LANE OF THE RAILROAD, ONE OF US HAS TO CUT WAY TO THE OTHER.

RECENTLY, THEY ARE RUNNING FREIGHT TRAINS THAT ARE TWO AND THREE MILES LONG.

I'M SAYING MILES, NOT 100 FEET, MILES.

IF THE FREIGHT TRAIN IS THAT BIG, AND THE SIDETRACK IS THAT SMALL, THE ONLY THING THAT FITS IN THE SIDETRACK IS US.

A PROCESS HAS BEEN UNDERWAY FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS WHERE WE WORK ON THE FREIGHT RAILROADS WHAT THE BEST ACHIEVABLE SCHEDULES ARE.

AND THOSE CERTIFIED SCHEDULES ARE WHAT WILL BE -- WE AND THEY WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO.

THERE'S NOW TEETH IN OUR SCHEDULES, THERE'S A PROCESS FOR RESOLVING IT, IF WE'RE NOT OPERATED PROPERLY.

AMTRAK WAS CREATED IN 1970, WHEN THERE'S LOTS OF EXTRA RAILROAD CAPACITY IN THE U.S.

THE CAPACITY IS GONE NOW, AND THE TRAINS HAVE ACHIEVED SOME MASSIVE SIZES.

THE RAILROADS WEREN'T BUILT TO HOLD THESE TRAINS.

ONCE THEY AGREE ON CERTIFIED SCHEDULES, AND WE HAVE THOSE NEARLY IN EVERY CASE, CERTAINLY IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY.

YOU CAN HOLD THEM TO ACCOUNT, WE CAN HOLD US TO ACCOUNT.

THERE'S TEETH AND INVESTIGATION, AND PUNISHMENT AVAILABLE BY AN OUTSIDE PARTY.

SO WE EXPECT WE'LL SEE CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE.

>> CAN OUR VIEWERS ACCESS THAT IMPROVEMENT?

>> SURE, BECAUSE THE FREIGHT RAILROAD -- WE PUT OUT AN ANNUAL FREIGHT RAILROAD REPORT CARD THAT TALKS ABOUT HOW WELL THEY'RE DOING.

AND MONTHLY, ON AMTRAK.COM, WE PUT OUT A MONTHLY REPORT ON HOW WELL THESE RAILROADS ARE DOING ON EACH OF THESE ROUTES.

THAT'S PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE.

WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT WE FACE, JUST LIKE THE AIRLINES HAVE ON TIME PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND CANCELLATION NUMBERS, WE HAVE THE SAME KIND OF DATA AVAILABLE TO CUSTOMERS.

>> LET'S TURN BACK TO -- YOU'RE SITTING IN MACOMB -- >> ACTUALLY, I'M STANDING IN MACOMB.

>> THAT'S TRUE, YOU ARE STANDING.

BUT THERE HAS BEEN MONEY PUT INTO SEVERAL COMMUNITIES IN ILLINOIS, TO UP GRADE THE TRAIN STATIONS.

WHAT'S THE STATUS THERE IN MACOMB.

>> THIS IS A NEW ALMOST $3 MILLION PLATFORM.

IT'S THE SECOND PHASE OF A PROJECT WHERE THE INTERIOR OF THE STATION HAS BEEN REDONE, TO MAKE IT FULLY ADA ACCESSIBLE ABOUT NO BARRIERS, EASY OFF AND ON OF YOUR VEHICLE EVEN AON TO THE TRAIN HERE IN MACOMB.

WE HAD A SIMILAR EVENT LIKE THIS OVER IN EFFINGHAM A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.

WE'VE BEEN DOING THESE PROJECTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, WE HAVE A LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY UNDER THE ADA AND I THINK A MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR CUSTOMERS.

AND IT'S NOT ONLY PEOPLE WHO USE WHEELCHAIRS THAT ARE USING THESE STATIONS.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WITH STROLLERS, THEY BENEFIT, PEOPLE WITH WHEELED LUGGAGE, THEY BENEFIT.

IT'S REALLY FOR THE GOOD OF EVERYBODY FOR US TO REDO THESE STATIONS OR IMPROVE THESE STATIONS.

ON THE CHICAGO/ST.

LOUIS ROUTE, THE MONEY THE ILLINOIS DOT RECEIVED UNDER THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION.

NEARLY EVERY STATION HAS BEEN REPLACED OR REDONE.

JOLIET IS NEW, PONTIAC IS NEW.

NORMAL IS NEW.

IN LINCOLN, THEY WERE ABLE TO REUSE THE HISTORIC STATION.

SPRINGFIELD IS GOING TO GET A NEW STATION, SOME DISTANCE AWAY FROM WHERE IT IS NOW.

CARBONVILLE, ALTON, THEY'RE ALL NEW.

AND WE'VE BEEN FINISHING PROJECTS AT CHICAGO UNION STATION TO IMPROVE IT.

WE JUST RECEIVED IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, 3 MILLION TO MATCH ANOTHER 3 MILLION FROM US AND OUR PARTNERS TO REDO THE CONCOURSE AREA AT UNION STATION, THAT DESIGNED IT ALL NEW, BECAUSE WE'VE OUTGROWN IT.

YOU'LL BE SEEING CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT IN CHICAGO UNION STATION.

PLUS, WE HAVE ANOTHER 250 SOME MILLION DOLLAR GRANT APPLICATION TO REDO THE ROUTES THAT LEAD INTO CHICAGO UNION STIGS, TO REDUCE THE DELAYS AND HAVE THE TRAINS RUN BETTER IN AND OUT OF THE STATION.

AND WE SHOULD HAVE THE RESULTS OF THAT APPLICATION WITH THE COMMUTER RAILROAD, US, DOT, COOK COUNTY HIGHWAYS AND METRA.

WE SHOULD HEAR THE RESULTS OF THAT THIS FALL.

SO THERE'S LOTS OF PROGRESS, THERE'S LOTS OF GOOD NEWS, AND THAT'S WHY I'M HAPPY TO BE RUNNING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND DO THIS.

I DID A PROJECT LIKE THIS IN DODGE CITY KANSAS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.

I GET AROUND, AND IT'S GOOD NEWS.

>> DO YOU TRAVEL BY TRAINS WHEN YOU GO TO THESE LOCATIONS.

>> IN THE CASE OF THE DODGE CITY TRIP, WE TOOK A TRAIN TO ST. LOUIS LOUIS AND THEN RENTED A CAR, BECAUSE WE WERE STOPPING AND GOING.

WHEN YOU STOP AND GO, YOU ARE MAKING A 24 HOUR COMMITMENT IN EACH STOP BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY ONE A DAY.

I CAN'T VERY WELL GO AROUND THE COUNTRY REPRESENTING AMTRAK AND SAY I DON'T RIDE.

I WAS A REPORTER, I WAS IN SPRINGFIELD ONCE, AND THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADD -- ADMINISTRATOR WAS THERE WITH A BRIEFCASE, HE HAD A TAG BEING THE MILLION MILE TRAVELER.

BEING THE IRREVERENT REPORTER I AM, I ASKED THE ADMINISTRATOR HOW HE GOT TO THE EVENT, HE SAID HE FLEW.

HAVING DONE THAT TO SOMEONE ELSE AND NOT WANTING SOMEONE ELSE TO DO THAT TO ME, I TAKE THE TRAIN AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE.

>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CHICAGO REORGANIZATION.

IF I HEAR ONE COMPLAINT FROM AMTRAK TO BLOOMINGTON NORMAL OR GALESBURG, YOU GET UP TO THE SUBURBAN AREA AND THE TRAIN SLOWS TO A CRAWL.

PART OF THIS PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT IS NOT JUST THE CONCOURSE AT UNION STATION, BUT THE TRACKS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF TRAINS UP THERE, WHAT'S THE PROSPECT FOR IMPROVING THAT SPEED FOR WHICH YOU GET TO UNION STATION.

>> LET'S LOOK AT OUR THREE DOWN STATE ROUTES.

THE ROUTE FROM HERE IN GALESBURG STOPPING IN NAPERVILLE, IS ON TRIPLE TRACK RAILROAD FROM AURORA TO DOWNTOWN.

WE RUN PRETTY WELL THERE.

I MEAN, WE SAIL OUT OF TOWN AT 60 AND 70 MILES AN HOUR.

WE SAIL INTO TOWN AT 60 AND 70 MILES AN HOUR.

UNLESS SOMETHING IS WRONG THAT DAY, WE DO PRETTY WELL ON THAT ROUTE.

THAT'S THE BSF RAILWAY, THEY'RE ONE OF OUR HIGHER PERFORMING RAILROADS.

IF YOU'RE COMING UP FROM NORMAL OR DWIGHT, YOU GET TO JOLIET, IT'S STOP AND GO ALL THE WAY DOWNTOWN.

THERE'S A PROJECT IN THIS GRANT APPLICATION I MENTIONED TO GET US OFF OF THAT RAILROAD.

AND IT'S ON OVER TO THE METRO OWNED FORMER ROCK EYE LAND RAILROAD, WHICH HAS NONE OF THESE FREIGHT PROBLEMS WE HAVE COMING IN NOW.

AND NONE OF THE LOCAL PETROCHEMICAL PLANTS THAT WE HAVE COMING UP FROM JOLIET.

THAT'S IN THAT GRANT APPLICATION.

THERE'S A LOT OF TRACK WORK NECESSARY.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK IN JOLIET THAT'S NECESSARY.

THERE'S A WAY FORWARD ON THAT.

IN THAT SAME GRANT APPLICATION, IF YOU'RE COMING UP FROM CARBON DEAL, BECAUSE THAT ROUTE WAS MEANT TO GO ALONG THE LAKEFRONT AND STOP AT THE CORNER OF WHACKER AND MICHIGAN AVENUES.

THERE'S A COMPLICATED ROUTE WE USE TO GET FROM THAT LAKEFRONT TO CHICAGO UNION STATION, THE TRAIN HAS TO BACK OUT FOR A COUPLE MILES BEFORE IT CAN START HEADING SOUTH.

OR THE TRAIN HAS TO BACK IN FOR A COUPLE MILES TO GET INTO THE STATION.

THAT'S EASILY 15, 20, 30 MINUTES OF DELAY, WHEN THE CHICAGO SKYLINE IS IN SIGHT.

AND CUSTOMERS ARE SAYING, HOW COME WE'RE NOT THERE YET.

IN THIS APPLICATION IS BUILDING A NEW TRACK CONNECTION FROM THE STATION, OVER TO THE SAME METRO ROCK ISLAND ROUTE I WAS TALKING ABOUT, AND THE LAKEFRONT ROUTE TO MAKE THAT SMOOTHER, FASTER AND MORE RELIABLE.

THERE'S WAYS FORWARD, AND NOW THERE'S FEDERAL FUNDING FOR IT, AND WE ALL HOPE WE'RE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING IT.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE WORD FAST.

WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE FACT THAT THERE WAS AN UPGRADE IN THE LINE FROM ST. LOUIS TO CHICAGO THIGH THROUGH BLOOMINGTON, NORMAL.

IT WAS TO MAKE THE TOP SPEED GO FROM 79 TO 110 MILES PER HOUR.

RIGHT NOW SECTIONS ARE AT 90 MILES PER HOUR.

WHAT'S THE STATUS OF MAKING SURE THAT LINE FOR THE MOST PART IS 110 MILES PER HOUR.

>> THE 90 MILE AN HOUR SEGMENTS THAT EXIST TODAY WILL BECOME 110 MILE AN HOUR SEGMENTS.

THERE'S MORE TESTING, THERE'S VERY RIGOROUS REQUIREMENTS, WHEN YOU'RE GOING FASTER THAN 79 BY FEDERAL STATUTE AND JUST BY GOOD SENSE.

TRAIN STOPS RATE SAFELY WITH SAFETY SYSTEMS THAT WORK PROPERLY, AT SPEEDS ABOVE 80 MILES AN HOUR.

THERE'S STILL MORE TESTING TO BE DONE.

A LITTLE BIT OF EQUIPMENT WORK TO DO, I EXPECT THOSE 90s WILL BECOME 110s IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS OR SO.

THAT WILL TAKE MORE TIME OFF THE CHICAGO/ST.

LOUIS SCHEDULE, OR FOR OUR BUSIEST DOWN STATE STATION, IT'S NOT SPRINGFIELD, IT'S ACTUALLY NORMAL.

FROM OUR BUSIEST STATION IN NORMAL WILL TAKE MORE TIME OUT OF THE SCHEDULE AS THE TRAINS RUN FASTER AND THE FREIGHT WOULD GET OFF THE CURRENT ROUTE BETWEEN JOLIET AND DOWNTOWN WILL RUN FASTER AND MORE RELIABLY DOWNTOWN USING 34E9 ELECTRO'S TRACKS INSTEAD OF CNs.

THERE'S WAYS FORWARD AND PROGRESS TO BE HAD.

>> CAN I TALK ABOUT THE NATIONAL PICTURE?

GALESBURG PLAYS A HUGE ROLE IN THAT AS WELL AS CHICAGO METRO STATION.

BETWEEN METRO AND AMTRAK, 15 MILLION PASSENGERS GO THROUGH UNION STATION EVERY YEAR.

THAT IS A LOT OF TRAFFIC.

>> YES.

>> MANY OF THOSE TRAINS COME OUT THROUGH GALESBURG.

THE CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR WHICH HAS DENVER AND THE BAY AREA.

THAT GOES THROUGH GALESBURG.

HOW IS GALESBURG DOING IN TERMS OF HANDLING THAT TRAFFIC?

>> THE BNSF IS A GOOD PARTNER OF OURS.

UNLESS SOMETHING GOES WRONG LIKE EQUIPMENT FAILURE OR INFRASTRUCTURE FAILURE.

WE DO REALLY WELL.

WE'VE IMPROVED SOME OF THE FLOW TO AND FROM THE GALESBURG STATION.

IT HAS TWO WESTBOUND TRAINS INBOUND EVERY DAY.

AND THE TWO TRAINS FROM QUINN SIR AND MACOMB.

THAT GIVES THEM FOUR IN, FOUR OUT.

THAT'S DOUBLE TRACK RAILROAD THAT RUNS PRETTY RELIABLY.

IF YOU GO TO THE NATIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER IN FT. WORTH TEXAS, WHERE THEY CONTROL ALL THE TRAINS ACROSS THE COUNTRY FROM THIS SORT OF NASA LOOKING MISSION CONTROL LOOKING PLACE, IN FT. WORTH, THEY HAD FIVE SCREENS ACROSS THE WALL WHEN I WAS THERE, SHOWING THEIR FIVE MOST IMPORTANT BUSINESSES.

ONE OF THOSE FIVE IS AMTRAK, BECAUSE THEY TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY THE FACT THAT WE DON'T PAY THEM VERY MUCH TO OPERATE ROUTINELY, AND WE PAY BONUSES FOR THEM TO OPERATE AS WELL.

THEY WANT TO EARN EVERY PENNY THEY CAN GET OF THESE BONUSES.

THAT'S A PRETTY WELL RUN RAILROAD AND ONE WE'RE HAPPY TO BE A PARTNER WITH.

OUR NUMBER ONE RAILROAD IN TERMS OF SCORES IS CANADIAN PACIFIC WHO OWNS MUCH OF THE TRACK BETWEEN CHICAGO AND THE TWIN CITIES WHERE OUR HIAWATHA TRAINS WHICH WERE ALMOST 900,000 CUSTOMERS A YEAR BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

IF THERE'S A RAILROAD THAT COMMITS, INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ALLOWS IT, YOU DO VERY WELL.

AND GALESBURG DOES PRETTY WELL, CHICAGO TO MILWAUKEE DOES PRETTY WELL, HERE IN DOWNTOWN ILLINOIS WE HAVE PROGRESS TO MAKE BETWEEN CHAMPAGNE AND CARBONDALE AND ALL THE WAY DOWN TO MEMPHIS AND NEW ORLEANS.

THERE'S A WAY TO GET THERE, AND WE'RE CURRENTLY LITIGATING SOME OF THAT.

>> YOU MENTIONED EQUIPMENT PROBLEMS.

RECENTLY HERE IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST, YOU HAD EQUIPMENT PROBLEMS, I THINK IT WAS THE ILLINOIS ZEPHYR GOING TO QUINCY.

SOME TRAINS WERE CANCELLED, YOU HAD TO OFFER BUS ALTERNATIVE.

IS THAT A PROBLEM IN PART WITH THE SIEMENS CORPORATION?

THEY BUILT A CAR CALLED THE VENTURE, AND THEY'RE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE DOORS ON THOSE CARS?

>> THERE'S BEEN SOME TEETHING PROBLEMS WITH THESE NEW CARS.

THE CARS WERE BOUGHT IN A COOPERATION BETWEEN ILLINOIS DOT, MICHIGAN DOT AND WISCONSIN DOT.

AND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME -- I'D CALL THEM TEETHING PROBLEMS WITH SOME OF THE FEATURES OF THESE CARS TO MAKE THEM WORK PROPERLY.

THE LARGEST SINGLE CHALLENGE WE HAVE IN RUNNING RELIABLY, THERE ARE ABOUT 4,000 OPEN JOBS AT AMTRAK RIGHT NOW, AND IN ORDER TO RUN TRAINS RELIABLY, YOU NEED TO STAFF THEM, AND A COUPLE OF THOSE QUINCY CANCELLATIONS WERE ABOUT STAFFING.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO MAINTAIN THEM.

IF SOMEONE WANTSES TO APPLY FOR A JOB WITH GREAT BENEFITS AND UNIONS, IF I CAN REFER SOMEONE, I'LL GET A $3500 BONUS FOR EVERY PERSON I CAN RECRUIT TO WORK ON OUR MECHANICAL SIDE BECAUSE WE NEED MORE PEOPLE.

I KNOW WE'VE PAID RELOCATION.

A STORY OF A GUY THAT WAS WORKING IN THE FREIGHT INDUSTRY IN WYOMING.

WE PAID TO RELOCATE HIM TO MIAMI.

I KNOW HOW HARD OF A SELL THAT WAS.

WE PAID RELOCATION FOR CRAFT JOBS WHICH WE NEVER PAID BEFORE.

WE NEED TO STAFF BACK UP, WE NEED TO STAFF ON THE MANAGEMENT SIDE, TO MANAGE ALL THESE GRANT PROGRAMS AND OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE.

WE HAVE TO STAFF UP ON THE OPERATING SIDE, WITH CREWS, TRAIN CREWS AND MECHANICAL STAFF TO DO THESE THINGS, AND IT'S A -- REALLY EVERY DAY INTERESTING PLACE TO WORK OR I WOULDN'T BE HERE FOR MORE THAN 21 YEARS.

THE JOBS, THE PIPEFITTER JOBS, THE MECHANICS JOBS, THE ELECTRICAL JOBS WE HAVE IN MAINTAINING THE RAILCARS ARE PRETTY HIGH VALUE JOBS, AND WE NEED MORE PEOPLE TO TAKE THEM SO WE CAN RUN MORE RELIABLY.

>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT FOOD ON AMTRAK.

THERE ARE FANS OF AMTRAK FOOD AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE LESS THAN A SATISFACTORY EXPERIENCE.

BUT YOU HAVE A NEW LINE OF FOOD OUT ON MANY OF YOUR LINES, NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT ON MANY OF YOUR LINES.

THE WASHINGTON POST DID A REVIEW OF THOSE FOODS, LET ME REVIEW SOME OF THEM FOR YOU, AND SEE IF YOU'VE TRIED ANY OF IT.

>> I'VE NOT TRIED ANY OF IT.

>> YOU HAVEN'T TRIED ANY.

>> I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO DO IT, THEY ROLLED THE MENU OUT LAST WEEK.

SOME OF THOSE MENU ITEMS WILL BE MAKING OUR WAY TO OUR STATE SPONSORED ROUTES IN THE MIDWEST.

YEAH, I WANT TO TRY THEM TOO, BUT THE STORY IN THE POST SAID AS SOON AS WE ANNOUNCED A MENU, SHE BOUGHT A TICKET.

YOU HAVE HER REPORT.

>> HERE IS THE REPORT.

>> YOU SCORED WELL ON ASIAN NOODLE BOWL, RAINBOW BERRY SALAD, AND THE ANGUS CHEESEBURGER AND THE INTERESTING ONE IS THE BLUE CORN VEGAN TAMALE.

THEN YOU DIDN'T DO SO WELL ON THE VANILLA YOGURT PARFAIT.

I'M NOT HOW YOU MESS THAT UP.

>> IT WAS BLAND, THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH BERRIES IN IT.

>> AND THE BACON EGG AND CHEESE BIALI.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT IS.

AND THE TURKEY AND HAD A VARTY SANDWICH.

>> SHE FOUND THAT KIND OF BLAND.

>> A LITTLE BIT OF WORK TO BE DONE, BUT DOES AMTRAK PROVIDE THE FOOD OR IS THAT CONTRACTED OUT?

>> WE HAVE A COMMISSARY SYSTEM, WHICH IS MANAGED BY A PRIVATE COMPANY, WHICH DOES THE SAME KIND OF WORK FOR THE AIRLINES, AND WE HAVE A TEST KITCHEN IN DELAWARE, WHERE VARIOUS VENDORS PITCH TO US VARIOUS PRODUCTS, AND WE ACCEPT OR REJECT THE PRODUCTS AND THEY'RE GIVEN TO THE TRAIN.

THAT IS PART OF OUR FOOD SERVICE.

THOSE HAVE FULL SERVICE DINING CARS ON THEM, AND WE HAVE OUR OWN CHEFS ON THOSE TRAINS, THE RECIPES ON THOSE TRAINS ARE DEVELOPED IN COOPERATION WITH THE CHEFS.

WE ROLLED OUT EARLIER THIS YEAR, A REVAMP OF THOSE MEALS TOO.

THE CHEFS HAVE TOLD ME, THAT IT'S THE BEST FOOD WE'VE EVER OFFERED.

AND IT'S BETTER IN TERMS OF INGREDIENTS THAN WE'VE HAD IN THE DAYS OF THE 70s AND '80s.

COME ON OUT, HAVE A CHANCE TO ENJOY SOME OF IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> GO TO AMTRAK.COM FOR YOUR TRIP PLAN.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE COMMERCIAL AT THE END.

>> IT'S NONCOMMERCIAL TELEVISION, SO I HAVE TO WORK IT IN.

>> THANK YOU FOR NOT HAVING A TRAIN PASS BY DURING THIS BROADCAST.

>> I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF POWER.

>> ON THE NEXT AT ISSUE, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THE TRANSPORTATION PHILOSOPHY, TALKING TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE BLOOMINGTON NORMAL AIRPORT, AND THE WEEK AFTER THAT, GENE OLSON OF THE PEORIA STATION WILL JOIN US FOR AT ISSUE.