WesternConnect

NOTICE: For those who found this via a search and are seeking information on current Amtrak routes and timetables, please visit amtrak.com
Anything from this point on is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents, either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.

**As negotiations heated up between President Paul and Congressional Democrats about the proposed 2014 budget, Amtrak service outside of the Northeast Corridor and Chicago area was on the chopping block. Despite efforts by Harry Reid (D-NV) and Ray LaHood (R-IL) to save Amtrak, the senate voted 87-13 to stop funding the long distance routes.

Out of that, in a coalition between the states of Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Utah, Wyoming, and North and South Dakota, WesternConnet was formed.**

The first item of business was to find a stable funding source for former Amtrak routes California Zephyr, Empire Builder, and Southwest Chief.

6:00 am Monday, September 8, 2014. The Fort Morgan Times was snugly in the box outside my country shack when I pulled it out. The usual was in it: Eagles beat Mustangs 34-21, First National opens new bank downtown, Country General having 50% off sale on overalls. However, one item grabbed my attention: AMTRAK SERVICE ENDS DEC 31 TO FORT MORGAN AFTER 80+ YEARS! "Washington DC- Amtrak suffered severe cuts by federal legislators after heated negotiations between house and senate members and President Paul."

My heart dropped. I quickly ran inside to see what the Colorado Rail Passengers Association had to say about this. I was the chairman of the Amtrak division there, and my email inbox flooded me with a tsunami of mail.

An emergency meeting was to be held in Denver, Colorado, in 6 hours. In that time, I had to feed and milk the cows, collect the eggs from the chickens, clean up their poo, get ready, and drive down to the big city.

Uncle Clark offered to take care of the animals, freeing me to shower and prepare myself for what would be a long day. I grabbed my bag, threw it in the back of my Grey Chevy Silverado, and floored it down the I-76 on-ramp to Denver.

To be continued...

Any ideas, anyone?

As the meeting drew on into the night, one think was for sure; we need to save the current Amtrak routes somehow. In a 5-4 vote, the board decided to try to save the section between Denver, Colorado and Salt Lake City, Utah. We would require 2 Superliner consists, purchased from Amtrak for 10 million each. The trains would keep to the current California Zephyr schedules for the most part.

Then we were brought down to earth at the prospect of funding. How will we get funding for this? We would be forced to get money from CDOT and UDOT, though the thought of what we would do if they said no was looming. It was decided that reorganizing as a private company that gets subsidies was the best strategy.

Therefore, WesternConnect was formed. I was chosen to be the CEO to head it. The first order of business was to find a way to secure $10 million to buy the consists.

To be continued...

8:00AM-September 8th, 2014 - I woke up to the sound of people knocking on my door. I got dressed quickly, and went out to see what the fuss was. They shoved a newspaper into my hands, and moved on. I then saw the headlines to the "Flagstaff Times", AMTRAK STOPS SERVICE ON THE SOUTHWEST CHEIF ROUTE STARTING NOVEMBER AFTER 74 YEARS! "Washington D.C. - After a heated conference last afternoon, legistraters decide to stop funding to the long-distance Amtrak routes outside of the Northeast Corridor." I went straight up to the Amtrak Station immediately, I was chairman of operations for Arizona, and Flagstaff was the busiest Station. I immediately called up the Amtrak office in Chicago, and the Colorado Rail Passengers Association. I was to then fly to Denver, to see what all of this was.....