If you think traveling by Amtrak is bad ...

... just try this one:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/04/world ... go.html?hp

Mr Kisor--
Are you saying that we have to look to the Congo, one of the most dysfunctional countries in the world, to find a railroad that's more poorly run than Amtrak?

Depending on who you ask, it would appear that one may be able to look closer to home. The anecdotes of SEPTA and NJT lateness abound…

I wonder what other railroad's let passengers ride on the roof? I won't even ask how the conductors collect ticket fares. I remember hearing that this is the case somewhere in India. I guess open roof seating(with seats of course) might be possible for some type of bilevel coaches as is the case with some double decker busses.

Amtrak Forum Moderator's Note:

Moved to General Discussion: Operations and Facilities forum at the specific instruction of Otto Vondrak, our Creative Director.

Irish Chieftain wrote:Depending on who you ask, it would appear that one may be able to look closer to home. The anecdotes of SEPTA and NJT lateness abound…

And the same thing with MBCR's Framingham/Worcester Line or Fitchburg Line, they have a lot of Freight Train interference.

Robert Paniagua wrote:

Irish Chieftain wrote:Depending on who you ask, it would appear that one may be able to look closer to home. The anecdotes of SEPTA and NJT lateness abound…

And the same thing with MBCR's Framingham/Worcester Line or Fitchburg Line, they have a lot of Freight Train interference.

Come on guys, I don't think anything in North America is as bad as that. Only 15 out of 80 locomotives are operational 9,000 miles of track need repairs and not getting paid for months at a time.

The sad thing? That catenary in Congo looks to be in a lot better condition then the catenary on the NEC .

What tends to happen in third world countries , is that infrastructere is built to quite a high standard ( usually as a aid package / development loan etc ), but there is no ongoing maintenance program . or theyll spend millions on electrification , but trains will not run well due to the lack of a few thousands spent on the track / trains . so the cantenary may only be 10 -20 years old ,but you can bet , no maintenance has been done on it since it was put in .

blockss wrote:I wonder what other railroad's let passengers ride on the roof? I won't even ask how the conductors collect ticket fares. I remember hearing that this is the case somewhere in India. I guess open roof seating(with seats of course) might be possible for some type of bilevel coaches as is the case with some double decker busses.

Indian State Railways in India on avarge is ofton so over croweded that hundreds will take a seat anywhere on the train i.e. roof, walkways along side the hoods on the locomotive. Its also not uncommon to here on occation storys of hundreds of passengers being killed in Railroad derailments in India eather.

Most of them south Asian and some African contrys are like this becouse there are no real roads to travel on as there ofton always washed out during the monsoon season.

The railbus in Ecuador used to let passengers ride on the roof for the amazing scenery . not sure if this service is still running .

David Benton wrote:The railbus in Ecuador used to let passengers ride on the roof for the amazing scenery . not sure if this service is still running .

I can ask a Guy that I work with who immagrated to the U.S. from Ecuador.