Amtrak Cascades and debt limit

[kjpabl]

We are scheduled on the Amtrak Cascades Seattle to Vancouver in early Aug. With the looming problems due to the debt limit fight is there a chance it won't run? Already nervous enough about our military retirement check not arriving on the first.:eek:

[WINEMANVISALIA]

Military and social security paid first!

 

Or else revolt will happen=people get nasty and homicidal without money!

 

Debt crisis is just a drama that obama needs to win to be reelected...imho!

[megr1125]

IIRC that train is also run in part by the state of washington...I would think that you should be fine.......(she said fingers crossed...)

[zephyr17]

We are scheduled on the Amtrak Cascades Seattle to Vancouver in early Aug. With the looming problems due to the debt limit fight is there a chance it won't run? Already nervous enough about our military retirement check not arriving on the first.:eek:

While subsidized by the government, Amtrak is an independent corporation (legal name: "National Railroad Passenger Corporation", "Amtrak" is a marketing brand), and, though chartered by Congress, is not a legally a government entity. It gets the subsidy payments through DOT on a quarterly basis, IIRC, and it has it already for this quarter. That subsidy is just a corporate receivable to Amtrak.

 

So the debt crisis will not immediately affect Amtrak, as it has the money to in hand to operate for the time being.

 

Don't worry about it. If you were going in October, maybe there would be some concern. Plus, as another poster pointed out, the Cascades service is not part of the "national system" (subsidized by the feds), and is subsidized by Washington State as a 403(b) service. Although if the federal operating subsidy was withdrawn, it is hard to see how it could operate if the larger system was crippled.

[kjpabl]

So glad to hear from all of you. First cruise and everything fell into place so well, I guess I got nervous that the whole thing would end up as a fiasco. Thanks for all the info on how Amtrak gets funds, and the info about it's supported by WA State. I should have done some research and wouldn't have started stressing:o. Happy Sailing to all!:)

[Urban trekker]

Doesnt Oregon also throw in some money as well - the BC govt is also supporting it as part of its longer term commitment to get high speed rail from Portland to Vancouver along the 1-5 corridor.

 

If the worst case was to happen there is frequent bus service between the two cities.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[zephyr17]

Yep, Oregon does throw in money for the trains that go from Portland and Eugene. Not as much as WA, which is part of the reason there are more trains north of Portland. Thought that BC helped fund capital improvements on their side, like the Colebrook siding that BNSF wanted in order to put on more than one train, but didn't kick in on the operating subsidy. Some problem about transferring government funds to an foreign operator (Amtrak).