(The Minot Daily News posted the following story by Ken Crites on its website on October 10.)
MINOT, N.D. — David Gunn is on a 12-day tour, traveling aboard an Amtrak train that stopped in Minot Thursday morning. But it’s not just a pleasure trip.
Gunn is president and CEO of Amtrak and it’s a working trip to drum up support to help keep Amtrak operating nationwide and in North Dakota.
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., was on hand to meet Gunn as the Empire Builder pulled into Minot at 8:30 a.m. The two men then held a trackside news conference.
Gunn was welcomed to Minot by Mayor Curt Zimbelman. A delegation from Rugby headed by Mayor Dale Niewoehner and others was also on hand.
Gunn, in his remarks, pledged to work to keep Amtrak operating as a nationwide system. He briefly outlined his recently released strategic plan, which aims to restore the national rail passenger service’s financial health within five years.
Gunn said there are a lot of people who don’t understand the importance of rural train service. He said, “I’m making a personal commitment to save this train and make it better. The budget calls for overhauling all of our equipment, and our focus is to restore the plan.”
Gunn’s speech was interrupted a couple of times by freight trains operating in the area. One passed on the other side of the Empire Builder and there was a Canadian Pacific Railway train that blew its horn several times a short distance away from the depot.
The interruptions didn’t faze Gunn. He said, “As an old railroad man, those sounds are like music to me.”
Dorgan told reporters that America needs a national rail passenger system, not just an East Coast-based regional one and pledged to use his seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee to help keep Amtrak operating nationwide.
Dorgan and Gunn made their comments as the Bush administration continues to advance a budget that would essentially end Amtrak service beyond the nation’s East Coast. Dorgan said he and others are working in Congress to secure the necessary funds to allow Amtrak to continue as a national rail passenger service.
The senator said between 60,000 and 70,000 North Dakotans rely on Amtrak for rail service each year. “And, we’re going to fight like the dickens to keep it.”
Gunn said, “We’re fighting to keep Amtrak service and we appreciate the support. It seems like everybody out here defends Amtrak. We think we’re making progress operationally. The national system is critical and we think it’s time to draw a line in the sand.”
Dorgan said the next few months are critical for Amtrak. Both he and Gunn urged people to contact the president and members of Congress urging that nationwide service be retained.
Gunn left Washington, D.C., on Monday and was in Chicago Tuesday. He plans to spend the weekend in Seattle and then wind up his trip along the West Coast ending up in Los Angeles by the middle of next week.
A public relations spokesman for Amtrak in Chicago said Gunn then plans to fly back to Washington and is next planning a trip down the Eastern Seaboard – on Amtrak, of course.
“He likes to get out and ride the trains to see first-hand what is going on and talking to people,” he said.
Gunn travels in a special coach on the rear of the train. The Amtrak spokesman said the car had been wrecked and was later rebuilt to haul VIP passengers.