(Indianapolis television station WTHR posted the following story by Julia Moffitt on its website on January 30.)
BEECH GROVE, Ind. — Despite a short bank account and dwindling workforce, Amtrak is still breaking through the tough times to stay in business.
The company is rolling out its first two passenger cars repaired since hiring back 46 laid off employees three months ago.
Lew Wood is the Amtrak General Manager in Beech Grove. “We’re showing that with adequate funding and support from the public we can turn out cars and provide Amtrak with revenue.”
The sleeper and passenger cars being repaired at the Beech Grove facility can generate money for the ailing company, $1,000 a day per car.
That’s why Amtrak’s owner brought back the workers, even while still waiting on a request from Congress for $1.2 billion in aid.
“He said we couldn’t wait any longer, we need the cars in operation so passengers can utilize them,” says Wood. “Bring back these wrecks even without the funding.”
Repair work has been put on hold since 1999 because of the lack of funding. With the workers brought back, they’ll be able to repair up to 14 of the cars next year alone in Beech Grove.
But that’s just a dent in the backload of more than 150 cars waiting to be fixed.
The company laid off Clarence Ellis last year after 19 years. He’s glad to be back on the job, but wants the same for his co-workers. “I’d like to see the rest of the workers who are laid off still to come back to work because it’s hard on their families.”
Amtrak wants to rehire all workers.
And Beech Grove Mayor Warner Wiley would like to see that too. But without the funding, he knows it’s not likely. “According to Mr. Gund, the owner, if he doesn’t get the $1.2 billion he may start a shut down of Amtrak nationally.”
Mayor Wiley says Beech Grove Amtrak employees generate an estimated $2 billion for the central Indiana economy a year. Money that will roll out of the state if the jobs do.