New Amtrak board members

International Railway Journal, Oct, 2003

THE White House has announced the names of three new members of the board of the United States long-distance passenger rail operator, Amtrak. The move comes against an uncertain backgrotmd as President Bush has indicated that he wants to break up Amtrak.

The one new member with railway experience is Mr Louis S Thompson (above), who recently retired after 17 years as railways adviser at the World Bank, preceded by eight years with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).

At the FRA he was director of the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project, managed a review of the Amtrak budget, supervised high-speed rail studies, and served as the secretary-designate on the Amtrak board. He was heavily involved in engaging the private sector in railways in eastern Europe and in the concessioning of railways from Argentina to Zambia.

The other new board members are Mr Robert L Crandall, a former chairman and CEO of American Airlines and AMR Corporation, who now serves on the board of Anixter and Halliburton; and Mr Floyd Hall, whose business achievements include turning round the Singer Company and K-mart.