New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg isn’t among the New Yorkers backing a “no ride” list for Amtrak. “I think in a practical point of view, it would be very difficult to enforce,” he told WCBS radio’s Marla Diamond.

Bloomberg’s comments come just days after Sen. Chuck Schumer made a push to protect railroads from possible terrorist attack–an idea reportedly advanced by Osama bin Laden as a “tenth anniversary” attack on the U.S. to mark the 9/11 attacks. “Anyone, even a member of al-Qaida could purchase a train ticket and board an Amtrak train without so much as a question asked,” Schumer said.

While Bloomberg isn’t convinced a no ride list would work on the rails, he says there are no serious threats against Amtrak or other commuter lines at the moment, and he insists New York’s first responders are ready, should someone make an attempt.

Listen to the interview here, from WCBS-AM:

Schumer explained his rationale behind requesting additional funds for rail security:

“Circumstances demand we make adjustments by increasing funding to enhance rail safety and monitoring on commuter rail transit and screening who gets on Amtrak passenger trains, so that we can provide a greater level of security to the public. . . . We must remain vigilant in protecting ourselves from future terror attacks, and when intelligence emerges that provides insight into potential vulnerabilities, we must act with speed.”

New York’s senior senator is eager to do whatever it takes to prevent another terror attack, and this is one issue where even budget-conscious Republicans are likely to be in agreement. As the news report below suggests, the most security some train stations have is a sign that reads “if you see something, say something.” Therefore, an investment in methods that are a little less “every man for themselves” doesn’t seem like it would be too controversial of an idea.

Watch the clip below of Schumer’s news conference from Newschannel 9 Syracuse:

(h/t The Blaze)

Biden’s piece is, for the most part, a personal one. He retells the old stories of how he would use Amtrak to make it in time for family birthday parties as much as for Congressional votes. He relives the past in a warm, genuine manner, and thanks the company for the memories:

Amtrak doesn’t just carry us from one place to another–it makes things possible that otherwise wouldn’t be. For 36 years, I was able to make most of those birthday parties, to get home to read bedtime stories, to cheer for my children at their soccer games. Simply put, Amtrak gave me–and countless other Americans–more time with my family.

Had he kept it at that, it would have been little more than an emotional customer testimonial too heartwarming to be ethically compromised. Yet Biden continued by talking policy around his story, and positioning himself against nearly every other major mode of transportation in the trade:

But my support for rail travel goes beyond the emotional connection. With delays at our airports and congestion on our roads becoming increasingly ubiquitous, volatile fuel prices, increased environmental awareness, and a need for transportation links between growing communities, rail travel is more important to America than ever before… Support for Amtrak must be strong–not because it is a cherished American institution, which it is–but because it is a powerful and indispensable way to carry us all into a leaner, cleaner, greener 21st century.

Biden is not supporting the transportation industry or trains in general – he is supporting the company Amtrak, in a magazine they publish. Granted, Amtrak is a government-owned business, but it is still competing with private travel corporations at a time in the history of the US economy when the success of small business could not be more important. Competition is so fierce that the market has become a zero-sum game; supporting Amtrak is directly detrimental to other possible forms of transportation that people could choose as an alternative. Writing this makes it all the more inappropriate.

Abrams reports that the train was stopped on the tracks for at least an hour and a half as police and Amtrak inspectors assessed the situation. While the identities of the victims have not been identified, sources close to the scene were heard to refer them as “two girls.”

The Wall Street Journal reports:

PHILADELPHIA—Amtrak service south of Philadelphia was disrupted after two people were struck and killed by a train.

Amtrak officials said four tracks were shut down around 10:30 a.m. ET Thursday about nine miles south of Philadelphia.

Police said the two people were struck and killed in Norwood, Delaware County. Amtrak said one of its high-speed Acela trains was involved.

Amtrak said service on three northbound trains is affected.

Despite numerous passengers tweeting at theh #amtrak hashtag, the train — which left NYC at 6:20 a.m. and stalled somewhere in the neighborhood of 9:15 a.m., according to one passenger —  is still parked in place.

According to passenger Susan McPherson,the train is “down to one working bathroom” after the journey from NYC to Boston suddenly got a lot longer.

McPherson, who tweets at @LittleMac1, is one of many passengers on the ill-begotten train who have been tweeting up a storm, out of frustration and perhaps, the hope of relief.  Nevertheless, that online and mobile megaphone has not seemed to speed the repair of the issue. Judging from the tweets, more than one train is implicated -  there are reports of an 8:03 a.m. train similarly stalled, as well as a separate incident outside Union Station in Washington, D.C. Here are some sample tweets:

@Reynaldi: #amtrak has stranded me in Providence.

@gmarsh17: Take #amtrak to avoid delays and been sitting in Providence for 3 hours Awesome. Not alone on Twitter either…

@dtunkelang: Amtrak/Acela FAIL. Been stuck somewhere in Rhode Island for 2 hours, indefinitely delayed en route to Boston.

@LittleMac1: Almost 3 hours since #Amtrak broke down this am and no end in sight. Makes me long 4 Europe’s system

@DowntownWoman: earlier Acela train ripped down some wires #Amtrak NE disrupted service. Lots of workmen trying to isolate live wires outside my window.

@lehmannchris Train now stranded outside Balto–presumably cuz engineer can’t figure out how to back it in on track / AMTRAK = TORTURE

@dtunkelang: Acela is moving now, albeit at anything but high speed. 8:03am leaving NYC, arriving in Boston at…3pm? More like 4pm. Amtrak #FAIL.

@lokison: Probably not making our bus in Boston. Awesome. Amtrak had better pay for a hotel for us.

MRobDC: amtrak is a great way to travel…as long as you dont care when you get where you’re going…

Amtrak itself has no official presence on Twitter. (Joe Biden! You might want to suggest that.) Says @DowntownWoman: “Surprised no #Amtrak on Twitter. Lots of angry riders who will be tough to win back.”

Perhaps – as McPherson points out, it’s not like there are fabulous Euro-style alternatives (and plane delays are just as notorious, particularly out of New York). Still, Twitter is supposed to get you somewhere — to loudly announce your needs in real time so that the world can react accordingly. I’m not sure if that would make it less frustrating or more. We’ll have to see what people tweet about it.

In the meantime, according to McPherson, with whom I have emailed about these delays, they were promised that they’d be moving soon. So hopefully they will be! In the meantime, maybe the Twitter boys want to open up their API for a train-fixing application.

Either way, at least they are keeping their sense of humor. From @GoodVibeCoach: “Irony = getting an email titled “Amtrak rewards” while stuck on a train that is nearly 3 hours late. <-ha!”

Godspeed, weary travelers.

UPDATE: That was quick. Via Twitter, from our friend @Cheeky_Geeky, aka Dr. Mark Drapeau: “On train to DC now. Problem is down power line (or similar) in RI, gumming up the Boston-NYC-DC corridor.” Yikes. Good luck everyone!