The Sunset Limited has long been the poster child for all that is wrong with passenger rail service in the United States. Yet, somehow, this troubled route has defied history increasing both the number of riders and ticket revenues.
For more than 110 years, the Sunset Limited trains have meandered between California new New Orleans. Back then, it was operated by Southern Pacific Railroad (now part of Union Pacific), which still owns the tracks the Sunset Limited travels over from Orange, Texas to Los Angeles, California. Southern Pacific dropped the Limited from the name, along with many of the amenities that make long-distance rail travel enjoyable, in the 1960's. Amtrak took over operation in 1971, restoring the Sunset Limited name along with the sleeper and dining cars and continues offering service 3 times a week to this very day.
Amtrak extended service east of New Orleans to Florida in 199o's. A decade later, track damage from Hurricane Katrina disrupted this service which Amtrak has decided to discontinue it indefinitely. This truncated service is just one of the challenges the Sunset Limited faces.
In 1993, the Sunset Limited was involved in one of the worst Amtrak accidents on record when the train fell from a damaged bridge into a Alabama bayou killing 47 people. A year later the two locomotives derailed along with 8 other cars in Arizona, killing one persona and injuring 78. The case remains unsolved. Eighteen people were injured in 1999 when two locomotives and two cars derailed after colliding with a truck. Add such incidents to one of the worst on-time records of any Amtrak train and it's hardly surprising that the Sunset Limited has inherited Southern Pacific's reputation as the railroad people love to hate.
What may surprise people is that, after years of declining use and revenues, the Sunset Limited appears to be enjoying a renaissance. According to the most recent numbers reported by Amtrak, the Sunset Limited's ridership increased by more than 22 percent during fiscal year 2007 while ticket revenues grew by nearly 32 percent. Growth in both areas exceeded that of any other long-distance service offered by Amtrak and many of the short-distance routes.
Put another way, more than 63,000 people traveled through history last year. The territory between Tucson, Arizona and Del Rio, Texas is much the same as it was when the Sunset Limited first rolled across it in 1894. Travelers can easily imagine themselves in a Western movie or the Old West itself as they rush past mesquite and cactus and play peek-a-boo with the Rio Grande. Crossing the Pecos High Bridge they might forget they aren't flying as the train is invisibly suspended 265 feet above the Pecos River on one of the nation's highest railroad bridges. San Antonio's station is within walking distance of the Alamo.
Traveling aboard the Sunset Limited is an adventure. There are no guarantees for on-time arrivals or departures, scheduled stops or even properly working equipment. One thing travelers can count on is making new friends as they experience the southern United States in a way too few do.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Illiterate Arizona
Valley residents are not a literate group, according to a new study measuring the literacy of America's largest cities. Among the 69 cities evaluated, Phoenix ranks 56th and Mesa ranks 61st. Even Tucson, with its artsy reputation barely manages to crack the top half of the standings, coming in at 33rd.
As a voracious reader and professional writer living in the Phoenix metropolitan area, I am not sure I agree with this assessment. Then again, I'm not sure I totally disagree with it because, while most of the people I know are quite literate, they are not all widely literate. Some of them are generalists. Others are experts. So I guess it comes down to how you define literate.
Dr. Jack Miller, President of Central Connecticut State University, and author of the annual ranking of "America's Most Literate Cities" evaluated 69 cities having populations exceeding 250,000, using 6 six literacy indicators:
As to newspapers, the Arizona Republic, which is owned by media mega-corp Gannett, is the big dog for the entire state. It is also, according to their website, "one of the fastest-growing major metropolitan newspapers in the country, ranking among the top 20 newspapers in daily circulation." I am not a subscriber, although I do occasionally pick up a Sunday paper and regularly surf the azcentral.com web site., but that apparently is part of the Internet resources ranking rather than the newspaper ranking. I did subscribe, a few years ago, to the East Valley Tribune but I have let the subscription lapse. Both seem to get a significant portion of their content from the AP and it seems like a waste of paper to subscribe to either when I can get the content online. I'd say something about the shortcomings of their local coverage, however, being a local journalist but not a subscriber means I have to shoulder some of the responsibility for those myself.
I regularly use the Valley's libraries. In fact, the Tempe Public Library on Rural/Scottsdale Rd. and Southern, is among the greatest libraries I have been in. It's no Library of Congress but it beats many others, including those in other college towns. The Southwest Regional Library is also amazing, but more for the environment than the stacks.
The Phoenix New Times is the periodical I read most frequently, but again, I don't subscribe. I don't think anyone has actually ever offered me a subscription to the New Times. It's available free at several locations, so I don't even think about subscribing, although I have thought about contributing. I will purchase some of the local magazines if the featured topic is one I am interested in.
Phoenix shares the 39th ranking in terms of Internet resources with Detroit. That's a bit of a surprise. I would have thought we would be higher. Still, the study only looked at library internet connections and most everyone I know accesses the Internet from home or work. Not even I surf the 'net at the library although I have been known to access the library's card catalog and electronic resources from home. I've even encouraged others to make use of the resources available online through the library to others.
Since I don't have kids and am not a product of the Arizona educational system, I don't have any comment about it. I will say that I am very tired of cashiers who can't make change without a calculator and clerks who can't spell even with the aid of spellcheck.
Unfortunately, I, and my friends, appear to be the exception, rather than the rule. The 2007 America's Most Literate Cities survey supports the conclusions of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) that Americans at all levels are reading less and less well. Disturbingly, this downward reading trend is occurring when Americans are spending more time in school and accomplishing higher levels of education. In other words, whatever Americans are learning in school, it is not literate behavior. At least, not literate behavior as measured by America's Most Literate Cities.
As a voracious reader and professional writer living in the Phoenix metropolitan area, I am not sure I agree with this assessment. Then again, I'm not sure I totally disagree with it because, while most of the people I know are quite literate, they are not all widely literate. Some of them are generalists. Others are experts. So I guess it comes down to how you define literate.
Dr. Jack Miller, President of Central Connecticut State University, and author of the annual ranking of "America's Most Literate Cities" evaluated 69 cities having populations exceeding 250,000, using 6 six literacy indicators:
- newspaper circulation
- number of bookstores
- library resources
- periodical publishing resources
- educational attainment and
- Internet resources.
As to newspapers, the Arizona Republic, which is owned by media mega-corp Gannett, is the big dog for the entire state. It is also, according to their website, "one of the fastest-growing major metropolitan newspapers in the country, ranking among the top 20 newspapers in daily circulation." I am not a subscriber, although I do occasionally pick up a Sunday paper and regularly surf the azcentral.com web site., but that apparently is part of the Internet resources ranking rather than the newspaper ranking. I did subscribe, a few years ago, to the East Valley Tribune but I have let the subscription lapse. Both seem to get a significant portion of their content from the AP and it seems like a waste of paper to subscribe to either when I can get the content online. I'd say something about the shortcomings of their local coverage, however, being a local journalist but not a subscriber means I have to shoulder some of the responsibility for those myself.
I regularly use the Valley's libraries. In fact, the Tempe Public Library on Rural/Scottsdale Rd. and Southern, is among the greatest libraries I have been in. It's no Library of Congress but it beats many others, including those in other college towns. The Southwest Regional Library is also amazing, but more for the environment than the stacks.
The Phoenix New Times is the periodical I read most frequently, but again, I don't subscribe. I don't think anyone has actually ever offered me a subscription to the New Times. It's available free at several locations, so I don't even think about subscribing, although I have thought about contributing. I will purchase some of the local magazines if the featured topic is one I am interested in.
Phoenix shares the 39th ranking in terms of Internet resources with Detroit. That's a bit of a surprise. I would have thought we would be higher. Still, the study only looked at library internet connections and most everyone I know accesses the Internet from home or work. Not even I surf the 'net at the library although I have been known to access the library's card catalog and electronic resources from home. I've even encouraged others to make use of the resources available online through the library to others.
Since I don't have kids and am not a product of the Arizona educational system, I don't have any comment about it. I will say that I am very tired of cashiers who can't make change without a calculator and clerks who can't spell even with the aid of spellcheck.
Unfortunately, I, and my friends, appear to be the exception, rather than the rule. The 2007 America's Most Literate Cities survey supports the conclusions of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) that Americans at all levels are reading less and less well. Disturbingly, this downward reading trend is occurring when Americans are spending more time in school and accomplishing higher levels of education. In other words, whatever Americans are learning in school, it is not literate behavior. At least, not literate behavior as measured by America's Most Literate Cities.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Who Makes These Decisions?
People make stupid decisions when they travel. Mostly because they are not familiar with the cultural, social and even criminal details of the places that they only visit for a few days. That excuse doesn't hold up when a city, community, state or nation makes a bad decision when trying to attract visitors.
For instance, the Super Bowl is coming to Glendale in February. Hosting a Super Bowl in Glendale is not a stupid decision in itself. The University of Phoenix stadium is relatively new and still state of the art even if it does look like one of the notorious "Phoenix Lights" UFOs landed in the middle of nowhere. The stupidity is that we're trying to pull it off this season. Immediately following a Super Bowl in Miami which everyone - from sportscasters to athletes to fans - LOVES.
What's wrong with this season? Well...
Unfortunately, the Super Bowl is not the only example of bad decisions. Fortunately, Mesa, which is considering building a water park near a sewage treatment plant, can still back out of the arrangement or relocate the project. Waveyard is a proposed water park including multiple surfing, whitewater and swimming pools, 2 hotels and office/residential space looks great on paper. Claims that it will use only as much water as an 18-hole golf course seem a bit optimistic. Even assuming that is true, a desert is an odd place to put a water park, especially since the Valley is facing an imminent water shortage just from growth. Then there is that sewage plant....
Such decisions really make you wonder about how officials make decisions around here. They obviously have the best intentions but that isn't enough. They need to think about what they are doing, not just the good they hope to do, but also the potential problems and risks. Constantly looking at the world through rose colored glasses is going to leave the Valley and those who love it with some massive black eyes.
For instance, the Super Bowl is coming to Glendale in February. Hosting a Super Bowl in Glendale is not a stupid decision in itself. The University of Phoenix stadium is relatively new and still state of the art even if it does look like one of the notorious "Phoenix Lights" UFOs landed in the middle of nowhere. The stupidity is that we're trying to pull it off this season. Immediately following a Super Bowl in Miami which everyone - from sportscasters to athletes to fans - LOVES.
What's wrong with this season? Well...
- Downtown and significant chunks of Tempe and Mesa are torn up with light rail construction that isn't scheduled to be complete until LATE 2008.
- Hotel construction in Glendale is way below demand and unlikely to meet needs.
- Traffic around the Valley is already bad and becomes horrendous during big events.
- We're in the middle of a drought.
Unfortunately, the Super Bowl is not the only example of bad decisions. Fortunately, Mesa, which is considering building a water park near a sewage treatment plant, can still back out of the arrangement or relocate the project. Waveyard is a proposed water park including multiple surfing, whitewater and swimming pools, 2 hotels and office/residential space looks great on paper. Claims that it will use only as much water as an 18-hole golf course seem a bit optimistic. Even assuming that is true, a desert is an odd place to put a water park, especially since the Valley is facing an imminent water shortage just from growth. Then there is that sewage plant....
Such decisions really make you wonder about how officials make decisions around here. They obviously have the best intentions but that isn't enough. They need to think about what they are doing, not just the good they hope to do, but also the potential problems and risks. Constantly looking at the world through rose colored glasses is going to leave the Valley and those who love it with some massive black eyes.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Dog Rap
With a name like Lunchbox, you just know my dog is big and bad...if by big you mean "well-fed" and by bad you mean "minds when he has to". Obviously, I love my dog. I don't understand how anyone can hurt, or neglect, a dog, so I am glad to see that Sheriff Joe is investigating rapper DMX for suspected animal cruelty over his treatment of 15 dogs (12 living and three deceased) seized during an August 24 police raid.
The pictures I have seen in the local media seem to depict very thin dogs. I realize that at healthy weights dogs should have a "waist" and that you should be able to feel their ribs, but the ribs of these dogs visibly stood out in photographs and video. I can see why someone might report DMX to Animal Care & Control, especially if they were aware that, according to the Arizona Republic, he pled guilty in 1999 to animal neglect charges in New Jersey.
In fact, DMX's most recent troubles are almost identical to those he faced in 1999, right down to the number and type of dog (13 pit bulls). Authorities also found weapons and drug paraphernalia in both instances. Back then, the impetus for the search was the shooting (in the foot) of Ray Copeland. I don't know whether a complaint, another investigation or the potential publicity from riding Michal Vick's coattails inspired Sheriff Joe's raid in August 2007, nor do I care. What I do care about is that this guy is not allowed to own any more dogs. Unfortunately, while animal cruelty is a felony in Arizona, conviction or a guilty plea do not preclude the individual from owning dogs in the future. It is an interesting side note that New Jersey's animal cruelty law was strengthened in 2001 and even the 1999 punishment was worse than what DMX currently faces in Arizona.
I also care that people visiting or relocating to Arizona don't get the impression that dogs are not valued and cared for here. They are.
Of course, dog owners are expected to take care of their animals and obey certain state, county, and municipal laws. In Maricopa County, which includes the Phoenix metropolitan area, that means keeping all dogs on leashes (except in designated off-leash sections of dog parks) or confined to controlled areas (such as backyards, runs or indoors) at all times. One of my pet peeves is that some people in my neighborhood just don't seem to understand that "at all times" means all the time. Lunchbox and I frequently encounter dogs off-leash when on walks, which is a potential problem since Lunchbox doesn't really like other dogs and is big enough that he will end anything another dog starts. I try to keep watch for them so we can turn off or around before they notice us, but the need for constant vigilance is annoying, especially since we go out of our way to walk at odd times when the likelihood of meeting other dogs is slim already.
Dogs are allowed to be off leash in designated sections of dog parks throughout the Valley. The bark parks in Phoenix include PETsMart Dog Park at Washington Park, RJ Dog Park at Pecos Park, Echo Mountain Off Leash Arena, Rose Mofford Sports Complex and Steele Indian School Park. Many of the surrounding suburbs also have dog parks such as Fountain Hills Desert Vista Off Leash Dog Park, Chandler's Shawnee Bark Park, Mesa's Quail Run Park, Gilbert's Cosmo Dog Park (currently closed for renovation), Peoria's Sunnyslope Park and Goodyear's Dog Park among others. Rules vary at each park, so please, read and follow all the rules at each bark park you visit. Dogs are also welcome at several restaurants, coffee shops, RV parks, hotels and resorts. Contact individual destinations for more information regarding dog-friendliness.
Obviously, the case of DMX is not typical and should not be a primary factor in thinking about dogs in Phoenix. It is unfortunate that this one person, who has no reason or right to own a dog ever again, in my opinion, is now linked with how Phoenix feels about and treats dogs.
The pictures I have seen in the local media seem to depict very thin dogs. I realize that at healthy weights dogs should have a "waist" and that you should be able to feel their ribs, but the ribs of these dogs visibly stood out in photographs and video. I can see why someone might report DMX to Animal Care & Control, especially if they were aware that, according to the Arizona Republic, he pled guilty in 1999 to animal neglect charges in New Jersey.
In fact, DMX's most recent troubles are almost identical to those he faced in 1999, right down to the number and type of dog (13 pit bulls). Authorities also found weapons and drug paraphernalia in both instances. Back then, the impetus for the search was the shooting (in the foot) of Ray Copeland. I don't know whether a complaint, another investigation or the potential publicity from riding Michal Vick's coattails inspired Sheriff Joe's raid in August 2007, nor do I care. What I do care about is that this guy is not allowed to own any more dogs. Unfortunately, while animal cruelty is a felony in Arizona, conviction or a guilty plea do not preclude the individual from owning dogs in the future. It is an interesting side note that New Jersey's animal cruelty law was strengthened in 2001 and even the 1999 punishment was worse than what DMX currently faces in Arizona.
I also care that people visiting or relocating to Arizona don't get the impression that dogs are not valued and cared for here. They are.
Of course, dog owners are expected to take care of their animals and obey certain state, county, and municipal laws. In Maricopa County, which includes the Phoenix metropolitan area, that means keeping all dogs on leashes (except in designated off-leash sections of dog parks) or confined to controlled areas (such as backyards, runs or indoors) at all times. One of my pet peeves is that some people in my neighborhood just don't seem to understand that "at all times" means all the time. Lunchbox and I frequently encounter dogs off-leash when on walks, which is a potential problem since Lunchbox doesn't really like other dogs and is big enough that he will end anything another dog starts. I try to keep watch for them so we can turn off or around before they notice us, but the need for constant vigilance is annoying, especially since we go out of our way to walk at odd times when the likelihood of meeting other dogs is slim already.
Dogs are allowed to be off leash in designated sections of dog parks throughout the Valley. The bark parks in Phoenix include PETsMart Dog Park at Washington Park, RJ Dog Park at Pecos Park, Echo Mountain Off Leash Arena, Rose Mofford Sports Complex and Steele Indian School Park. Many of the surrounding suburbs also have dog parks such as Fountain Hills Desert Vista Off Leash Dog Park, Chandler's Shawnee Bark Park, Mesa's Quail Run Park, Gilbert's Cosmo Dog Park (currently closed for renovation), Peoria's Sunnyslope Park and Goodyear's Dog Park among others. Rules vary at each park, so please, read and follow all the rules at each bark park you visit. Dogs are also welcome at several restaurants, coffee shops, RV parks, hotels and resorts. Contact individual destinations for more information regarding dog-friendliness.
Obviously, the case of DMX is not typical and should not be a primary factor in thinking about dogs in Phoenix. It is unfortunate that this one person, who has no reason or right to own a dog ever again, in my opinion, is now linked with how Phoenix feels about and treats dogs.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
That Horizon's Getting Closer!
I'm so excited! Allegiant Air recently announced service to two new destinations from Williams Gateway Airport (WGA). Service between WGA and 11 other destinations will be announced by September 16. I hope Denver, Pittsburgh, Washington and Omaha make the list. Imagine not having to go to Sky Harbor again...dare I dream?
The two new destinations are Rockford, Ill. and Rapid City, S.D. Each is served by two flights a week. All the details can be found on the HBC Phoenix Blog.
Speaking of new, it looks like HBC has added a blogger for Scottsdale and another for Tempe. Both seem younger, which is great, because I am not into the club scene. On the other hand, I define Phoenix loosely as the whole Phoenix metro, so hopefully overlaps in coverage won't upset them too much. I'm guessing we have very different perspectives on things!
The two new destinations are Rockford, Ill. and Rapid City, S.D. Each is served by two flights a week. All the details can be found on the HBC Phoenix Blog.
Speaking of new, it looks like HBC has added a blogger for Scottsdale and another for Tempe. Both seem younger, which is great, because I am not into the club scene. On the other hand, I define Phoenix loosely as the whole Phoenix metro, so hopefully overlaps in coverage won't upset them too much. I'm guessing we have very different perspectives on things!
Friday, August 3, 2007
Under the North Pole
I always wanted the top bunk as a kid. Today, it seems the bottom bunk is in much higher demand, especially when the "bunk" is the seabed beneath the North Pole. The U.S. and Canada both have claimed it. Yesterday, a Russian submarine planted a flag on the sea floor marking it's claim to the region.
The Russians staked their claim a year and a day before the U.S. celebrates the 50th anniversary of the voyage of the Nautilus. On August 2, 1958, the Nautilus, a nuclear powered submarine, became the first vessel to cross the North Pole underwater. She signaled her arrival beneath the North Pole by broadcasting "Nautilus 90 North." Ninety-six hours later, she surfaced northeast of Greenland. In fact, she made three excursions beneath the polar icecap, covering 1,383 miles over 5.5 days.
The Nautilus is often called the first true submarine because it could remain submerged for extended periods of time (weeks, moths). Today, all the combatant submarines in the U.S. Navy are nuclear.
To plant their flag, the Russians relied on Mir I and Mir II. These mini-submersibles are familiar for their trips to the Titanic and other famous wreck sites as well as the important role they continue to play in deep sea research. Powered by batteries, they carry a crew of only three. They also have manipulator arms and extensive video capabilities, allowing the crew not only to plant the flag but also to bring back video proof that they reached the sea floor beneath the North Pole, something other expeditions in traditional submarines were unable to do.
It's unlikely that I, or for that matter, most travelers, will ever visit the Arctic sea floor. Depending upon which nation or nations ultimately are able to access the natural resources, such as oil, gas and mineral deposits, believed to be there, we might use some of the resources in our travels or daily lives. The closest we are likely to get to the sea floor, however, is touring the Nautilus which is part of the U.S. Navy Submarine Force Museum located on the Thames River in Groton, Connecticut.
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Copyright 2007
Informed Ideas
The Russians staked their claim a year and a day before the U.S. celebrates the 50th anniversary of the voyage of the Nautilus. On August 2, 1958, the Nautilus, a nuclear powered submarine, became the first vessel to cross the North Pole underwater. She signaled her arrival beneath the North Pole by broadcasting "Nautilus 90 North." Ninety-six hours later, she surfaced northeast of Greenland. In fact, she made three excursions beneath the polar icecap, covering 1,383 miles over 5.5 days.
The Nautilus is often called the first true submarine because it could remain submerged for extended periods of time (weeks, moths). Today, all the combatant submarines in the U.S. Navy are nuclear.
To plant their flag, the Russians relied on Mir I and Mir II. These mini-submersibles are familiar for their trips to the Titanic and other famous wreck sites as well as the important role they continue to play in deep sea research. Powered by batteries, they carry a crew of only three. They also have manipulator arms and extensive video capabilities, allowing the crew not only to plant the flag but also to bring back video proof that they reached the sea floor beneath the North Pole, something other expeditions in traditional submarines were unable to do.
It's unlikely that I, or for that matter, most travelers, will ever visit the Arctic sea floor. Depending upon which nation or nations ultimately are able to access the natural resources, such as oil, gas and mineral deposits, believed to be there, we might use some of the resources in our travels or daily lives. The closest we are likely to get to the sea floor, however, is touring the Nautilus which is part of the U.S. Navy Submarine Force Museum located on the Thames River in Groton, Connecticut.
Click here for copyright permissions!
Copyright 2007
Informed Ideas
Thursday, August 2, 2007
A [Name] by Any Other [Name] is Not the Same
Being a girl with a boy's name, I can honestly say sticking with a name is worth it. Sure, there were times when I wanted a more ordinary name. That was before I realized having an unusual name increases the likelihood that I will be remembered and recalled, two very important things for a writer. I would think they are important things for an airport. too.
Right now there is a debate raging about whether Williams Gateway Airport in Mesa, AZ should be renamed Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. I don't think it should. Here's why:
There is nothing memorable about Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. Yes, it clearly identifies where the airport is and two of the markets it serves but that's it. If all airports were named after the markets they serve we wouldn't have JFK/Kennedy or LaGuardia airports in New York, O'Hare airport in Chicago, Logan airport in Boston, Epply airport in Omaha, Love Field in Dallas or even Sky Harbor in Phoenix. Obviously, having a non-locational name has not hurt these airports. In fact, they are among some of the most widely recognized airports in the country if not the world. If the goal of the proposed name change is to make the airport more recognizable and therefore more appealing to travelers, it seems like Williams Gateway Airport is as likely to achieve that as Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is.
Phoenix is a popular destination, so there is some logic to including Phoenix in the name of the airport. Travelers, however, choose destinations for what they think they will find there. Unfortunately, there is no romance, emotion or even a strong image associated with Phoenix-Mesa. At best it sounds like some flat , rocky hill rising from a barren landscape the periodically destroys itself with fire only to be rebuilt. Not my idea of a fun place to vacation more than once.
The IATA (International Air Transport Association) code, which is the 3 or 4 letter code pilots and savvy travelers use to identify the airport will not change just because the name of the airport does. IATA is a global association and IATA codes are used to identify airports around the world, not just in the U.S. so changing an airport's IATA is far more complex and difficult than changing the airport's name. The code for the airport in Mesa is IWA, easy to remember if the name of the airport is Williams Gateway Airport. Not so easy to remember if the name is Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. The logical codes for Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, such as PMG (Brazil), PGA (Page, AZ), and PMA (Tanzania), are already assigned, making it unlikely the IATA code would change along with the name.
Name changes don't always stick. Even if they eventually do stick, it takes a long time for that to happen. For instance, it is not uncommon to hear Florida's Kennedy Space Center referred to as Cape Canaveral, even in the national media. (Cape Canaveral, by the way is still the name of the town located to the south of the Kennedy Space Center, but between 1958 and 1969, it was also the name of the NASA facility.) Closer to home, many people still call Piestewa Peak Squaw Peak and Piestewa Parkway, Squaw Peak Parkway, despite the fact that both were renamed to honor Arizonan Lori Piestewa, the first Native American woman to die in combat on foreign soil after she gave her life in 2003 while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Arguably, this name change was an improvement because it replaced a sexist and denigrating name with one that honors and exalts the contribution of the very groups (women and Native Americans) the original belittled. It will still take a generation to catch on. And what happens when somebody comes along in say 50 or 100 years and says "that name doesn't really tell people where the Peak or Parkway is, we should rename it Slightly East of Center Parkway"?
Okay, so Charles Linton Williams is not widely known among today's Arizonans or even today's Phoenicians. The legacy of Williams Air Force Base, which graduated more pilots and instructors than any other Air Force Facility before it closed in 1993, deserves to be remembered and honored and is still widely known. Renaming Williams Gateway Airport Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport accomplishes neither of these things. In fact, all the name honors is the transitory nature and attitudes expressed by so many modern Arizonans who have called the state home for less than a decade. It is a disservice, not just to the long-term residents of the area, but also to the traveling public. Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport adds nothing to the airport beyond making the airport easier to locate on a map, and let's face it, with MapQuest and Google maps it is easier to type in Williams Gateway, AZ than Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, AZ and the results are the same. If that is the only reason to change the airport's name, it is a poor one. Arizona is a young state with a young population. Let's treasure and preserve what history we have.
Click here for copyright permissions!
Copyright 2007
Informed Ideas
Right now there is a debate raging about whether Williams Gateway Airport in Mesa, AZ should be renamed Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. I don't think it should. Here's why:
There is nothing memorable about Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. Yes, it clearly identifies where the airport is and two of the markets it serves but that's it. If all airports were named after the markets they serve we wouldn't have JFK/Kennedy or LaGuardia airports in New York, O'Hare airport in Chicago, Logan airport in Boston, Epply airport in Omaha, Love Field in Dallas or even Sky Harbor in Phoenix. Obviously, having a non-locational name has not hurt these airports. In fact, they are among some of the most widely recognized airports in the country if not the world. If the goal of the proposed name change is to make the airport more recognizable and therefore more appealing to travelers, it seems like Williams Gateway Airport is as likely to achieve that as Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is.
Phoenix is a popular destination, so there is some logic to including Phoenix in the name of the airport. Travelers, however, choose destinations for what they think they will find there. Unfortunately, there is no romance, emotion or even a strong image associated with Phoenix-Mesa. At best it sounds like some flat , rocky hill rising from a barren landscape the periodically destroys itself with fire only to be rebuilt. Not my idea of a fun place to vacation more than once.
The IATA (International Air Transport Association) code, which is the 3 or 4 letter code pilots and savvy travelers use to identify the airport will not change just because the name of the airport does. IATA is a global association and IATA codes are used to identify airports around the world, not just in the U.S. so changing an airport's IATA is far more complex and difficult than changing the airport's name. The code for the airport in Mesa is IWA, easy to remember if the name of the airport is Williams Gateway Airport. Not so easy to remember if the name is Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. The logical codes for Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, such as PMG (Brazil), PGA (Page, AZ), and PMA (Tanzania), are already assigned, making it unlikely the IATA code would change along with the name.
Name changes don't always stick. Even if they eventually do stick, it takes a long time for that to happen. For instance, it is not uncommon to hear Florida's Kennedy Space Center referred to as Cape Canaveral, even in the national media. (Cape Canaveral, by the way is still the name of the town located to the south of the Kennedy Space Center, but between 1958 and 1969, it was also the name of the NASA facility.) Closer to home, many people still call Piestewa Peak Squaw Peak and Piestewa Parkway, Squaw Peak Parkway, despite the fact that both were renamed to honor Arizonan Lori Piestewa, the first Native American woman to die in combat on foreign soil after she gave her life in 2003 while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Arguably, this name change was an improvement because it replaced a sexist and denigrating name with one that honors and exalts the contribution of the very groups (women and Native Americans) the original belittled. It will still take a generation to catch on. And what happens when somebody comes along in say 50 or 100 years and says "that name doesn't really tell people where the Peak or Parkway is, we should rename it Slightly East of Center Parkway"?
Okay, so Charles Linton Williams is not widely known among today's Arizonans or even today's Phoenicians. The legacy of Williams Air Force Base, which graduated more pilots and instructors than any other Air Force Facility before it closed in 1993, deserves to be remembered and honored and is still widely known. Renaming Williams Gateway Airport Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport accomplishes neither of these things. In fact, all the name honors is the transitory nature and attitudes expressed by so many modern Arizonans who have called the state home for less than a decade. It is a disservice, not just to the long-term residents of the area, but also to the traveling public. Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport adds nothing to the airport beyond making the airport easier to locate on a map, and let's face it, with MapQuest and Google maps it is easier to type in Williams Gateway, AZ than Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, AZ and the results are the same. If that is the only reason to change the airport's name, it is a poor one. Arizona is a young state with a young population. Let's treasure and preserve what history we have.
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Copyright 2007
Informed Ideas
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