Hello all Amtrak Fans, In my local paper, I just read that Amtrak is asking Congress for $1.5 billion dollars to modernize itself as well as improve performance and spped trains up to 90 mph. This plan also calls for Amtrak to get $16 billion dollars over 20 yearswith the help of public support.
About Time!!! Altho this "request" is miniscule compared to the subsidies that Highways and Airports recieve, I sincerely doubt that even this "small pittance" will get Congress' approval. What I think should happen is on our tax returns, instead of it saying "...$3 to the Presidential Election Fund..." it should read "...$25 to Amtrak Capital Fund...".
Yepper, 18 billion a year to the airlines & 80 billion to highways. a billion & a half to Amtrak ain't a drop in the bucket. They should get that retroactive for the last several years that they have been shortchanged on the appropriations made by Congress & never delivered. Reggie
Yeah, Amtrak's California Services (ie San Joaquins, mainly) are not being supported by Amtrak itself, but by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans. The other two routes Capitols, and Pacific Surfliners are the only ones also being funded by the state of California. Outside of California, Amtrak's NEC is the only revenue making money for Amtrak,That is why Amtrak should get more money for new projects, to expand Amtrak's San Joaquins Services to L.A. and Redding. What do you Amtrak fans think about that!nullnull
Money is never going to be the issue for Amtrak. If you give them the same amounts as airlines and highways, they wouldn't offer a service equal to them. It just can't compete on the same level. Airlines offer speed and automobiles offer "freedom", and that's what the majority of the public wants. Amtrak needs to focus on being a service oriented form of transportation. That's the only way people will keep coming back. Eric
I just read an article in "Trains" magazine about the test run of the new Acela train. They were getting very excited when the speed recorder was approaching 150 mph. This is achieved by lots of trains across Europe, and shows how far behind US passenger rail is. Although I understand that distances and population centres are totally different between Europe and the US. With the increasing congestion on freeways, could the day of the passenger train return? (With proper investment).
Via Rail just got 400 million dollars (ya, that crappy Canadian stuff, work what, 10 cents USC?). Anyways, instead of modernizing with that money, they are going to add new cars, some new locomotives to replace the LRCs, and it looks like there will be four new routes. Its about time. Happy Railroading! Dane N.
