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Reading Topic #9416
The Amtrak Inspector General just issued a new report on the state of the railroad and called on Congress to provide adequate funding to maintain the railroad's ability to operate. I believe he's also recommending that unprofitable routes be dropped.Amtrak StoryAndy
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Drop Amtrak and leave US railroads as freight haulers!You just love your cars and planes too much to make passenger service profitable. /JonatanSteam rules!
Train gifs from Dans Railroad Gif RoundhouseNever trust computers. If you do, they will betray you.I'm the steam freak, ph34r me!!
My E-mail jonatan.gronoset@telia.com
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Okay guys, this one really hits a nerve... First of all, the problem is the whole stupid premise that passenger train service is supposed to be "profitable." It can't and won't ever be. As far as I know, all successful passenger railways throughout the world are government subsidized. Other countries, especially in Europe, invest much more money than we do on passenger rail, and railroads in general. And ALL public transit in the U.S. is government subsidized, not just Amtrak. Busses are usually operated by a city or regional authority. Commuter trains, like the Metrolink in southern California, Metra in Chicago, and of course the El and subways trains in Chicago and New York are subsidized. The point is, that public transportation, and especially passenger railways is not something that private industry would want to be involved in anymore, and so it has to be subsidized. And the government should not be in the business of trying to make a profit...it's there to provide a necessary service, period. I live in southern California, and I can tell you that a LOT of people use passenger trains, especially the Metrolink and Amtrak. I could send you pictures of the FULL parking lot at the Amtrak and Metrolink station here in San Bernardino. People WILL use passenger trains if it is a practical alternative, because they don't want to sit in traffic in the freeway for 3 hours. I've taken the Metrolink into Los Angeles dozens of times, and during the week it is always FULL. But, as far as I know, the Metrolink does NOT make a profit. And no one is expecting it to. At the very best, it might sometimes break even with operating expenses. But that's not the point. The point is that it's necessary for infrastructure. You need transportation alternatives. After all, no one is expecting the postal service to turn a profit, right? We just know the mail has to get through. It's a necessary service. And what about freeways? Those are all government subidized. Should we privatize freeway building and maintennance, and make all the freeways toll roads so they will make a profit? And what about the airlines? They get huge government subsidies and they are private companies...shouldn't they also be expected to turn a profit and stand on their own? See how rediculous this idea of public transportation making a profit sounds now? We need passenger railways because it's necessary for a good infrastructure and public transportation system. Buses are too slow, and trains can cary more people more efficiently (and a lot more comfortably). I've taken Amtrak many times, and I've always had a good experience. My parents and my friends have taken it too, and they enjoyed their trips. So enough is enough with the Amtrak bashing. Considering the scraps the government tosses to it, compared to the huge gifts they give to airlines and other ground transportation modes, Amtrak is doing a good job as far as I'm concerned. Chris Tobar
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You can also think that the Airlines and Trucking industry is subsidized. Who pays for the airports and the roads we travel on?
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Basically I have to say that this corridor thing makes sense. It can't be viable from my (German) point of view to have long distance passenger trains competing with planes and cars.Experience shows and teaches that a timely, tightly scheduled corridor train outruns planes and cars, equipped with comfortable, clean and smoothly running cars is very attractive to the customer.Now, the long distance trains in the US have somewhat of a heritage. America was built on railroads so to speak and it wouldn't have been possible to settle out west without the railroads. It would definitely hurt me and I am sure a lot of others if the long distance trains disappeared.So why not stop pretending to see them as a regular means of transport and do the approach of VIA. Make them tourist trains with lower frequency, more comfort and a service dedicated to those having the money and the time to spend travelling by rail. Make offers that allow for intermediate layovers, offers that appeal to the tourist wanting to see the US by train.My two 0.02€... Cheers!Sebastian
Visit my "sebastian's trains pages" at http://www.freewebs.com/sstyrnol ...
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