Amtrak's Future

[ndbprr]

8/12/05 the Amtrak budget was approved for one billion dollars. Taxpayers subsidize ridership to the tune of $466 for every rider on the Sunset Limited and $166 dollars for every rider on the Empire Builder according to the news report I saw. The head of Amtrak lamented the lack of funding and said there is no way Amtrak can ever pay its way and the report went on to talk about decaying infrastructure (ever hear of deffered maintenance before?). He then said Amtrak plays a vital role in bad weather because driving is so dangerous then. Give me a break! When the whole thing crashes Congress will give it $5 billion because of, "The hew and cry of the so called voter". If everyone riding AMtrak was bought an airline ticket the airlines could return closer to profitablity and we would pay less taxes and waste less money.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ndbprr

8/12/05 the Amtrak budget was approved for one billion dollars. Taxpayers subsidize ridership to the tune of $466 for every rider on the Sunset Limited and $166 dollars for every rider on the Empire Builder according to the news report I saw. The head of Amtrak lamented the lack of funding and said there is no way Amtrak can ever pay its way and the report went on to talk about decaying infrastructure (ever hear of deffered maintenance before?). He then said Amtrak plays a vital role in bad weather because driving is so dangerous then. Give me a break! When the whole thing crashes Congress will give it $5 billion because of, "The hew and cry of the so called voter". If everyone riding AMtrak was bought an airline ticket the airlines could return closer to profitablity and we would pay less taxes and waste less money.

Amtrak does play some importance in bad weather, and other airline and driving problems. In 1982 Amtrak received 1.7 billion dollars. In 2005 Amtrak received 1.2 billion. Aviation went from 5.7 billion to 13.8 billion, in 1982 to 2005 respectively. Amtrak hardly uses any of our money when you look at how much is wasted on the public school system, which continues to fail our children. 5 million would hardly do anything for Amtrak, it they were going bankrupt.
While I don't think that taxpayer money has to be spent on Amtrak, I don't think that 11 and 1/2 times as much should be spent on the direct competition, we wonder why Amtrak is losing the fight. The railroads are treated quite unfairly; the government has tied the hands of the railroads in many ways. Then it goes out and pays for shipping ways and airports and pays airlines billions, while the freight railroads get nothing. I doubt that if every one that rides Amtrak could buy an airline ticket, commuters cannot take planes. Even those that can, would not pay for almost 14 billion the airlines are currently receiving from Uncle Sam. Besides I thought you said Amtrak was going under because nobody was riding it.
James [C):-)]