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A Billion dollers is not what it used to be, So why keep beating up on Amtrak for its Billion?
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[quote]QUOTE: <i>Originally posted by shrek623</i> <br /><br />[quote]QUOTE: <i>Originally posted by DSchmitt</i> <br /><br />What is the justification for publically owned transportation services? <br /> <br />Until the mid 1900's, transportation was provided by private enterprise in most of the country. <br />[/quote] <br /> <br />Dschmitt, <br /> <br />You are sort of answering the question. Private companies weren't making it and were going bankrupt or eliminating services. Hence the reason amtrak was formed. <br /> <br />Shrek <br />[/quote] <br /> <br />Shrek, <br /> <br />Don't you think Dschmitt was refering to all forms of transportation services, not just passenger rail? Only passenger rail has had the option of becoming a government run service. There is no such equivalent in any other modal form of transportation. <br /> <br />The difference of course is what you alluded to, that the railroads were unduly burdened by having to run passenger trains over their proprietary lines. Amtrak was formed to keep the idea of passenger rail going under the auspices of emulating government run passenger trains in other countries. However, of all modal forms of transportation in this country, only the railroads are owner operated, while the other modes are blessed with open access to their corresponding infrastructures. <br /> <br />Private passenger services do thrive on publicly owned highways, air corridors, and waterways, while private passenger services ostensibly cannot make it on privately held railroads. Ironic, isn't it?
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