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It really is a shame that this country, which used to have THE BEST Rail Passenger Service in the world, is now scarred with Amtrak, a pitiful, disrespected service that serves as the butt of railfan jokes everywhere. What can you expect, though, from a country that (to it's own self-injury) is hopelessly in love with the automobile? Trains, it would seem, built this country first. They offered a type of connected-ness and sense of community that fit right in with the civility of old main-street America. And then something happened in the beginning of the 20th Century. By mid-century, the phenomenon had ballooned out and spread across the country-side like a virus. Automobiles have since played an important part in our nations' history, but seem to sometimes almost contribute as much ill as good. Slowly, towns and cities began to spread out. Main street got replaced with a commercial six-lane, sidewalk-free auto-strip that discouraged walking and encouraged obesity. StreetCar lines got ripped out of major cities everywhere. Air Quality began to degrade. Asthma rates went up, and few people cared. And of course - Rail Passenger Service, no longer supported by a strong customer base (as americans were now bathing in the "freedom" offered by their private automobiles), nearly became a thing of the past. Amtrak was created, and even now, with all the hindrances and problems, sociologically, physically, psychologically, environmentally and otherwise, caused by societal mass-reliance on the automobile, America is still unwilling to renounce it's widescale reliance on the car. Long Distance Rail Passenger service is about to fall off completely, save for some places like california, certain areas on the east coast, etc. I never did understand all the heat that Amtrak takes from supposed "Rail Fans". Did these people, who professed such a love of the railroad, neglect to see the many benefits, sociologically environementally and otherwise, that railroads (not just freight, but passenger service, too) have to America (especially over widespread use of trucks and cars)? Why the relentless dogging on Amtrak? Of course AMtrak is an easy target. Of course it's a joke in this country. Of course it's underutilized - if the trains can't run on time, if accidents and poor service is frequent - of course the public is going to learn not to rely on it. Why is it that more people choose the torturous GREYHOUND bus service (torturous is an understatement) instead of amtrak? I don't know about you, but the current state of affairs somewhat infuriates me. In Europe, their rail passenger service puts us to great shame. Here, Airlines are given tremendous bail outs by the government, but when Amtrak is given some scrapings, people who complain about taxes whine and complain all the more. With the coming tide of world events, hinging on a dwindling supply of cheap oil (which those motorists love!) and the coming onset of PEAK OIL production, it would seem that rail service is the more petrol-economical way to go. Why then, are we treating it with such neglect? Why are more people not raising more hell about this? Why is a trip on Amtrak such a depressing time, with the attendant in the cafe car sporting a solemn look and practically begging customers to write their congressmen and ask them NOT to cancel the THREE RIVERS SERVICE (scheduled to be cancelled in spring '05). It astounds me that in this day and age, with the future looking as it is, that we are still cancelling rail service in this country. I think it puts us as railfans to shame to not be showing indignation at this fact. But that's just me. Any thoughts on the subject?
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