End of the line.

[spbed]

Hopefully you are making your feelings known to your senator's. house member & GWB. [:o)]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CHPENNSYLVANIA

This Sunday the last Three Rivers train will depart New York for Chicago. This line built by the Pennsylvania Railroad goes through the center of Pennsylvania and will no longer, at least for now see Chicago-nyc service. The route of such trains as the Broadway limited is gone. Also, philadelphia will no longer see daily service to Chicago.

[kevarc]

Increasing popularity for who? the few that have access to it? I sure don't. I checked amtraks pices to take a trip to Houston and back with my family. For what it cost, I can STILL drive my car , eat good, and stay at a nice hotel for the price of a trainride. Tell me that makes sense.

"Well you may get your wish and then again the American public will say otherwise. For those crying that Norm MIneta's reform is a good thing, don't forget that regardless if these long distance trains run full, he wants to ax them and contract them out. As we know, passenger trains don't make money, except on "some" tourist lines and specialty runs like the American Orient Express. So what Long Distance trains would survive? Other than the Auto Train, virtually none. "

Another question - between airports and amrtak - which has a greater impact on more people? Bet you again and I'll take airports. So it does make sense to put the money where it impacts more people.

Pubic? What public? People who have easy access to it? Those who need it to get to work? Those who are railfan's and have no clue? Ask the general public where they do NOT have access, bet you get a whole different answer.

As for Paterno or amtrak - who cares?

[daveklepper]

Again, there are elderly and infirm people who cannot drive, who could not tolerate a bus trip longer than a few hours, and cannot fly for various medical reasons. Mineta would deny them their rights as American citizens to visit the whole country, a right everyone had back in the days when public transportation, including long distance rail, was available everywhere.

[AntonioFP45]

QUOTE: Originally posted by kevarc

Increasing popularity for who? the few that have access to it? I sure don't. I checked amtraks pices to take a trip to Houston and back with my family.

......And it will remain that way since Amtrak has not been allowed to expand in the heavier markets due to the paltry funding inspite of the demand for it.

QUOTE: Pubic? What public?

--- Railfans? Forget the railfans, how about the people in the 500 cities Amtrak currently serves? Don't forget that there are many in this country that won't fly.

QUOTE: Those who need it to get to work?

---Come on, you know well that transit buses, van pools, and trains are used for commuting to work in many cities. This issue has been dealing with long distance travel alternatives. I

I've gotten behind the wheel of the car as you stated and have had the priviledged nightmare of sitting in "Mega-Traffic Jams" (along with Greyhound buses), witnessing accidents and arriving at destinations with stress headaches..

You are right, Amtrak is not easily accessbile throughout the U.S. and likely won't be with the current attitudes of the administration.

Potential routes that would likely work have been studied extensively. One of the best examples: Marketing projections showed that a Florida to Chicago LD train by way of Atlanta had great potential. Many people travel between Florida and Atlanta, as well as Chicago to Atlanta. Atlanta was a passenger rail hub years back and has the potential today, but again Amtrak's limited funding prohibits any of these ventures.

So indeed, as I stated you may get your wish, and only pressure from customers and voters will keep it going.