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[quote user="passengerfan"] I just have one question that maybe Sam 1 or some of the others might be able to answer. The Government nationalized passenger trains in 1971 and they went to h*** now in 2009 there is serious talk about nationalizing some banks and they will probably go to h***. What is the difference? Al - in - Stockton [/quote] The banking system is the keystone for the economy.  If it collapses, the economy, which is say our way of life, will go down with it.  The government has no choice but to fix it, although according to the Administration nationalization is not in the cards at this point.  Amtrak is a nice to have in a nation with excellent air and highway systems. Technically, the government did not nationalize it.  It formed a quasi private corporation that issued stock to the railroads that bought into it, if I remember correctly.  Of course, in reality it is a government entity. In retrospect, the government take over in 1971 of intercity passenger rail via Amtrak was a mistake.  The market place should have been allowed to dictate the outcomes.  Had Amtrak not been formed most intercity trains would have gone the way of the stagecoach.  The NEC might have survived with a modest investment of government money.  It serves a high density regional corridor where people are used to taking the train.  Oh, did I fail to say by the state governments benefit by the regional NEC?  Penn Central had upgraded the service before the formation of Amtrak.  I think it got a little government money to do so.  Other corridors might have surfaced as the nation grew and became more congested in the process.
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