EAS is funded by revenue collected on overflight fees. If these fees are not going to be put back into the avaition sector, why even have them? In other words, why should fees that airlines pay be used for rail passenger travel?
http://www.taxpayer.net/library/article/faa-reauthorization-and-the-essential-air-service-when-a-cut-is-actually-an
"The conference agreement stipulates that revenue collected from overflight fees (fees charged to passengers of airplanes that fly through US airspace but do not actually land in the US) is immediately available for use in the EAS program. Under existing law, Congress authorized $50M of overflight fee revenue to be spent on the EAS each year, and that’s all the FAA was allowed to spend. Anything they collected in excess of $50M would be available for future years, since in any year they collected less than $50M, they would have to make up for that out of program funds. This allowed a buffer. And it also worked because the amount collected in overflight fees was generally close to $50M each year (FY11: $56.7M)."
An "expensive model collector"
To add to your point, Blue Streak, we already have I-84, an Interstate Highway which parallels I-95 and offers an inland alternate route between New York and Boston. From the Tappan Zee Bridge I-84 and the Massachusetts Turnpike are the best way to get to Boston.
If I am not mistaken the tracks for an inland Amtrak route are in place. They are not remotely high speed but if the Shore Line is shut down they could offer an alternative for Amtrak trains. I am away that they are not available for high speed rail, though.
n012944 EAS is funded by revenue collected on overflight fees. If these fees are not going to be put back into the avaition sector, why even have them? In other words, why should fees that airlines pay be used for rail passenger travel? http://www.taxpayer.net/library/article/faa-reauthorization-and-the-essential-air-service-when-a-cut-is-actually-an "The conference agreement stipulates that revenue collected from overflight fees (fees charged to passengers of airplanes that fly through US airspace but do not actually land in the US) is immediately available for use in the EAS program. Under existing law, Congress authorized $50M of overflight fee revenue to be spent on the EAS each year, and that’s all the FAA was allowed to spend. Anything they collected in excess of $50M would be available for future years, since in any year they collected less than $50M, they would have to make up for that out of program funds. This allowed a buffer. And it also worked because the amount collected in overflight fees was generally close to $50M each year (FY11: $56.7M)."
Had the politicians who voted for this scheme been active at the beginning of the American Revolution, they undoubtedly would have sided with the Tories. Clearly, they don't have a problem with taxation without representation.
What is the route of the "inland Amtrak route" between New York and Boston that several people have mentioned?
At one time the New Haven routed some of its New York to Boston passenger trains through Hartford and Springfield, if I remember correctly. Is this the route that being referenced? Or is it the route through East Hartford, Manchester, Willimantic, etc.?
In either case the cost of upgrading these routes to the speeds permitted along the shore line, let along true high speed running, would be very high, I suspect.
Very high indeed, but not nearly as high as a completely new route. The inland route should have better service, but for high speed, the logical route is through Blackstone and Willimantic. 95% of the route is railbanked or in use for freight service. Not E. Hartford
daveklepper Very high indeed, but not nearly as high as a completely new route. The inland route should have better service, but for high speed, the logical route is through Blackstone and Willimantic. 95% of the route is railbanked or in use for freight service. Not E. Hartford
Are you talking about the "Air Line" route? The route beyond Middletown/Portland in CT is a rail-to-trail state park.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Line_State_Park_Trail
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