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[quote user="Dragoman"] [quote user="Sam1"]  ... One way forward would be to bid the routes to the lowest effective cost operator, with an independent third party taking control of Amtrak's infrastructure, and opening it up to anyone who can meet the standards.  ... [/quote] Might be a good idea, but could only work in the NorthEast Corridor (which Amtrak currently owns most of). Outside of the NEC , "an independent third party taking control of ... infrastructure" would involve the "freight" railroads (I do so hate that term -- either you are a railroad, or you are not!  But I digress ...).  I suspect that they would resist any such move to "open access". But, without "an independent third party taking control of ... infrastructure", or at least some "open access" provision (which, I believe, every system which has gone the private enterprise route has utilized), there can be no true competition. [/quote] I would have an independent party take control of Amtrak's current infrastructure, which would be the NEC as well as tracks in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Michigan. The current hoist railroads are an independent party. Potential trains operators could bid to run over their property, and the hoist railroads could bid to run the trains. They would be required to open their system to independent train operators, which they do now for Amtrak.   The track owners would be paid a fair market rent for the use of their property, which arguably is not the case with Amtrak. It could be set it up like the regulated poles and wires segment of the electric utility business. It would take some arm twisting and continuing subsidies, but it would be worth a shot. The major barrier would be reluctance on the part of the status quo supporters to try anything new.  Getting them to think outside of the nine dots is a huge challenge.
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