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Long distance routes: Which to continue, which to cut?

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In 2011, which is the latest year for comparative numbers, Amtrak's average daily boardings at Dallas and Fort Worth, the DFW Metroplex anchor cities, was 251. Amtrak skews the numbers by reporting entrainments and detrainments.  I halved the totals to come up with the averages. Most of the people getting off the trains in Dallas and Fort Worth got on there; most of the people getting on the trains will return to Dallas and Fort Worth. Amtrak has two trains (Texas Eagle and Heartland Flyer) serving the Metroplex. I don't know whether there is an active move to do away with Amtrak. It probably flies under the radar for most Texans, although when the cops shot a bad guy on the Eagle in Dallas, that got some local coverage. Most of my friends and acquaintances are not aware of its existence.  To the extent that the votes of the Texas Congressional delegation reflect the wishes of the Texans that sent them to Washington, one can say that the people of Texas don't support Amtrak. Senator Hutchison was an Amtrak supporter, although to the best of my knowledge she never rode it.  Senator Cornyn has tended to vote against it. Senator Hutchison was replaced by Senator Cruz, who is a Tea Party favorite, and is not likely to support government monies for Amtrak. The majority of the Texas delegation in the House, the last time I looked, had voted against Amtrak.   The average daily enplanements at Dallas Love Field and DFW were 85,949. In addition, several hundred if not a thousand or two additional people departed the Metroplex on Greyhound and Megabus.  Amtrak's Texas ridership figures for 2012 are up from 2011 as noted.  So too are the loses on its two trains.  In FY12 the Eagle lost $34.5 million before depreciation, interest, and miscellaneous charges. This was up from $30.1 million in 2011 or 14.6 per cent. The loss for the Heartland Flyer was $3.8 million, up from $2.7 million in FY11.  This was a 40.7 per increase in the loss.  So Amtrak may have increased the number of passengers it entrained in FY12 in Texas, but it appears that it is buying market share or trying to.
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