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[quote user="Paul Milenkovic"] [quote user="Sam1"] At the end of the day, at least for a commercial enterprise, the only poll that counts is the market.  I know lots of people who say that they support more passenger trains.  But do they ride them? Nope! Would they ride them? Maybe! But I would not count on it.     <div style="clear:both;"></div> [/quote] I don't think the problem is getting people to ride passenger trains, at least judging by Amtrak load factors.  If trains charge competitive fares, people will ride the trains. I think the problem is that fares are not covering the costs, with some qualified exceptions.  Trains Magazine was on to this in the 1960's when they compared the operating cost of a 727 jetliner with the Denver Zephyr.  It was pointed out recently that the airlines lose money or barely break even and there are all manners of hidden subsidies, but Essential Air Service aside, they are not being subsidized at, what is it, 20 cents/passenger-mile.  And Essential Air Service, which gets a lot of love around here, is a kind of Amtrak in the air. [/quote] I was attempting to show that people frequently say one thing, i.e. I would ride a passenger train if we had more of them, etc. especially when talking to a faceless, nameless pollster at the end of a telephone line, but whether they do as opposed to what they say they would do is frequently different.
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