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As I have posted before, I'm for federal investment into a 7,000 mile network of TGV-ICE style of high speed rail. Whether Amtrak operates this system I could care less about. But since the creation of Amtrak back during early 1970s, Amtrak has been the operator of our national passenger trains. Amtrak is government owned and operated. I don't see how another government owned or subsidized agency could do better. The problem rests with those who wi***o kill Amtrak once and for all, by underfunding Amtrak operations and maintenance....in a vain attempt to turn this service into a profit.....while at the same time providing billions upon billions to the highway and airline lobby..... I didn't want to get personal, but those living in the large cities such as Los Angeles do not realize their cheaper air fares compared to those of us who live in small cities and towns. Since deregualtion of the airline industry, the major airlines have built hub and spoke systems providing those who live in the large cities cheaper air fares. However, those of us who don't live in the large cities are paying more......for less service..... You complained that Amtrak charged you $350, about the same price as an airfare, to travel from Los Angeles to Fort Wayne, actually Waterloo Indiana. I wonder whether you could drive the distance for less.....and get there quicker. Yes, Amtrak sleepers are priced high, because the supply and demand aspect of the sleeper accomodations are high. For one person the sleeper costs are astronomical, but for two persons sharing a sleeper the costs reflect the price of staying in an urban hotel, such as a Holiday Inn..... When the day arrives when TGV-ICE style high speed rail is a reality in America, there would be no reason for a train to operate at night, except for a transcontinental run. A train averaging over 150 mph with stops can easily travel the distance from Dallas to Chicago in less than 9 hours, from Dallas to Atlanta in less than 9 hours, from Chicago to New York City in less than 9 hours, from Atlanta to New York City in less than 9 hours. Catch a train early in the morning at 6 am and be there by mid afternoon at 3 pm. With two legs of the parrelegram I have proposed, one could reach New York City before midnight from Dallas. There would be more frequency, as the same number of trainsets operating today on Amtrak's routes could run the distance not of once per day but at a frequency of every two to three hours in both directions. It would be nice if private industry would build this high speed rail network of 7,000 miles in America. But there aren't any businesses with the ca***o do so.... The only entity able to do so is the federal government. The feds can sell the bonds needed to raise the capital, and if necessary acquire the land right of way at a reasonable cost. For those opposed to this network of high speed rail with federal government investment, I have to ask, "Why do you think a private company can fund and build this 7,000 mile network of high speed rail when your local transit agency has to fund and build a small 20 mile network of light rail in a large city?" I have not heard of any private company building and funding light rail anywhere...... Think about it a little...... For example, the city of Minneapolis and Saint Paul placed their new light rail sustem up for bid. Several private corporations bidded on the contract to build and operate light rail in the Twin Cities, along with the local public transit agency. The public transit agency won the bid, mostly due to the fact that it had much lower insurance costs......the private corporations couldn't compete with the local transit agency because they had much higher insurance costs...... I'd be willing to bet the same result would occur at the national level......
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