Edit post

Edit your reply below.

Post Body
Enter your post below.
[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by PNWRMNM Superhief, Do not put much stock in the support Amtrak got in response to your question. This site is by definition a railfan site, and a lot of rail fans know nothing but Amtrak. If you were to ask the general public, I would guess that 50-70% do not even know that Amtrak exists, let alone what it does or how much it costs. [/quote] It's a good argument that the majority of people in America DO NOT, in fact, have any idea about costs, etc. in relationship to AMTRAK service. I suspect many of the people who replied to this question don't have an accurate idea either and we happily call ourselves railfans. However, one cannot discount the emotional attachment that many folks have for a visible passenger train network in America. If one takes the Empire Builder out of Chicago, for example to Seattle, there are many people who view AMTRAK as more than "the big passenger train that comes through town"; for many, AMTRAK is a lifeline for destinations that need to be reached. Even with bus service, many people just downright prefer a trip by train. We're all entitled to our opinions, but one thing should be painfully evident: as a nation, it is fooli***o think that the only ACCEPTABLE modes of transit are the airlines and the automobile. That's absurd. Not everyone cares for planes and though many have cars, we're not all inclined to jump behind the wheel to travel long distances if we don't have too. Further, AMTRAK keeps thousands of hard working men and women employed on a daily basis. Eliminate this 'headache' and you eliminate jobs. My feeling is if you're going to do this, then our government shouldn't be so eager to show how partial it can be in regard to the airlines either, courtesy of my tax dollars and your own. AMTRAK, if the politicians had their way, would be 'railroaded' out of existence--and that's a pathetic commentary on how our boys in the Capital think. It's not AMTRAK's fault that it's infrastructure is crumbling and in need of a massive overhaul...or that it has to play second fiddle to freight traffic (for the love of God--goods BEFORE people???). Give it what it desperately needs to not only survive but to also prove all of the naysayers wrong--that properly managed and maintained, it can become a worthwhile mass transit alternative. In my eyes, it is--but it needs continued TLC. And lest anyone complain and moan about throwing away precious tax dollars, we would all do well to recognize that our government does so annually without so much as a blink on things that most American's have no vested interest in. Does the rebuilding of Iraq come to mind? Did you appreciate $87 Billion dollars been approved for the rebuilding of a country that most of us will never visit? Give me a break. Let's spend our money on deserving projects right here at home. AMTRAK qualifies. Once again, my two cents worth, adjusted for inflation.
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag