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There are some interesting ideas here. I think there can be a balance between commuter train and "high speed" trains. Suggestion: Have Amtrak only run "limiteds" between large cities and have commuter agencies (local or states) ruun the commuters between smaller towns and the larger cities, thus eliminating many Amtrak stops. Example: the Capitol Limited leaves Chicago, stops only in Cleveland and Pittsburgh, then arrives in Washington D.C. This saves 5- 10 minutes per intermediate stop. Eliminate 12 stops and you've cut 1-2 hours off the trip time without buying new trainsets or upgrading tracks. Suggestion: Here in SE Wisconsin, CP Rail took up most of the double track between Milwaukee and St Paul. Instead of that, have Amtrak buy/lease that "unneeded" track and dedicate it for passenger use. I read on these forums thatmany railroads are single tracking lines so this may work in other parts of the country as well. Suggestion: Bring back the idea of a "slumbercoach". The seat in a Superliner reclines so far as it is, why not take out every other row and have it fold all the way down into a "bed". Charge two or three times the coach fare (still less than first class), do not include showers or meals, and in theory Amtrak could make more out of the same car with fewer passengers. These are just ideas and I'm sure there are problems with them, but let's start thinking and bugging our representatives.
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