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[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by garr Keep in mind Amtrak's size in relation to the total amount of intercity travel in the US. Amtrak's share is less than 1% of the total. Amtrak was dealt a bad hand when created and it has not gotten much better since 1971. It has basically been the "train set under the Christmas tree" for most of our Congressmen. Jay [/quote] I actually agree on this: actions have consequences. Imagine if airlines BY LAW were ordered to have ONLY ONE FLIGHT out of major terminals a day, or flights to only certain areas. Or if the highway system was developed only as a skeletal system with few choices for most of the traveling public. Most people live outside of the existing rail corridors. There would be a lot less air and highway travel. Amtrak hasn't really been given the funding to compete effectively. If you only get crumbs in terms of funding, you can't expect it to increase its routes (offerings to the public) and see larger market share. Amtrak is constantly attacked from hostile lawmakers and so-called experts who only want to destroy the system. "Amtrak reform" is code for gutting trains. I like how our hypocritical lawmakers willl lash-out at Amtrak for its low market share yet they'll interfere with it so it can't possibly grow. Examples: Years ago an appropriations bill would have added needed Superliners and Viewliners. Sen. McCain, the so-called free-market advocate, stepped in and stripped the bill of that language. Think how such equipment would have helped Amtrak today if Congress hadn't interfered. Amtrak's often told to be profitable, yet the feds under Carter, Reagan, Clinton and others have ordered the system to cut routes. We lost CHI-Florida, CHI-OKLA-HOU , DEN-SEA, DEN-VEGAS-LA and many other solid trains. Those trains weren't cut by Amtrak. They were cut by the feds who wanted to save money. Government meddling and inaction has hurt passenger rail.
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