Axe Amtrak!

[Anonymous]

I hope you won't consider this 'twisting the knife' but, I wonder if you would ride that Superliner at free market prices (e.g. without government subsidies and at a price where Amtrack earns a profit)? I probably would be willing to ride the Superliner as a purely recreational event, but I doubt I would make a habit of it.

And I agree that my feeling about a 'level playing field' extend into the airline industry as well.

As a side question, do you think the mail would be transported by train if there were no subsidies involved and the post office had to go through the free market?

[thirdrail1]

The mail was originally pulled from the railroads to help the airline industry. If the airline industry had to pay for the airports and the traffic control system their prices would go up to the point that Amtrak could undercut the airlines on much of the mail and in many passenger markets as well. Personally, I drive anywhere I can get to in a day, and since I'm retired, i simply don't go anywhere I can't get to in a day. I fractured my ankle in 1990 and have two stainless steel screws in my ankle, so I'm sure not going to fly now and get strip searched like Rep. Dingell! Had a hard enough time convincing the security cretin the last time I flew that I didn't have a shiv in my shoe.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like you wouldn't ride the train at free market prices either. Let me know if I misinterpreted your response.

I would like the government to pull its support from the airlines as well, and let the individual passengers pay for the infrastructure like the terminals, traffic controlers, safety inspection, security, etc. but I don't think that is likely to happen.

Sorry to hear that you have a bad ankle but it is good to hear that you have been able to find some help. If it's any comfort, I believe the current airport security problems will improve in the comming months as these guys are able to address specific problems.

Nice chatting with you. - Ed

[thirdrail1]

Where I live there is NO train service OR bus service. I would ride the train if there were one that provided the service I wanted when I wanted it. Last time I rode Amtrak was a roomette from Washington to Jacksonville over 10 years ago. I rode CSXT's private train northbound. First class rail was less than air plus a night in a decent hotel in Jacksonville, so yes rail can be market priced. What did you mean about "find some help"?

[Anonymous]

From my own experiences, buses are OK for short journeys, but trains are more relaxing for medium- and long journeys. I find it easier to read a book on a train than in a bus (or as a car passenger).

But Gregg, it is terrible that you don't have the option of either a train or bus. What size town do you live in?

Jason.

[Anonymous]

People will have to learn to wait for a plane (that's what we do in the UK!) rather than hailing them like a cab.

[thirdrail1]

I am in a small town with a short line railroad in the Florida panhandle on the Gulf of Mexico.

[jsanchez]

Some of the Long distance services have actually made money at times, Northeast to Florida routes and Autotrain. So there is still viability to even the long distance trains if ran right and serving popular travel markets.

James

[Anonymous]

You mentioned that you had pins in your ankel. I understood that to mean that you had been helped by a surgeon. We are lucky to live in these times. My mother recently had her second knee replaced. I'm glad medicine has advanced sufficiently to help her as well.

Can anyone tell me what it would cost to ride an Amtrak train say one hundred miles or so and on what route? I may take some time to call the Amtrak and Trailways stations in Richmond to see what are the real rates. Also, can someone tell me how much Amtrak receives in government subsidies?

Catch you later. - Ed

[Anonymous]

I don't know what you class as 'small' but I live in a town of 12,000 (OK, it has a university) on the West Coast of Wales. We have a train every two days Monday to Friday, with reduced workings at the weekend (Sundays are pretty dire!).

Jason.

[Anonymous]

I don't have a anser for cost of trip but there
toll free number or there web sight might help ya.
I been following the news of the latest cut backs of amtrak.And there a great possibility of
us losing the the long hail trains. I say let them. It's going to happen. And Feb was the month
the goverment was to come up with some salutions.
I read some there ideas and I agre that freights
need a another crack at it. When they dumped the passeger service many years ago they there wasn't
any halling of rail roaders and ups freight at the end of the train. Now look at them now. You see more freight cars than passenger cars on a train.
Let the freight railroads do that!! I read that
artical under railage .com. I think It would be neat have BNSF hauling passenger in there colors
and tagging along few box cars and half dozen rail roaders.As long as they pull freight to they might have a chance. And another thing frieght railriad
need to try just @ twice a week on there long runs
is hauling cars. Like from Pittburgh to La. or Chicago to Wash state People don't like driving long distances but sure like to have there car when they get there. Thats what will get more people attracted to take long distance trains too and like it similar to the Florida route and illimanate the in between stops