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<p>Paul, you make some important points regarding the complexities involved in funding. The relative funding per passenger compared to airlines is high for Amtrak. Aviation is more easily funded through user fees due to the sheer volume of people using the system. I believe that similar economies of scale could be achieved with Amtrak if a committment was made to make the initial investment in capacity and infrastructure. Without the capacity to carry a significant number of people, people Amtrak will never have the ability to pay for itself. </p><p> Thus, as NARP often points out, there needs to be a funding source that will "prime the pump" until Amtrak can better stand on its own. One possibility: A 2-3 cent increase in the gasoline tax would enable Amtrak to expand significantly. Before anyone shouts "no new taxes" remember that 2-3 cents is less than the weekly price fluctuations at the pump, and would probably go unnoticed. Gilbert Carmichael, former head of the Amtrak Reform Council estimates that such a tax invested over 20 years would be sufficient to build a national rail network on par with the interstate highway system (which he dubs "Interstate II.")</p>
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