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[quote user="NKP guy"] Bad winter weather has been part of the scene in overland travel since 1869.  Why do the railroads, or Amtrak, always seemed surprised by it every year, not just Out West but all over the country? Here's another way to look at this:  What would it take to make today's Amtrak trains as dependable, no matter what the weather, as trains were 50, 60, or 70 years ago?  What are the chances we'll  see increasing train problems and cancellations in the next few years? [/quote]I don't think that the railroads and Amtrak are surprised by harsh winter weather.  Neither have a financial incentive to beef up their severe weather response capabilities for long distance passenger trains.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> Amtrak's long distance passenger trains, which carry less than 4/10s of one per cent of intercity travelers, are a major loser for Amtrak, and are not a serious transport option for the traveling public.  In fact, they lose enough money to wipe out all the operating surpluses earned by the NEC.  And they are a big harassment for the railroads that must hoist them.  The hoist railroads are forced by law to carry Amtrak's long distance trains.  They would junk them in a minute if they could.  And I suspect that Amtrak management, if given the option, would get out of the long distance train business in favor of improving the short, relatively high density corridors where passenger trains make sense.
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