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As noted in another discussion, Amtrak counts state support payments as revenue, as per Pg. C-1 in the September 2014 Monthly Operating Report.  Also noted above, the loss was $1.9 million in FY14, based on revenues of $7.3 million and expenses of $9.1 million plus OPEBS of $.1 million.  Depreciation and interest were not allocated to these trains. Ticket revenue for the Heartland Flyer in FY14 were approximately $2 million ($1,965,692).  Excluding the state and federal subsidies, the loss on ticket revenues only was approximately $7.2 million before depreciation and interest. The average subsidy (state and federal) in FY14 for a Heartland Flyer rider was approximately $92.  Amtrak is shifting or has shifted a substantial portion of the expenses for the Heartland Flyer to Oklahoma and Texas.  And this is what the fuss is all about.  Texas was willing to pony up a relatively small amount of money for the Fort Worth to Oklahoma City choo-choo when the feds were picking up the lion's share of the required support payments.  But no longer.  Texas is faced with some compelling transportation funding challenges.  The legislators in Austin don't want to raise motorist's user fees (taxes).  So they have resorted to transfering funds from other sources.  There appears to be little sentiment in the legislature to provide additional taxpayer funding passenger rail in Texas.
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