One is for transportation and the other for tourism? I disagree. They are both for both transportation and tourism. There is a road to the top of Mt. Washington, and some do drive up and back on that road. So some ride the cog really to get to the top and enjoy the views there. Most, want to enjoy the view and enjoy the ride, inlcuding ITS views. Some are railfans, and for them there is an occasional steam trip.
How does that differ from the Empite builder's ridership? Only in proportion to the ratios of the catagories to each other and the total. But not in kind. Both provide or should provide both transportation and a very pleasurable and memorial experience of traveling.
To me, the long-distance train is an important part of North American civilization, and should be kept around like public libraries, even in the age of Wikapedia and tax-paying book stores.
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