It would literally take an Act of Congress to amend the Rail Passenger Service Act to set up such an arrangement. When you look at what happened with the "Hoosier State", I doubt that you'll find too many bidders to provide service under a purchase of service contract.
Congress wants long distance trains and trains in there district but does complains that Amtrak is losing money on those routes. The trains are a lifeline to the middle of this country and flying to/from small airports is expensive even with Essential Air subsdies. Congress should fund Amtrak by a "Purchase of Service Contract" which would state whatr exactly Amtrak will do for USDOT and Congress. I would even go as far as to put some routes out for open bid under Purchase of Service contracts that the Host Railroad could operate like BNSF does on some its commuter lines in Minnipolis and Chicago using its own crews. I believe that Amtrak as it stands now if we look at the annual billion and half or so money that they get from Congress as a social contract instead of a handout actualy makes a small profit. We need to agree that trains/transit like water and garbarge pick up is a essentiol public service.
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