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Originally Posted by djplong
- Amtrak subsidies. Sure. Close that down because it loses money. Well, the roads don't make a profit so why don't we close THOSE down? Neither does the police department. Oh - and just where are all the cars supposed to go - especially in the Northeast - when the trains stop running. You think you want to put those passenger in the air? Amtrak has half the traffic in the most congested part of American airspace - Boston - NY - Philly - DC. GO ahead - make it even worse.
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Amtrak makes money in the NE corridor. No-one would consider shutting down a profitable route. It also makes money on the auto train and the Acela Express. Most routes make no sense economically. This is particularly true of the long-haul routes such as the Texas Eagle running from MN to Dallas. One report concluded that we could save money by giving each rider a first class airline ticket and shutting down the route. Amtrak is a classic example of pork, the proposals for high-speed rail are no different. Every congressman and Senator wants stops in their district. Closing the unprofitable routes and privatizing the profitable parts of Amtrak saves billions and profits can be used to improve service.