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Discussions between Amtrak, Indiana continue over future of ‘Hoosier State’
I live in Dyer and I say keep the trains coming.Just hope they don’t inflict quiet zones on CSX like they did on CN.
If that train is so important to those towns and schools, then they should be the ones paying for it. The rest of the state, which is the overwhelming majority of the population, receives absolutely zero benefit and is being required to pay for something that it will never use. Perfect example of Amtrak being the welfare railroad. Unconstitutional as well.
How Indiana thinks can be summed up by the Indiana Toll Road. Ever ask how that road came into existence as the state’s only toll road? Because when it was being planned, the rest of the state didn’t want to fund a major road expense that would benefit only the northern counties while the rest of the state received no benefit. The purpose of the road was to connect Chicago to Philadelphia via the Ohio and Pennsylvania Turnpikes. So it was decided to make it a toll road, which took the burden of payment off the state’s taxpayers and transferred it to those who use the road, the truck drivers. A concept which the Amtrak welfare supporters can’t seem to wrap their brains around because it violates everything taught to them by socialists regarding how a welfare railroad should be paid for.
The Cardinal is a New York to Chicago train. It does pass through Washington DC… If those in Indiana who are part of the decision process would just ride the train, it’s not perfect, but it s viable service. If they could just see the big picture, that if you get behind it, and support like you would s Nationsl team at the Olyimpics . One successful train will lead to another , then another, and eventually you’ll have a corridor. Of course it costs money, but people riding trains spend money whereever they get on or off., eventually that creates jobs, and that creates more people riding the additional trains. If you concentrate on trains strictly paying for themselves, you’ll miss seeing the hidden benefits that will come to the surface, If you make them affordable with state help local and state economies will grow.
I would hope the state of Indiana thinks through the future of service for Indiana regarding Amtrak service. Because of past lack of forward thinking Indians has already lost most trains stopping at the Hammond/Whiting Indiana Amtrak stop. Lets increase the service.
Remember how long it took the state of Indiana to provide funding for the South Shore commuter service? That’s a good indicator of Indiana’s leaning. Do they want a good alternative to high gas prices and crowded freeways and roads? The train will provide that alternative but as one expects, the trolls will keep bad mouthing it.
I suppose you could also argue that you shouldn’t have to pay your state gasoline tax to maintain any roads you don’t drive on. Passenger service has benefits for the entire state. Government isn’t the great boogeyman. It’s the tool we have devised that enables individual people to work together to accomplish something useful, like good transportation for a modern society.
Al Miller you’re right but the escapee is beyond understanding. Even though the people currently running Indiana are the types the escapee votes for, they will support the Hoosier State in the end.
There are two huge gaps in our NRPC (Amtrak) system: Chicago-Florida, and New Orleans-Florida service, not to mention Chicago-Toronto/Montreal trains. They are not in the area that I live, but I would utilize them, given the chance. I see renewed interest in a Chicago area- Florida “Autotrain”. That would be cool! Oklahoma-Chicago service would work, too. Pipe dream: Denver-Dallas.
Mel & Mo: are Larry & Curley still locked in the cellar? What Indiana needs is a “Governor Sootbeam, or Rustbeltbeam”, whatever, kind’a like wot youse got! No photo IDs in Indiana!
Solution: run the ‘Cardinal’ on a daily basis. Indiana: pony-up a few bucks. New York just did. Alternative: Amtrak shuts down Beech Grove and the Hoosiers go back to horse-and-buggy. The Amish seem to like that mode-of-travel. Different folks. Lots of Mennonites and Hutterites on my ‘Empire Builder’ every day. More on New Hampshire later… Quiet Zones: has everyone forgotten Midland, TX? Do NIMBYs and Yuppies still rule there?
Socialist this! Communists that! Quit spewing out that same old feces Goosie, Maybe, just maybe, (a looong shot, at that) people might take you seriously.
Mr Guse needs to check up on his history. The Indiana Toll Road was publicly financed with bonds before the Interstate Highway Act of 1956 was signed. Due to laws passed by Indiana in response to the failed Mammoth Internal Improvements Act in 1835, Indiana took a much more conservative approach to highway construction and funding. Because there was a national need for a NYC to Chicago road, but federal funding models were not in place yet, they decided to sell bonds and make it a toll road instead. So to say Indiana is not with the times is mistaken.
I inspect those tracks at indianapolis 3 times a week and definately hope amtrak keeps running. There are major upgrades in the works between Indianapolis and Louisville so the chicago to florida auto train may not be just a pipe dream but only if amtrak keeps running