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Senate bill would reauthorize Amtrak, prompt reforms
This is a good start but much more needs to be done. It’s amazing to me that the USA with all its modern technology and advancements in pretty much everything else still has a 1970s passenger Rail system. China Japan Europe Britain all have far better high speed rail networks than we do. Congress do us all a favor the next bill you approve is one that will remove all the FEDERAL regulations that keep even the simplest project from ever getting done. We don’t need a 2 year environment impact study everytime a project that would benefit so many take so long to get started. We are waisting time people.
Translated: In five years Amtrak will be just like it is now.
Break up Amtrak just like AT&T was, have States run there own trains and have the state support it through the fed i.e. Illinois Service, Amtrak California, NCDOT Amtrak etc, Fold the "corporation Amtrak is and divide it up. Its time!!!
I agree with Mr. Price; an environmental impact study for a system that will take thousands of cars off the road should take about five minutes.
Breaking up Amtrak state by state seems like a great way to make sure that no Amtrak train runs more than a few hundred miles before hitting a dead end (otherwise know as a red state).
Also, all this talk about competition and profitability seems a little silly. Almost every decent transportation network in the world is heavily subsidized (esp. our roads and airports). Passenger rail is like a loss leader for our economy - suck it up, take the loss, and watch the benefits accrue elsewhere.
Any legislation that has the words “enhancement” and “efficiency” in its title is guaranteed to do just the opposite.
Not to mention that the funding levels are subject to the separate appropriations and budgeting process, which is done for 1 year at a time, or, as has been the case since Dirty Harry became Senate Majority Leader, by means of continuing resolutions. The projections for any spending beyond the current fiscal year are therefore meaningless.
Mr. Hoffman - I agree with you that EPA overregulation is stifling needed growth and improvements. I’m sorry to point out, however, this inconvenient truth - it’s the people elected from blue states and their appointees that have allowed, promoted, and encouraged the EPA to overreach far beyond its original mandate under President Nixon. Big Government does four things very well: enlarges itself, enriches those at the very top, intrudes into our daily lives, and spends our hard-earned tax dollars with gross inefficiency. The debacle that is Amtrak is but one example of the results.
Unless and until they throw out the entire Board and management team and replace them with seasoned professional railroaders, not affirmative action hacks or political appointees, and tear up the union contracts, nothing meaningful will happen; it will be the “same old, same old” forever. As the saying goes, don’t waste lipstick on a pig.
Sounds like a great idea to me. We must do something to improve the poor choices Amtrak has been set with. I truly hope everyone sees this as what could be a future with better things to come. Just remember do not even consider Scottie Walker as a future president. We will all regret the day, should he make it that far. So lets cheer the potential good news for now.
In terms of the current system (rather than radical change), it’s a welcome set of proposals.
In terms of radical change, I don’t think you’ll see that unless more independent companies start to move into Amtrak’s territory. Right now, I think we can see that in four different projects that couldn’t be more different if they tried:
- State owned “real” HSR projects like CAHSR.
- Private “real” HSR projects like Texas Central
- Private full service independent passenger rail companies such as Ed Ellis’s various enterprises
- Private full service right-of-way owning rail companies like All Aboard Florida
Amtrak itself will change if any of these projects succeed. The pressure upon it to abandon trains run for political purposes will be immense, and I’d have thought it very likely that most of the Class 1s, and a not a small number of the larger non-Class 1s, will be itching to change their relationship with Amtrak too.
What amazes me is all the “expert” opinions from states that have no real “MASS” transit. Florida’s governor killed high speed rail between Miami & Orlando. Much to the frustration of Caravel Cruises, Disney & Universal Wisconsin governor did the same, even after an offer from Bombardier corp to build rail cars in Milwaukee. China is spending trillions on infrastructure, this includes high speed rail. ONLY the federal government can really do the job. Just like they have done with the airports, major harbor projects , interstate highways. Do you suggest that the states take over the costs and maintenance of those facilities?
I have traveled on the TVG trains in Korea, France, England. The US is considered still in the steam rail age.
The language of this bill should also include overnight trains, as well as daytime trains.
OUR PASSENGER SYSTEM WE HAD AT ONE TIME WENT TO NEARLY EVERY TOWN. NOW WE NEED IT BACK. THEY TORE UP THE TRACKS THEN LAID DOWN CEMENT TRAILS
Have each state operate its own passenger trains? This really would be a return to the old days: the U.S. under the Articles of Confederation in the years after the end of the War of Independence (1781-1787), when interstate movement was often stopped at state borders for the payment of such things as passage tariffs/custom’s duties.
Nobody flies anymore.