Mr. Boardman wants excess revenue, from the NEC corridor trains, earmarked for NEC repairs and new equipment. Feds will need to help cover other Amtrak routes.
Good idea or does it sound like robbing Peter to pay Paul? Do you think there is a hidden agenda to gradually delete many LD trains?
Richard
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Richard, for once there are words of 'sense and sensibility' ringing from 60 Mass, Here is a quote from the Boardman letter to Congress which is available in its entirety at the Amtrak website:
Such a funding stream would also be important for our long distance services, which enjoy strong support from the states and communities they serve. In addition to the aging fleet, which we have begun to replace, there is a need for investments in the freight network to provide improvements that are needed for passenger service. We are working closely with strong support from the states of Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico – as well as BNSF Railway – to sustain our Southwest Chief service. These states are strongly committed to the sustainment of the existing service, so much so that in the absence of available Federal funding, they are trying to find a way to invest together to preserve the service. We would like to be able to invest in the future to support successful programs, particularly those, such as grade crossing projects, that bring safety benefits.
With this in hand, how can any of those critters, who of course 'are our finest men, and so we elect them again and again', avoid noting that, in a ten year old kid's language, it has been put in front of them that whatever loss from operations Amtrak sustains, that loss arises from your little, albeit inexpensive in the big picture, vote-getting playthings.
So what do you critters want; your playthings or are you prepared to fund what Amtrak really needs - a 21st century 'rails down' passenger train infrastructure?
Critters, the ball is in your court.
Posted by palmland (Member # 4344) on :
GBN, I'm not sure what you mean by playthings, but presumably the long distance network? So the unanswered question from Richard's link is what does this really mean: "Amtrak wants to use operating profits from the Northeast Corridor for major construction projects on the corridor, instead of subsidizing long-distance trains elsewhere in the nation."
I would read it as saying that if congress doesn't provide additional funding on a consistent basis, Amtrak will take any NEC operating surplus and direct it solely to the NEC infrastructure. Too bad for LD trains unless the new model of state support will keep them going.
I don't think this will play well in the heartland. But does anyone (aside from railfans) really care enough, and should they? Stay tuned. While I would vote yea to those two questions, I think the nays would have it.