US Rail is hyper-regulated and is a quasi-communist system. Rail was the first target of "trust-busters," progressives, and unions in the 19th century, and it carries the burden of a century of government interference.
Passenger rail was handed over the US Government to keep the freight lines afloat in the 1970s. Besides rights-of-way owned by Amtrak on the NE Seaboard, freight lines own the track and rights-of-way nearly everywhere else. So of course, a bloated, Fed.gov-operated entity running on other's tracks, in a highly-regulated business, is going to suck.
The economics of rail freight have completely turned around in the last 20 years. Warren Buffett saw the competitive advantage early and bought several rail companies. They are cash cows for him.
The question is - can the laws and regulations be changed/eliminated, to allow private companies to again run passenger trains? I too am skeptical our woke, neo-marxist, regulatory regime in Washington DC would ever willingly give up its power - but as I said - no one has even looked at it in 50 years.
Amtrak is a black community make work jobs project
ok, thanks for explaining your position. rolling back government regulations is certainly going to be difficult.