Amtrak Turns 40…Called a ‘Massive Failure’ by its Founder

TheBlaze ^ | May 7, 2011 | Mike Opelka

[george76]

This week kicks off the 40th Anniversary of the money-sucking, inefficient, outmoded national rail system we call Amtrak.

Let’s start with money. Amtrak loses bucketloads of money every day. The national rail system operates in the red, generating huge losses and has done so each and every year of its existence. And they are not shy about it.

That’s over $1.2 billion in losses for the most recent year, putting the overall tab for this antiquated, bloated and inefficient system around $50 billion dollars of taxpayer money.

The embarrassment of Amtrak has even struck a chord with someone who rallied for its creation. Anthony Haswell, founder of the National Association of Railroad Passengers and a person widely recognized as the inspiration for Amtrak, is not happy with the current state of the railroad’s affairs.

When the Founding Father of Amtrak calls it a ‘massive failure’ and states that the politicians involved are getting more benefits from it than the passengers and taxpayers, you would hope that someone in the Federal government would respond.

Washington did respond. Their answer to Amtrak’s problems? Spend more money.

[napscoordinator]

I have never ridden on Amtrak. However, I have ridden in many trains in Europe. They are pretty nice if you want to go for a short couple hour trip. Amtrak might get some traction if they make it more luxurious and have it for the wealthy. Just a thought. Right now everyone pretty much thinks that Amtrak is for the poor or lower middle class people and won’t ride them. Same with the buses. Who wants to ride on a bus or train with some smelly people right next to you.

[cripplecreek]

I see they’re meeting on High speed rail this week in Ann Arbor. (LaHood, Stabenow, Levin, and I assume Governor Snyder)

[Gamecock]

I love train travel......in Europe.

In America it is dreadful.

[ilovesarah2012]

I hate flying with drunk people, especially when it’s the pilot!

[Balding_Eagle]

To make that happen all they would have to do is charge the real, unsubsidized, price per passenger.

[MSF BU]

Yes, and if jammed a a fifth of our population into an area the size or Oregon trains might makes sense, or at least be less of an abortion. We are not Europe though, so commuter trains don’t work on an economic basis.

[decimon]

Amtrak might get some traction if they make it more luxurious and have it for the wealthy.

NYC used to have a "Plane to the Train" service to JFK Airport. They charged extra for that express train and people would pay extra to use it to commute to work. I asked a conductor about the MTA expanding that type of service and he explained that the MTA didn't care about the extra money because the more they got in fares was the less they got in federal subsidy. It's probably the same with Amtrak.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Not a complete failure.

Leftists and liberals will be sure to use its “business model” to fund the socialist medicine they are cramming down the throats of a protesting America.

[aruanan]

Yes, and if jammed a a fifth of our population into an area the size or Oregon trains might makes sense, or at least be less of an abortion. We are not Europe though, so commuter trains don’t work on an economic basis.

Yeah, Western Europe has about 400,000,000 people in an area about that of the U.S. east of the Mississippi.

[Palter]

Some of America's finest scenery is on the California Zephyr linking Chicago, Denver, Salt Lake City, Reno, Sacramento & San Francisco.

[Palter]

oops. Trains, willie.

[Talisker]

Amtrak loses bucketloads of money every day. The national rail system operates in the red, generating huge losses and has done so each and every year of its existence. That’s over $1.2 billion in losses for the most recent year, putting the overall tab for this antiquated, bloated and inefficient system around $50 billion dollars of taxpayer money.

Who is John Galt?

[iowamark]

US Bus travel has the lower class or student stereotype. I wouldn’t say that Amtrak does. In the NE corridor, everyone rides. Rich Joe Biden used to ride Amtrak daily between Delaware and DC. On the long distance trains, the coach cars seem lower middle class but the sleeper cars seem upper middle class.

The simple fact is that Unionized, Government run Amtrak is labor inefficient and cannot compete despite its’ fuel efficiency.

[KoRn]

We already have an interstate highway system. Our country is too geographically large for passenger trains to make sense, except for perhaps regional travel. Even then, why ride on a damn train when you can use your car?

[Repeal The 17th]

20 years ago we rode the amtrak train from Jacksonville to New York city.
It was an “interesting” 13 hour ride.

[cripplecreek]

Sounds like a great place for a road with places to pull over and appreciate it.

[cripplecreek]

Public Transportation.

Because nobody wants to die alone.

[NewHampshireDuo]

Yes, and if jammed a a fifth of our population into an area the size or Oregon trains might makes sense....

The UN has a plan to concentrate our population. So, it will make sense.

[NewHampshireDuo]

To make that happen all they would have to do is charge the real, unsubsidized, price per passenger.

Somehow to the libs it's fine to heavily subsidize cattle car transportation for the masses but the free market price of gasoline for personal transportation is way too cheap. Heck, LaHood says $9 gas would make our roads really safe as no one would be driving.