[Grizzled Bear]

Wow, your obsessive compulsion over AMTRACK borders on sociopathy! Are you a major stockholder or something?

Personally, I prefer the freedom of a pickup and a camper. When I travel, I want to be the one to determine my time table and route.

Here's a crazy idea, AMTRACK could attract investors, buy their own damn land (rather than having the government seize it from private owners) and build their own damn tracks.

Or, would you rather have the government do everything for you? Is it politically correct to avoid the government tit?

[Willie Green]

Wow, your obsessive compulsion over AMTRACK borders on sociopathy! Are you a major stockholder or something?

Actually, Amtrak's major stockholders are the very entities who seek to destroy passenger rail service in the United States.

All preferred stock, which had a liquidation preference against all Amtrak assets and the only voting rights, was held by the Department of Transportation. Common stock in Amtrak was issued to certain private sector railroads that contributed start-up equipment and rolling stock to Amtrak. The common shareholders and their proportionate interests are as follows:

American Premier Underwriters (insurance sub. of Am. Financial Group)	53 %
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad	35 %
Canadian Pacific Railroad	7%
Canadian National Railroad	5%

The #1 stockholder, American Financial Group, is controlled by Billionaire Bush crony Carl Lindner, who acquired his Amtrak stock by purchasing the stock of the bankrupt Penn Central railroad.

The reason that a decrepit old Billionaire geezer like Mr. Lindner would want to destroy passenger rail travel in the United States is so simple, even a dimwitted rubber-stamped Harvard MBA like George W. Bush could understand: Mr. Lindner made his billions operating the UDF convenience stores which feature Mobil gasoline pumps.

Bottom line: More Amtrak riders = fewer gas pumpers to gouge.