” the Northeast Corridor will need about $1 billion annually over the next 20 years to meet capital costs on all tracks, tunnels, and bridges. Nearly all this money will be spent repairing iffy electrification and degraded rail bed along the route from New York to Washington.”
http://www.slate.com/id/2067822/
When gas costs soar the trains make a small operating profit, otherwise they lose money any way you slice it.
The Northeast corridor is usually profitable and more so then any airline operating in the region. Infrastructure costs are bonded and I’m not up on the accounting practices.
It is a unique area given the large population centers close together which make rail travel the best travel option.
The Northeast corridor is the only part of Amtrak that would be bought by a private company and this has been tride a few times.