Posted on 01/24/2019 5:21:12 AM PST by vannrox
Glad to see that are tax dollars are funding their sightseeing trips.
“are” = “our”
I thought we heard this all before...
I’d be sympathetic to your loss of buttery grits, bacon and white tablecloths if you were paying full fare, ie, without the billions in subsidies from government.
Isn’t Amtrak subsidized?
Moving people by train is a HUGE waste of resources! Planes can travel 10 times faster, never block other traffic, can change routes easily.
Last time I took an overnight train in the US it was exactly that experience. Sleeper cabin, table service and hot meals made to order. But that was decades ago. Took overnight train in Europe, it was not as pleasurable - no dining car. But they went around to the sleeper cars to take meal orders. I’ve taken short haul trains recently, 3-4 hours. Meals in a box. Drink choices limited. I had to tip the veverage guy $5 for a couple extra bottles of single-serve red wine. At least the price was fair. The train ticket was fair, and the ride for the short haul though probably 1 hour longer than driving was much more pleasurable and relaxing than driving.
Prior to this year, the subsidy rate was near $1.5-billion a year. I think the new revised subsidy to take place was dropping down near half of that.
I will point this out. You can’t find a single rail service in Asia, Canada, Europe or China....that operates freely without any subsidy.
If you did cut the subsidy entirely....then the ticket prices would rise in a drastic sense with Amtrak (probably over 50-percent in short-runs, and maybe 100-percent for the coast to coast trips). I would certainly not pay $1800 for a small cabin deal from Chicago to Seattle (one-way).
“Isn’t Amtrak subsidized?”
Globally RR’s are subsidized. There has never been a successful railroad effort except for maybe one and a freeper once told me where that was... it might have been the bullet train in Japan, but I’m not exactly sure because my memory does not accurately recall. However, Railways in America have never been successfully run without subsidies.
Actually, trains are the most energy-efficient way of travelling, or in today-speak, the “greenest”
The government should subsidize a stagecoach line across the plains. That would such a one-in-a lifetime treat to travel. And wouldn’t it be so cool to send someone a Christmas card by Pony Express (Mail it in September!)
Read between the lines....Trump’s fault.
I suggest you actually read what else this writer says before making such a slur against her.
A good place to start is: https://townhall.com/columnists/salenazito/.
Have a blessed day.
He was the last to bed at night, and the first up in the morning. He purchased all the food, made all the meals, kept everything clean, and even polished the shoes left at night in the shoe compartments (accessible from both inside and outside the berths). Every morning he made breakfast to order, and even left a box of the correct brand of cigarettes beside the plates of those who smoked.
When someone asked why the custom silverware and china plates all had the name "Fairlane" boldly printed on them, it was explained that the car had been once owned by Henry Ford. It was returned to the railroad when he stopped using it. That was obviously how the elite travelled before airplanes.
“Actually, trains are the most energy-efficient way of travelling, or in today-speak, the “greenest” “
I think that is for freight, I’m not sure about people.
Is AMTRAK still losing cars?
I remember watching the SALT ratification hearings and there was very tedious and lengthy discussion about placement of and accountability for ICBM’s, so the US could comply with the SALT guidelines, while keeping mobile missiles secretly stored and out of Russian range
Simultaneously in the news… AMTRAK had a problem accounting for some lost cars.
I think it was Senator Church who finally said: “Why not just mount the ICBM’s on AMTRAK... GIVE the Russians the schedule ... and they’ll NEVER find them.”
There are very few places in the US where passenger train service makes sense. Boston-New York is probably the best example. High population centers with robust public transportation when you get there.
Yes, moving freight long distance by train makes sense. Not people. Long-haul self driving trucks may change things.
The Northeast Corridor lines on Amtrak (Boston to D.C.) are likely the only lines that a privatized Amtrak could continue profitably. The rest of the lines exit only to make some state and federal legislators happy, thinking they are doing something “good” while forcing Amtrak to not run profitably.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.