I have to say that while this post was originally intended to be entertaining, when I started thinking about Amtrak being shut down for real, I felt kind of sad. If it did happen, I suppose the only parts of the Amtrak system that would survive would be in the Northeast, California, and some of the regional routes out of Chicago.
These new regional railroads would consist of the Northeast Corridor; NYS Empire Service, (possibly including Vermont and Montreal); The Downeaster; and California's Capitol Corridor and Pacific Surfliner.
I doubt much would remain of Amtrak anywhere in the Northwest besides the Cascades Services. Montana would still have its independently operated Rocky Mountain deluxe tourist train.
California's routes already are state operated to a large extent. Little would change in that state. I believe Coast Starlight service would be eliminated if Amtrak closed down, but the San Joaquin Valley would stand a good chance of keeping its trains.
Perhaps an expanded Metra would operate some of Amtrak's Chicago regional routes, e.g., Chicago-Milwaukee, Chicago-Quincy, Chicago-Carbondale, and maybe even Chicago-St. Louis-Kansas City, with continued funding from the State of Missouri.
Pennsylvania would probably make a move to keep the Philadelphia-Harrisburg trains going and maybe the Pennsylvanian running between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh too. But with what rolling stock? How would Amtrak's assets be disbursed?
What would happen to Amtrak's trackage in Michigan?
Would North Carolina continue operating its Raleigh-Charlotte train?
How about Oklahoma's state-funded Heartland Flyer?
There may not be a way for all of these regional lines to operate outside the umbrella of Amtrak at present, but I'm sure that faced with closure, state and local governments and their constituents would demand continued passenger rail services, and funding would be found, even with subsidies from Washington under different auspices.
The moment Amtrak closed, entire regions would be without any passenger rail services whatsoever. Very few major metropolitan areas would be connected by rail to any other major metropolitan area more than a few hundred miles distant.
And what about new, private ventures the Bush Administration believes would enter into the passenger train buisness?
The only long distance passenger service in the United States would be the American Orient Express, an experience that costs more than many people could ever afford, and one that exists solely for vacation purposes.
Could a new, private Auto-Train to Florida support itself? What prompted Amtrak to absorb the original independently operated Auto-Train? Was A-T bankrupt?
I believe there's a strong possibility either Florida and/or Texas eventually will build regional high speed routes. I especially think Florida will do so, with a route between Miami and Orlando/Tampa.
The famous landmark stations Amtrak uses would remain standing, since most of them also handle commuter trains. But would Denver keep its famous station? Salt Lake City? Portland, Oregon?
How would America without Amtrak really be? Would it be noticeably missed by the country as a whole?
There's a lot of talk about how much the government spends to keep Amtrak going. Isn't the amount just a fraction of the entire federal budget? Has the federal budget ever been balanced?
Amtrak closing down. It is a sad thought.
Could it be that after all the trials and tribulations with new locomotives through the years, the station renovations, the system expansions (and then reductions), and the introduction of exciting brand new rolling stock, all Amtrak represents in sum is a fruitless attempt to keep some doomed patient alive just a little bit longer?
Remember when the F40s and the Amcoaches and the Superliners were brand new? Didn't American industries profit from designing and marketing these products? Didn't American workers earn a living from building and maintaining them too? Hasn't Amtrak been good for America? Hasn't Amtrak been doing a pretty good job, considering it has had one hand tied behind its back its entire existence?
Wasn't the idea of Amtrak fueled by optimism? If so, what has become of that optimism?
If Amtrak is shut down, at least timetable collectors will have a more interesting hobby once again, what with all the new regional railroads that will appear.
Or perhaps the brand name and managerial entity called Amtrak would still exist and still issue a national timetable, minus any long distance trains.
In that case, the name Amtrak itself might as well be put to rest.
Perhaps in the near future we'll be seeing things like "The New York & Hudson River Railroad, Spring Timetable, 2005."
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
[This message has been edited by dnsommer (edited 11-14-2003).]
[This message has been edited by dnsommer (edited 11-14-2003).]
[This message has been edited by dnsommer (edited 11-15-2003).]
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