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Future of Amtrak and Rail travel in US?
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: [QB] I have become considerably more pessimistic about the future of the Long Distance (LD) services. There really is only one one part of Amtrak that is absolutely essential and that is the Northeast Corridor. Since any kind of a nine state Regional Authority to operate it is quite simply unworkable, its only source of needed funding is the Federal trough. I have previously held that the LD's were simply the catalyst needed to ensure Federal-level funding of the Corridor, or, as I noted here in the past, "No Yuma?, No Moolah!!!!". Even though the LD's really do not incur all that much of an incremental deficit (or at least so long as the existing equipment can be made roadworthy), most of their fixed costs are avoidable. Don't run one?, no need to "fill 'er up", pay the crew, and for that matter pay the Class One railroad to dispatch it. Had the Warrington Gang not seen fit to 'hock the house, to charge a blouse" (all previously paid for by Appropriation equipment is now leased - thanks GW) I would say that practically all the cost of running an LD was incremental. But, disagreemnts respected - I know where they will be coming from, the LD's provide scant economic value. Even though the Law of the Land calls for a National System, and a requirement that Amtrak will operate any train, subject to reasonable and practical operating conditions, funded by a local initiative, I believe that there have been "under the table" committments to fund the Corridor to whatever extent is needed to ensure it is viable without maintaining an LD system. I further believe that there are a burgeoning number of private sector rail passenger operators about, who, if the "price is right", would contract directly with a sponsor and a railroad to operate the local initiative services (i.e. California Capitols, San Joaquins, and Surfliners - the only ones anywhere of any consequence). I believe the Gunn Adminiostration already has a plan in force to gradually kill the LD System. While hardly the 'wholesale' cutting that occurred during the "Carter" (1979) and "Mercer" (1995) cuts, "pruning" is definitely the order of the day. Even though, the Mail & Express 'salvation' only turned out be be some Enron accounting figment, it was much easier to justify the allotment of a scare dispatchment block on a Class One with the M&E than without it. So I'm pessimistic; even though until the "Gunnmen' came to town, I thought the LD's were quite safe. The Corridor, on the other hand, I'm quite confident is "here to stay'. Every time I go near it, and despite its only "adequately satisfactory" level of service, it seems busier than it did on the previous visit. [/QB][/QUOTE]
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