Forecast for 2004: Amtrak will suck
The Ft. Worth Star-Telegram reports Amtrak is set to recieve $1.22 billion next year, which is enough to maintain service for appropriators' districts, but not enough to fix infrastructure problems.
Amtrak will continue to suffer from chronic punctuality problems and breakdowns.
People won't ride it because of said problems.
When the 2005 budget comes around, Congress will short-change Amtrak because nobody rides it outside of the Northeast Corridor.
Sometimes, you need to spend money to make money -- by underfunding maintainance, you guarantee the paltry sum that is spent will go down the drain. Privatize the system, you say? How do you suppose unsubsidised rail travel will compete against gas-tax financed interstate highways and lawsuit-proof, constantly bailed-out airlines? Perhaps we should maintain government ownership of the tracks and privatize just the trains. How long do you think it will take before some congressman holds a train company's license (or the track budget) hostage unless it makes unprofitable stops in his town?
I think rail transit should get a maintainance budget from a dedicated fund -- a gas tax surcharge, perhaps -- just like the interstates. Cut long-haul routes that lose too much money and encourage regional lines that could compete with short-haul commuter planes.
Post Author:
rj3 | 11:14 AM |
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