Passenger train service was gradually dying when Amtrak was created in 1971.  If it could be successful in this day and age, there'd never have been a "need" for Amtrak.  There'd be multiple providers and many more routes.  Amtrak leaves large parts of the country unserved.  From where I live it's 90 miles to the nearest station.  Nashville, a fairly large city, is not served.  South Dakota and Wyoming have absolutely no service.  And on and on and on.

Personally I hate to say it, but the days of passenger trains as basic transportation has passed.  The only exception may be along the East Coast where there are a lot of people and a lot of routes.  Elsewhere, it's just not practical. 

If I ever travel by train again, it'll be for nostalgia or perhaps one of those scenic routes on vacation.  But passenger trains will never be a part of my routine.

When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.

memories are of train rides. When my son was 2 we took him across Canada by train. We have taken various train rides since, down to see Grandma at Christmas (WA to CA), etc. Each time we have a "cabin" and have loved the trips.

Last summer my husband and I decided to take a trip from Tucson, AZ to Chicago, IL by Amtrak and drive from there around Canada, PA and back to Chicago for the train home. Again, we had the best accomodations they advertised. We may never take the train again. Of course, it was very late...that was ok, we had no deadlines, but the train was not clean and most of the people working on the train did not seem very happy or friendly. There were other problems, too. It is a shame, it WAS fun.

This is happening all over the country.  dimocrat controlled cities are launching or have launched intra city rail transport encumbering their citizens with billions of dollars in debt.  Meanwhile, the bus system that it will supposedly take the place of is free of passengers.  Yes, that is what I said. The majority of the time the intra city buses throughout America run empty.  Nevertheless, they have been, are, and will be 100% funded, just like Amtrak.  And, I'll bet you that when the rail in your city is complete, the bus system will not be discarded, but run even emptier and cost even more tax dollars. 

Personal anecdote - my wife and I travel often from North Carolina to D.C. to see our son.  We decided to take Amtrak once.  Never again.  The trains were old, dirty, and smelly.  The food was worse then airline food.  The track was ramshackle often forcing the train to slow to a crawl or even stop.  And, apparently, no one from the engineer to the conductor carries a watch.  We were six and half hours late to our destination.  To top it off, I could have driven my car, even at today's prices, for about half the cost of the fare for both of us. 

Meanwhile, just like the intra city bus systems and soon to be launched in a city near you "light" rail systems, Amtrak has sucked billions of tax dollars out of us tax payers over the years.  It has NEVER run in the black. 

In other words, this bill is sure to pass! 

If ridership is up 14%, and if it keeps rising, shouldn't that pay for all of these upgrades? I'm pretty sure if it were privatized, it would be run effeciently enough to make a profit, and be upgraded without the govt. throwing money at it. Then again, if it were profitable, someone other than govt. would be doing it.

"This
liberal would be all about socialize -- uh, uh, would be about
basically taking over and the government running all of your companies."-Maxine Waters 2008

If more people start riding Amtrak, they'll get more income and be able to invest in better stuff. Isn't that kind of the point?