In the NE Corridor, 750K a DAY use AMTRAK. If we let it starve, all those people . . . . .

[Stinky The Clown]

. . . . . will be in cars or on planes. Supporting that extra load on highways and airports will require . . . . wait for it . . . . M.O.N.E.Y.

Rail is the cheapest way to move a lot of people. for short to moderate trips.

In England, they spend many billions more on an otherwise not profitable rail system because it SAVES MONEY and is better for the environment. China spends over $125B on their rail system.

Last year the Republicans allowed AMTRAK to get a meager $1.1B.

Way ta go, Guys!!!! Yay Tax Cuts.

Motherfuckers.

[Gormy Cuss]

1. Kick

[ColesCountyDem]

2. Kick and rec!

[lostnfound]

3. Productivity and health

Two more side benefits to investment in rail is that it gets people out walking more (I get 40 minutes of walking in every day in my train commute) which is good for health care costs and in some cases improves productivity -- people catch up on email and read on the train, try doing that while you're driving a car in traffic.

I wouldn't be surprised if, on average, it also helps family life, because time on the train and walking is often a way to de-stress, while driving in traffic can make you ready to snap when you walk in the door.

And as I get older, driving on crowded highways seems bewildering or overwhelming at times.

[GeorgeGist]

4. Leading the race to the bottom.

[swilton]

5. US Rail System is Totally Third World

Pales in comparison to China, Russia, and the rest of the industrialized world....Lobbyists for the fossil fuel industries prefer to have Americans rely on motor cars hence the meager subsidies for Amtrak...individualized transportation as opposed to communal/energy efficient transportation is sort of in the American mass culture

On a personal note, I try to use the Amtrak system between DC and Vermont and beyond. ...I like to think of it as being more relaxing and saving energy. But utilizing the train trip is a challenge - it could be so much better...On the New England excursion-- that track is where they had today's accident....The time for the trip is roughly the same that it was decades ago.(Noam Chomsky has commented on this)...I've traveled on other excursions to the south - My experience is that trains have been delayed by hours due to infrastructure challenges; food is substandard (i.e., breakfasts serve instant oatmeal and 'instant' eggs etc., no fresh food).....restrooms on multi > 8 hour excursions are rarely cleaned on both the northeast and southern and Chicago bound trips.

Have also been riding European trains for decades - much different...high speed rails are faster, multiple routes so that arrival - departure times are extremely flexible....nice food either with people walking up and down the aisles with portable wagons selling snacks (i.e. German sausages) or sit down meals....there are a variety of options for seating accommodations as well.....

The US could benefit from an overhaul of its mass transit system and such an overhaul would provide genuine opportunity for 'green jobs' with a future....But I don't see that happening short of a Bernie Sanders or a candidate outside the main 2-party system winning an election... Money well spent rather than on the MIC or tax cuts for the wealthy....

[loooneranger]

9. It's not as black and white as that.

China is structured more as densely populated cities where rail makes sense. (thats why the most used amtrak line is the NE corridor) America is more spread out metropolises.
The Chinese government does not have to worry unduly about things like environmental impact and acquiring the right of way. For truly high speed rail, you need a long straightaway with few curves or inclines. That means it’s very important to lay the rail in the best possible path, or near it. Trying to do this between, say, New York and Chicago would mean approximately a century of court battles with homeowners, environmental groups, local NIMBYs, and sundry others. Moreover, many desirable routes are occupied by our enormous network of highways, and only someone with a very rich fantasy life could believe that we are going to rip out the highways to put in a rail network.

[americannightmare]

12. Well, with all the excuses...

maybe it's better that climate change will render us extinct before we would be forced to make a larger investment in rail. We could put the train down the middle of the highways, just as they've done with light rail in Los Angeles. But no, the same old tired excuses will be trotted out. Thanks for the contribution.

[kairos12]

6. Teahaddists don't care about a Blue State crash.

[MisterP]

7. and to cap it al off, apparently the Positive Train Control (onboard autobrake) system

would've been installed in a month or two--had it not been for budget cuts

[kairos12]

11. Teahaddists see Amtrak riders as a bunch of takers.

[moondust]

14. Apparently could have been installed years ago.

Rachel dug into this a bit on her show. "This is on Congress' head." She had some charts showing that Amtrak ridership is way up while funding is way down.

[jtuck004]

8. Which heats up the world even faster, eh? n/t

[Initech]

10. And they want to slash the budget for Amtrak further!!!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

13. Keep in mind that Bob Schieffer said socialists want to nationalize the railroads....

But then, the closest he's been to a train lately is an old Cary Grant movie.

[Stinky The Clown]

15. I heard the news story again. The 750K is all rail riders in the NE Corridor.

So it includes commuter rail and AMTRAK, not just AMTRAK. Just to be accurate. The story is still the same, as all rail is starved by the Congress, not just AMTRAK.

[pinboy3niner]

16. You can check their 'Amtrak National Facts' page here:

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1246041980246