Amtrak Ridership Hits Record High, As GOP Proposes Cutting Its Funding By 60 Percent

[ProSense]

Amtrak Ridership Hits Record High, As GOP Proposes Cutting Its Funding By 60 Percent

By Pat Garofalo

Amtrak officials announced yesterday that “Amtrak trains carried more than 30 million passengers in the past 12 months, the most in one year since the passenger railroad was created four decades ago.” Ridership is up 5 percent over a year ago, and ticket revenue is up 8 percent.

...However, Republicans in Congress are ready to take Amtrak out at the knees:

A House appropriations subcommittee passed a bill that provides Amtrak with $227 million for operations in 2012, down from $563 million in each of the past two years. Amtrak also would get $899 million for capital expenditures, down $25 million.

In addition to this 60 percent cut, the bill “would prohibit using Amtrak’s federal funding to operate state-supported train service.” Earlier this year, House Transportation Committee Chairman John Mica (R-FL) “proposed soliciting bids from other railroads for the right to service the 456-mile Northeast Corridor, which is the heart of Amtrak’s operations.”

“Americans are returning to the rails in record numbers, yet Republicans are pulling out all of the stops in their rush to auction off Amtrak’s assets to the highest bidder on Wall Street,” said Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV). The National Association of Railroad Passengers has warned that the GOP’s cuts “would be tantamount to shutting down the entire Amtrak network, because the remaining routes could not cover the system’s overhead costs.”

Based on the above, the total Amtrak receives is about $1.5 billion annually. That's about 129 hours or five and a half days of tax cuts for the rich.

[Andy823]

1. More BS from the GOP!

There should be more money for railroad projects, not less. I was in the army, stationed in Germany, back in the early 70's, and train travel was the number one mode of transportation! Trains went everywhere. We took many trips around the country on trains, and it was a great way to see the country. Republicans are just plain crazy when they so things like this, and I sure hope the public opens their eyes to the insanity going on inside the GOP!

[GentryDixon]

7. I agree. My Eurail pass took me to many

countries. I marveled at the ease of hopping on a train and going between so many countries.

Even my home state of Utah has found the rail system is working, after fighting tooth and nail against the TRAX system we now have.

[earthside]

2. Okay.

To be consistent, I want to hear that the Repuglicans are going to get the taxpayer out of the air passenger business. Let the airlines put-up all the money for running air traffic control and building and maintaining airports and runways.

So .... that would probably mean about a $1000 to fly one-way from Washington, D.C. to Baltimore, right?

I also hope then that the Repuglicans get the taxpayer out of the automobile passenger business. Let the car manufacturers and the oil companies build and maintain all new and existing roads and also foot the bill for highway patrol and all traffic cops.

Why do Repuglicans hate high-tech interstate rail so much?

[MadMaddie]

3. Of course this is to be expected

They see that Amtrak is successful and they want to privatize it....they can't justify privatizing it without starving it of funding.....this is their regular MO.....plus is they decrease ridership, they increase the use of cars and gas, oil...etc.....See how that works.....fucking Republicans are anti-American.....

[Supersedeas]

12. turning their back on the populace in the name of a wealth few is the Republican way

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

4. This is no surprise to me.

The younger generation (my daughter included) is turning away from cars and towards public transportation as a means of getting more from their crappy min wage retail jobs. Almost all of her friends bike, take the bus and train.

The ones that buy cars are living at home with the parents, as making $1,000 a month net certainly will not pay rent, car payment, insurance and other car expenses.

My daughter asked for an Amtrack gift certificate for her birthday. She is 20, and between her 32 hour a week retail job, and junior college courses, has been spending most of her time at the local OWS.

Younger kids are also turning away from TV viewing, but that is another subject.

[izquierdista]

5. Wow, 30 million!

That's like one ride for every 10 Americans. What does that compare to?

In Germany, Deutsche Bahn had a little shy of 2 BILLION riders in 2010. That's 25 rides for each German.
SNCF had a little over 1 BILLION riders in 2010 -- or only 15 rides for each Frenchman.

Nothing like public transportation in America. Nope, not a thing like it.

[ProSense]

6. Yeah

"In Germany, Deutsche Bahn had a little shy of 2 BILLION riders in 2010. That's 25 rides for each German.
SNCF had a little over 1 BILLION riders in 2010 -- or only 15 rides for each Frenchman."

...but how much does Germany spend on their railways?

I mean, the OP is about defunding Amtrak, not expanding it.

[izquierdista]

9. Enough to have a good system.

But figure that they had to start over in 1945, as much of their track and rolling stock had been blown up. In the last 66 years, they have sunk money, labor, planning, and effort and they have a system that is arguably the best in the world.

What has America done in the last 66 years? Built and expanded an interstate highway system that was meant to replace, not complement, a passenger rail system. Depots have been torn down or turned into antique shops, track has been turned into bicycle paths, and right-of-ways have been sold off. Americans have painted themselves into a corner where the only alternative to the private automobile is a commercial airline flight. Bus service is rudimentary and primitive, even compared to a country like Mexico. And when the effects of peak oil really start to kick in, which country is going to be in the most pain? We're #1, we're #1!

[Leontius]

8. Strengthen Amtrak don't strangle it is the message that needs

to be pushed and pushed hard. More routes, more trains, more cities served that's what's needed.

[SkyDaddy7]

10. The GOP literally wants to force everyone to...

use cars, buy expensive gas & pump as much CO2 into the air as possible while defunding the EPA!

Maybe the GOP/Religious Right actually do understand & know their policies are destroying the planet & will lead to more armed conflict around the world...And this is just another way in their eyes to bring on Armageddon & the return of ZOMBIE CHRIST?

Seriously, it would not shock me at all. Because almost everything they are trying to do will make our current problems worse!

[yoyossarian]

11. Sorry I didn't have a chance to Rec this...

No one's talkin' about it lately, and it's VERY important...
These TERMITES who call themselves our leaders are trying to
DESTROY the US POST OFFICE, and now AMTRAK?

FUCK! FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK!!!

So here's a kick so it'll get more attention.