Today’s Good News: “Strong Future” For Amtrak
This summer’s airline woes have driven more and more riders to our beleagured national rail system. Amtrak’s higher profile and improved service is helping it in Washington: the head of the House transportation committee says “the dynamics have shifted in favor of a strong future for Amtrak.” An 8/23 story in the Wall St. Journal paints a bright picture. Amtrak recently added another daily NY-DC trip on the eastern corridor to meet new demand. And it’s not just the Northeast. The WSJ notes that “while the long-distance trains continue to suffer…ridership is up sharply on some improved state-supported corridors, including Chicago-St. Louis, up 53% in the 10 months since July.” While Amtrak is a favorite punching bag for the Bush administration, new funding for capital projects has passed the House and is being considered in the Senate. Even airlines are on board, calling for the US to do “what governments in Europe and Asia have done - building high-speed trains for short distances and freeing up runway space for long-distance flights.”  Major expansion of train service would cost big bucks to build new tunnels and straighter rail lines, and we’re not there yet. But the expansion of Amtrak support is definitely an encouraging word.
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