Congress has just told Amtrak that long distance, AKA "experiential", trains should not go away. Unless Mr. Anderson is a fool, he will heed that directive.
Suburban Station wrote:Amtrak funding has increased, Amtrak now has to invest it wisely and show it is using it well. what anderson appears to be doing is preserving the system by using it for MW equipment to improve the railroad, PTC investments, ADA investments, and equipment replacement. that is a irrational approach given that amtrak can't assume funding will stay robust. he seems to believe congress is more willing to fund asset improvements than operating subsidies and I suspect he's correct.I would agree. I would go further and say that capital funding is always going to be easier than operational funding. Capital funding leads to things that politicians can be photographed opening or riding out of the factory. That is why it is silly that the passenger rail equipment makers have not shifted production to places fairly hostile to passenger rail, but that love pork spending. Making Amtrak Great Again might involve some well located rolling stock plants.
