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I think I've only ridden Amtrak once in my life, a very long time ago when I was a kid for a brief interstate route.
But never thought to take one to travel anywhere in America myself. Sure, it's an "experience" that some prefer.
But for me, I don't see the appeal of paying for a train ticket to go to another state, at a cost that can be more than a plane ticket, and takes much longer to get there (with crappy food and service sometimes).
Mod cut. America's premier passenger rail service is going for broke with the release of its 15-year "Corridor Vision." The company's plan, which was published yesterday, calls for service improvements along 25 existing routes, the creation of another 39, and the expansion of service to 160 new cities across the country.
To bring this vision into reality, the for-profit Amtrak is asking for $75 billion in new federal funding and the power to enforce the prioritization of its own passenger trains' movement on tracks owned by private freight rail companies.
"Now is the time to invest in our country's infrastructure and future," said Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn in a press release. "New and improved rail service has the ability to change how our country moves and provides cleaner air, less traffic and a more connected country."
Moderator note: Since this is the Travel forum, please make your posts relevant to travel via Amtrak, and don't turn this thread into a political discussion. Save your political commentary for the Politics forum. Thanks.
Last edited by PJSaturn; 06-07-2021 at 09:27 AM..
Reason: Political.
I think I've only ridden Amtrak once in my life, a very long time ago when I was a kid for a brief interstate route.
But never thought to take one to travel anywhere in America myself. Sure, it's an "experience" that some prefer.
But for me, I don't see the appeal of paying for a train ticket to go to another state, at a cost that can be more than a plane ticket, and takes much longer to get there (with crappy food and service sometimes).
OK, so you won't use it. I will (and I regularly take Amtrak). I don't drive on highways that much, and I don't find being trapped in a confined space at speeds of only 60-70 mph particularly appealing, but I recognize the benefits that they offer. So I'm not going to oppose Mod cut. plans to increase spending on money-losing highways.
The Acela in the Northeast is often much faster (and way more comfortable) than flying (even flying first class), and long-distance and corridor trains around the US can be a lot more efficient than flying, particularly between secondary cities. For example, if you want to go from northern Georgia to northern Virginia, taking a train that leaves at 9am and arrives at 9am can be much more efficient (in terms of daylight time spent traveling) than driving to the Atlanta airport, flying and then driving again.
But not everyone will take Amtrak. Not everyone is expected to. What works for me doesn't have to work for you, and vice-versa.
Last edited by PJSaturn; 06-02-2021 at 09:21 AM..
Reason: Political.
I didn't use it a lot because it's not available where I live.
I will be more than happy to use it if Amtrak can take me from where I live to where I want to go. I don't even demand European/Asian high speed rail, just regular Amtrak service is good enough for me.
Mod cut.
Last edited by PJSaturn; 06-02-2021 at 09:25 AM..
Reason: Off-topic.
Mod cut. Amtrak is brutal. That horse should be led out to pasture and put down - put it out of it's misery. Amtrak has lost money every single year since 1970 - what other private business is allowed to do that?
$75 billion.....this has to stop...
Last edited by PJSaturn; 06-02-2021 at 09:26 AM..
Reason: Political.
The Acela in the Northeast is often much faster (and way more comfortable) than flying (even flying first class).
I don't know about that. My experience with Amtrak was subpar (I've taken the regular and the Acela from DC to NY a few times). Aside from being able to bring your carry on/baggage without worry about weight and size limit, I can't think of other winning points for Amtrak. Even the Acela was shaky and noisy.
The same DC to NY route could've been had for $69 or so (before pandemic) via multiple airlines and you're there in around 1 hour. The cheapest fare for the same route would have been $49 per person one way via Northeast Corridor - and only if you booked it way, way, (as in 3 months minimum) in advance to get a decent schedule.
I take Amtrak a few times a year to visit family. Yes, it takes longer than a flight, but it's cheaper, has more leg room, and I like the journey. Train travel is a good thing, imo, and I do think it should be expanded.
Passenger rail cannot compete with the car/air travel combination for most of the USA.
The idea of spending billions of public money on any passenger rail network besides Wash-Boston and a few other select routes is just flushing money down the drain. It is over for passenger rail. Most USA cities do not have the downtown residential/business density to support rail. Post Covid and there might be even less density in city centers.
High speed rail is almost impossible to build in the US due to cost. California is proof of the excessive cost.
Rail still has the same 'last mile problem'. That means the need for parking/rental cars/car service at stations. How is that going to work in downtown locations? The costs to create parking and rental services in central rail stations would be prohibitive. These services already exist at airports.
There is no way the Amtrak should be given any more rail to develop and operate. It should be up to private entities to make the few potential routes work. An example would be Texas Central trying to connect Houston to Dallas with a stop in the College Station area. This route might work if they can ever build it.
The other side of the coin for the Houston to Dallas route is the price per ticket. If it is similar to the airlines it will be in the $200-$300 range. I do not think there are many leisure traveling families of 3 who are going to drop $600 for 3 round trip (Hou to Dal) train tickets plus the potential need for a rental car at the destination vs $100 worth of gas for a round trip drive in the family pickup. Saving maybe an hour by rail each way is not worth the huge price difference. A realistic time study might show no time saved based on how far is the drive/traffic to the station, time in the station and then, at the other end of the trip, time to get out of the station, and time to get to the actual final destination. These are real decisions that potential rail users are going to calculate.
If you are interested in this gobbity goop, check the link above. Anyway, I am in the Poconos, northeast PA region where Amtrak is proposing a new route from Scranton, PA to NYC. 3.5 hours from Scranton to NYC. There are plenty of commuters to NYC in our region. The other side of the coin is the denizens of our area have heard this pipe dream plenty over the past 4 decades. NJ Transit is attempting to revive the old Lackawanna cutoff route which essentially is the same route Amtrak wants to envision for Scranton to NYC.
The station at Andover, NJ is taking forever to come to fruition. And that proposed station is still years off from opening. Geographically that proposed station is 2 stops away from the bridge over to PA. Speaking of that bridge. The bridge that needs to be built to connect NJ/PA will take billions to build/rehab which ever direction the designers deem viable. That will take a good chunk of that 75 billion in of itself. Point being, that 75 billion is a low number for revitalizing this country's railways. Mod cut.
Last edited by PJSaturn; 06-02-2021 at 09:32 AM..
Reason: Political.
If air travel was not so hideously awful Amtrak should be shut down. But air travel is beyond awful now. TSA+ psychos flying + tiny seats + having to arrive extra extra early + security lines. Where density allows, train travel is by far best. Like the NE corridor.
If you are interested in this gobbity goop, check the link above. Anyway, I am in the Poconos, northeast PA region where Amtrak is proposing a new route from Scranton, PA to NYC. 3.5 hours from Scranton to NYC. There are plenty of commuters to NYC in our region. The other side of the coin is the denizens of our area have heard this pipe dream plenty over the past 4 decades. NJ Transit is attempting to revive the old Lackawanna cutoff route which essentially is the same route Amtrak wants to envision for Scranton to NYC.
The station at Andover, NJ is taking forever to come to fruition. And that proposed station is still years off from opening. Geographically that proposed station is 2 stops away from the bridge over to PA. Speaking of that bridge. The bridge that needs to be built to connect NJ/PA will take billions to build/rehab which ever direction the designers deem viable. That will take a good chunk of that 75 billion in of itself. Point being, that 75 billion is a low number for revitalizing this country's railways. [snip]
I heard the Andover Station is relatively close to starting. Then again, it does not require rebuilding a giant bridge like PA does Might be a good idea to run it to the literal river and stick a station there to allow the non wealthy to commute from PA without building a multi billion dollar bridge. People in NW NJ are being forced out by skyrocketing rents/values.
Last edited by PJSaturn; 06-02-2021 at 09:33 AM..
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There are plenty of commuters to NYC in our region. The other side of the coin is the denizens of our area have heard this pipe dream plenty over the past 4 decades. NJ Transit is attempting to revive the old Lackawanna cutoff route which essentially is the same route Amtrak wants to envision for Scranton to NYC. 
