Another View: Americans' appetite for Amtrak service growing

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013310290052&nclick_check=1

Oct. 28, 2013 10:47 PM

Written by
John Previsich and Edward Wytkind

While politicians can’t agree on much, Iowans and the majority of Americans surely agree on one thing: They want more Amtrak service, not less.

On the heaviest traveled passenger rail corridor in the nation, the Northeast Corridor, Amtrak keeps breaking ridership records. But the untold story is that in a large swath of less-traveled rail corridors in middle America, including Iowa, people want Congress to keep investing in and expanding Amtrak service.

It is time for Congress to listen and stop pursuing risky defunding and private contracting schemes.

Amtrak recently reported that its trains carried a record 31.6 million passengers last year, up from 20 million in 2000. And ridership on the California Zephyr and Southwest Chief lines, which traverse Iowa across southern counties, also saw a healthy spike in ridership.

FULL story at link.

[SoCalDem]

1. Air travel has lost its "luster"..

ans for people who have few time constraints, rail travel can be a viable option

[angstlessk]

2. I love Amtrak...spent most of my trip from Rhode Island

to Florida in the Bar Car, though it should be called the Gaming Car, as most people were playing cards and just chatting, though some were there to drink, most were there to pass the time and socialize.

Can you imagine that in an airplane? One must sit stiffly in their own seats for plane ride...how very un fun!!!!!

[Jamaal510]

3. Too bad

there is no Amtrak train service where I'm staying in Humboldt County; all there is here are buses...

[FarCenter]

4. Amtrack Northeast Corridor service was partially interrupted 9/25 to 10/7.

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/MTA-Amtrak-New-Haven-Line-Service-Resumes-226597161.html
http://www.lohud.com/article/20131028/NEWS02/310280026/New-Haven-Line-outage-cost-up-12-million-Metro-North-says

[closeupready]

5. Doesn't matter. The auto and airline industries do not

want the competition, and lobby heavily against expanding and improving Amtrak service. Ergo, it will remain viable only where it is today.

[jollyreaper2112]

6. Needs improvement

Flying has become a miserable, degrading experience. But Amtrak also suffers from republican attacks. It's greyhound on rails. It can be done so much better. I look forward to it becoming better.

I took a trip up to Maryland from Florida a few years back. I could fly at 7 and be there by the afternoon, or I could take the trian and be there with like a 28 hour transit time. It's the same money either way. So that's losing like a day and a half to the train each way or a third or a day each way.

Now the Japanese, their bullet trains are the shit. China, sounds like just shit. American trains? Just embarrassing. We could do so much better.

[tanyev]

7. We'd use it a lot more if there were more routes going more places.