Amtrak president says Bush funding proposal would shut down railroad

[MaineDem]

WASHINGTON (AP) President Bush's proposal to give Amtrak just over half what it is seeking in federal subsidies would shut the railroad down just as more passengers are taking the train, Amtrak President David Gunn said Tuesday.

For fiscal 2005 starting in October, Amtrak asked for $1.798 billion, or about $300 million more than it had available for 2004. The new request includes a $570 million operating subsidy, repayment of a $100 million government loan and $791 million for replacing rails and ties, repairing bridges and overhauling major equipment.

Bush proposed giving the railroad $900 million in the new budget year.

''The president's number is a shutdown number,'' Gunn said during a meeting with reporters.

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/041/wash/Amtrak_president_says_Bush_fun:.shtml

[maxsolomon]

1. would it kill us to use the gas tax to support rail?

once the oil runs out, we'll wish we had.

[pinto]

2. kick, inter city, intra state and inter state.

[Cigarskunk]

3. Plenty of oil - as long as Republicans are in charge

If we run out then Bush will just invade another country or wipe out the Alaskan wildlife and natives to drill in the wilds up north (and as someone who's been there in the fall, I can tell you that it and the BC/Yukon are some of the most beautiful virgin forests you've ever seen).

[m-jean03]

4. BASTARDS !!!!! I LOVE THE FRICKING TRAIN!!!!!!!

KICKKKKKKKKKK I AM MADDDDDDDDD

[UpInArms]

11. I love Amtrak!

The train is an awesome way to travel - absolutely the best way to go - only wish there were more lines - would use it for every trip I make if possible.

We can give the airline industry billions and billions and they treat you like a cow - the train is the only way to feel like a human being.

[Malva Zebrina]

12. me too

I once, a few years ago, took the trip from Boston to California on Amrak and had the time of my life on this train. It was an excellent experience that I really enjoyed, and I met a lot people on that train that became friends.

It is too bad that this method and means of transportation is becoming extinct.

[villager]

19. me three!

I had a great trip on the Sunset Limited last summer!

Why do GOPpers hate passenger railroads? (considering they were all once railroad barons? Not enough profit anymore, I guess...)

[RetroLounge]

5. Follow the money, and the investigation

McCain wants Amtrak Dead.

Bush* needs someone on the 9/11 panel to cover his ass.

Bush* appoints McCain to the panel.

Bush* kills Amtrak.

Quid Pro Quo, McCain clear bush* of all wrongdoing.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

14. Correct about McCain

One reason why I cannot fathom DUers who think he would make a great running mate for one Dem candidate or another.

[reprobate]

6. A rational country would invest in high speed mag lev rail.

It's the cheapest, fastest, ecological means of transportation that exists today.

[ConcernedCanuk]

7. BUT - they got 150 BILLION to destroy a country that was NOT a threat

.
.

Gee, that money coulda done alot to "fix" America . . .

But the warriors continue to get the big $$$$ for their WarMachine

Who's gonna stop them ???

[indepat]

15. Sadly, that doesn't leave enough money to keep Amtrak running

or otherwise shore up the nation's infrastructure. Our war president will keep our priorities in order.

[Vogon_Glory]

8. No Surprise 900 Million A Shut Down Number

It's no surprise to me that a 900 million dollar subsidy for Amtrak would be a shutdown number. Amtrak has had a lot of deferred maintenance building up for years--some deferred from before it was even formed in 1971.

It's not so much the current fleet of locomotives and passenger cars--although even there, some of the stuff purchased new by Amtrak is over twenty years old and some cars are even older, so much as some of the physical plant. Amtrak's Northeast Corridor--originally parts of the old Pennsylvania Railroad and the New Haven railroad, need considerably more engineering rehabilitation than what they've gotten.

Amtrak's demise would be a major blow not only to the densely-populated Northeast, but also a first successful strike against the numerous rural communities naive enough to think that the George UU Bush administration and their fellow Banana Republicans had their interests at heart as they sever their public transportation links to the greater community.

Not surprising that claghorns of the Tom DeLay/Dennis Hastert/Joe Barton stripe would think that Amtrak's passing would be a good thing, nor is it a surprise that the ivory tower ideologues of the so-called National Taxpayer's Union and that Dow-Jones thing would think that Amtrak's demise is peachy-keeno.

:grr:

[neverforget]

9. At least Halliburton and Bechtel are getting their subsid..er, I mean

contracts. :eyes:

[Bandit]

10. Just let them drive SUVs

:shrug: hey cake ~ SUVs what's the difference?

[Karenina]

13. Do NOT let them do it.

How do you say, "FULL STOP" in Englisch?

[LawDem]

16. It won't happen, but . . .

They won't kill Amtrak in one fell swoop. That's not how they work. Instead, they'll come up with more money, just not enough money. They'll kill it, sure enough (unless we stop them), but through slow starvation over several years.

[The_Casual_Observer]

17. AMTRAK is a "socialist" program that the Republicans

have hated since the beginning. It has always been underfunded. This country only takes pride in the Bombs, Bullets and Bullshit killing machines that it so willingly and generously funds with the taxpayers money. This leaves nothing left for good public transportation systems.

[American Renaissance]

18. shut it down,

Amtrack never should have existed in the first place.

Amtrack will never break even, there isn't a pax rail service in the world that does. That wouldn't be such a big deal were it for the fact that Americans don't want to take the train and they never will.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

20. If there were only one airplane every 24 hours in each direction,

flying at odd hours, and it had to defer to cargo planes and military planes for landing spots, and the airlines were expected to pay for and maintain their own airports, then Americans wouldn't fly planes, either.

Americans don't ride trains because often there aren't any trains in their state, and the ones that there are don't run at convenient times (sometimes the only trains come through a town at 3 or 4 AM), and the infrastructure is outdated.

Unless they have traveled overseas, most Americans have never ridden a decent train.

By the way, the Shinkansen part of Japan's rail system DOES make money.

[BiggJawn]

22. Pick my daughter up at midnight, take her to the station at 5AM...

The scheduled arrival time is 11:28...S'yeah, What with the "Varnish" having to go "in the hole" for every drag freight on the route, It's a miracle they're only 1/2 an hour late.

Luckily, I listen in, and when I hear "Amtrak PL-50 clear Chalmers block" I know it's time to leave for the station

The station, BTW is not open at that hour of the night, and nobody shovels the snow off the stairs or catwalk to get over to the platform...

In the morning, I can't hear the train on the radio, so i have her there before the scheduled time and cool our heels for an hour or so.

But it's only $25 one-way from Chicago, $47 round-trip...

I don't understand it. The BFEE has NO problem pushing shovels full of Green at the airlines...

[number6]

21. kick

..