House panel approves cutting Amtrak routes

[Gloria]

By ANDREW TAYLOR
Associated Press Writer

House panel approves cutting Amtrak routes


JUN. 15 4:06 P.M. ET Amtrak would have to end all of its cross-country routes, service between Chicago and New Orleans and the Auto Train to Florida under big cuts in taxpayer subsidies approved Wednesday by a House subcommittee.

The proposal was part of a transportation bill that would reduce Amtrak's budget by more than half and limit federal subsidies to $30 per passenger per ride.

The cuts, which would require House and Senate approval, would not apply to most Amtrak service in the Northeast corridor and shorter corridor routes in the Midwest and California.

snip

Amtrak generally has stronger support in the Senate, where its money-losing routes serve many states represented by majority Republicans.

Even Knollenberg seemed to predict that his proposal would be modified later in negotiations with the Senate.

The plan drew protests from subcommittee Democrats who said it would unfairly punish rural residents.

"There will be 31 states who lose all passenger rail service completely," said Rep. John Olver, D-Mass.

MORE

As per the alert by Marge on Mike Malloy's show tonight...

[Gloria]

1. More on the routes that would be cut.....

Among the routes that would lose federal subsidies are the Empire Builder, which runs across the Northern Plains; the Lake Shore Limited from the East Coast to Chicago; and the California Zephyr from Chicago to Oakland, Calif.

In his February budget, Bush proposed eliminating Amtrak's operating subsidy and setting aside $360 million to run trains along the Northeast Corridor if the railroad were to cease operating.

[shanti]

3. this is outrageous!

taken from the amtrak website for the california zephyr route:

Experienced travelers say the California Zephyr is one of the most beautiful train trips in all of North America - and as you climb to the sky through the heart of the Rockies, and further west through the Sierra Nevadas - you may find it hard to disagree.

The Zephyr runs daily between Chicago and San Francisco, coursing through the plains of Nebraska to Denver, across the Rockies to Salt Lake City, and then through Nevada and Sacramento into Emeryville/San Francisco.

Reserve a spacious coach seat for your journey or, for a truly luxurious experience, enjoy First Class service in our Superliner Sleeping Cars. Amenities include Amtrak's Sightseer Lounge Car and Dining Car.

Scenic highlights include:

Rocky Mountains
Sierra Nevadas
Moffat Tunnel
Colorado's Gore, Byers and Glenwood Canyons
Winter Park
Truckee River
Donner Lake
San Pablo Bay and the Carquinez Strait
The California Zephyr connects to San Francisco stations via Thruway Motorcoach Service at Emeryville, California.

[xxqqqzme]

2. Good Idea - get rid of Amtrak

cuz we ALL know that oil is going 2 last 4ever so those jets can keep on flyin'. Every other country in the world maintains and upgrades their rail service - US - uhhh - not so much.

[krkaufman]

5. "US - uhhh - not so much."

Definitely a TDS watcher.

[MisterP]

4. linky-loo

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/amtrak15.html

[TahitiNut]

7. Here's the BusinessWeak link ...

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8AO8KKG0.htm?campaign_id=apn_home_down

[politicat]

6. What an effing CROCK .....

The CA Zephyr is usually full. The pullmans nearly always sell out and the coach cars run 80-90% capacity. It's also the only ecologically sound way to get from CA to Chicago in less than the time it takes to bicycle. (A train uses significantly less fuel per passenger than either a car or a plane.)

Not to mention it's a grand ride.... So write your congress critters. This is crucial....

[TahitiNut]

8. Sadly, my congresscritter is Joe Knollenberg ... extreme fascist.

He's detestable. He whores for the insurance and banking industry and opposes all ecological protections. He's in the same sewer league as Hunter and Hayworth.

[lakeguy]

9. peak oil will hit eventually and we'll all be stuck traveling

by what, cow?

[drduffy]

11. yep

sellling my mountain property. buying a small farm. Gettin' a horse. Cow. A few goats and chickens. Gonna sit right down, grow some food. Watch the shit hit the fan. Ride my bike. Protect my family.

There will be no way from here to there. No cars (for us). No trains. "Entropy, entropy, all winds down."

[SaveAmerica]

13. My 10 year old suggests we all buy golf carts to get around with..

they run on electricity, just unplug it and go. And there's a side benefit he's especially serious about - less accidents on the road.

[The_Casual_Observer]

10. Suggest they cut routes in Iraq first. A lot more dangerous and

much more expensive.

[Frances]

12. Good point

If Iraq ends like Vietnam, we'll have no oil, no trains, and we'll be making clothes at slave labor wages for the Chinese (the Chinese hold much of the debt we got into to finance the war in Iraq--and the tax cuts for Bush's buddies).