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End of the Line: The Failure of Amtrak Reform and the Future of America's Passenger Trains
End of the Line The Failure of Amtrak Reform and the Future of America's Passenger Trains Author:Joseph Vranich Joseph Vranich has produced the first insightful analysis of what's wrong with the deficit-ridden Amtrak system since the passage of major reform legislation in 1997?and he tells us what we can do about it. His review comes as Amtrak is seeking record federal subsidies while continuing to resist reform. Vranich's expos? busts many Amtrak myths. ... more »For instance, the railroad is not as essential to mobility as it claims; each of the nation's top sixteen airports serves more travelers. Vranich also explains that the Acela Express will never attract enough passengers to be profitable in large part because the trains are not really high-speed and routes are planned in thinly populated areas. Most shockingly, he reveals Amtrak's longstanding disregard for public safety in the New York City railroad tunnels, leaving travelers on Amtrak's busiest line needlessly vulnerable to terrorist attacks while squandering billions of dollars on lightly traveled routes. Vranich concludes that America's passenger trains have great potential if we pursue privatization, franchising, and devolvement of services to more responsive regional and state transportation agencies.« less