Amtrak Service Reductions

[Philip H]

I've done DC to points north a bunch the last three years for work - either from DC Union Station or BWI. I've been to Atlantic City via Philly, Newark, NYC and Boston.  And when I was commuting to and from DC via BWI i did it through DC Union station on MARC.

Its not Europe - which I have also ridden.  But Amtrak still suffers from the political myopia that its supposed to be a profit making entity not a a public good.  Congress still wants to spin it off like Conrail, and is unwilling to engage in the subsidies debate much less the capitol investment debate except for the Northeast corridor.  I think its a national shame . . . .

[Maletrain]

Governments seem to be more interested in funding a very few extremely high speed passenger trains on new types of trackage, rather than supporting a web of slower trains on existing tracks (or even new tracks) of standard railroad design.  They seem to be willing to fund those, at least until the backlash starts when the new ROWs threaten to take people's homes.

[CNscale]

There is not one passenger rail service on this planet that is not subsidized.

I'm pretty sure this one isn't: Rocky Mountaineer, the world’s largest privately owned luxury tourist train.
But I guess it probably doesn't count, being a trip for the sake of the trip itself, not to get anywhere.

[dem34]

I also took the train from BWI to Springfield Massachusetts and back the last 2 Januaries, and it was certainly a better experience than flying.  Of course, I didn't get off the train in NYC.  The last time I did that was in the 1970s, and I regretted it even then.  The last time I rode sleepers was in 1968, on B&O and NP, so I can't comment on sleepers of today. (Aren't they the same cars, still?)

Nowadays, I could be wrong but I'm almost positive that within the US the only Sleepers are Superliners that at their oldest are of 1979 vintage with the newest being from 1996.

And like everyone is saying NYP is pretty unique, especially in winter with its abundance of homeless harassing people to buy food for them. And I've never seen that at any other Amtrak station.

[EL3632]

Nowadays, I could be wrong but I'm almost positive that within the US the only Sleepers are Superliners that at their oldest are of 1979 vintage with the newest being from 1996.

And the Viewliner Is from 1995. Supposedly Viewliner IIs are being made and delivered, but the details of that I am unaware of.

[Mark5]

I'm pretty sure this one isn't: Rocky Mountaineer, the world’s largest privately owned luxury tourist train.
But I guess it probably doesn't count, being a trip for the sake of the trip itself, not to get anywhere.

That's not passenger rail service.  (at least not in this context)

[CNscale]

Well, if you're in Vancouver, and need to get to Banff (or vice versa) (which was the case for me many decades ago when this route was served by VIA's Canadian) it's one of the transportation alternatives available (if you can afford it). 

(And VIA took my bicycle along in the baggage car, but I doubt that's an option on the Mountaineer).   

[Mark5]

Would love to ride that Mountaineer if I could swing it. I rode a different Mountaineer decades ago, not nearly as spectacular!