Another Amtrak question(Amtrak employees, again please pay attention...)?

Question

Could there ever be a "Golden Age" of Amtrak?

Answer 1

Mike,

Indeed, as others have said ridership has been on the rise for a very long time now.  Amtrak has even been doing so well that it was recognized in the Wall Street Journal recently (can't remember if I stated that earlier or not).  

In any event, again, if we as a people can just get Washington to makeup and realize that a properly funded passenger rail system would work wonders in helping to solve our transportation and gridlock problems (not to mention reducing emissions and helping the environment), Amtrak very well could enter a "Golden Age" as it were in the days of rail travel prior to the 1950s.

Answer 2

well yeah ... just think some that have worked for them for a lotta years prolly look back now and think of when they first started .. sayin' wow those were the good ole days!  ; )

Answer 3

A Golden Age?

It is doing well now but I dont think you could call it even close to a Golden Age, if Amtrak were ever to expereince a golden age it would need to have it's present level of funding greatly increased so that many many more people would be able to experience it.That would enable more routes to the destinations and schedules would not be so severely limited.  

The pride and public image of the railroads is not dependent on first class passenger service as it did in the good old days so . . . . . . . .

It is up to us, collectively to tell our elected representatives to reverse the cranial/r****m inversion and look beyond the next election and vote for a passenger rail system that would truly serve the needs of the populace.

There could indeed be a golden age but sadly, i dont see it anytime soon. That does not mean Amtrak is bereft or dying, but there is so much room for improvement, I dont think Amtrak has reached it's potential so the Golden Age of Amtrak is ahead of us.

Answer 4

Ridership goes up every year.

Answer 5

doing very well right now, ridership up 20%.

Alex

Answer 6

if there was, its long gone..