Guest lance25 Posted December 19, 2011 Share #1 Posted December 19, 2011 I know this is an old one, but it's still newsworthy. Republican president candidate Mitt Romney said this week that he would cut federal spending on Amtrak and other programs like the public television and the National Endowment for the Arts. Making a rare campaign appearance in Iowa, where Romney has been treading lightly after finishing second in the 2008 caucuses there, the former Massachusetts governor and front-running candidate for the 2012 GOP nomination said Amtrak funding would get the axe in a potential Romney administration. Read more: Romney vows in Iowa to cut Amtrak funding as president - The Hill's Transportation Report Sure, let's go back to privately-owned rails because that worked so well the first time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ MC Posted December 19, 2011 Share #2 Posted December 19, 2011 Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
553 Bridgeton Posted December 19, 2011 Share #3 Posted December 19, 2011 Lol and where are the idiots that want him in office.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Via Garibaldi 8 Posted December 19, 2011 Share #4 Posted December 19, 2011 Well just because privatization failed the first time doesn't mean that it has to fail this time around if done right. For all of those slamming his plan, tell me what is so successful about Amtrak now financially? The company is bleeding money and we the taxpayers are the ones on the hook. I don't know if privatization is the answer, the but the current situation sure as hell isn't the answer either. :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ MC Posted December 19, 2011 Share #5 Posted December 19, 2011 Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MTA Bus Posted December 20, 2011 Share #6 Posted December 20, 2011 http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwqA_OMaUes This is my response to this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkD329 Posted December 20, 2011 Share #7 Posted December 20, 2011 Well just because privatization failed the first time doesn't mean that it has to fail this time around if done right. For all of those slamming his plan, tell me what is so successful about Amtrak now financially? The company is bleeding money and we the taxpayers are the ones on the hook. I don't know if privatization is the answer, the but the current situation sure as hell isn't the answer either. :eek: Who's your dealer? The stuff you're taking must be very strong to make you beleive such caca.:mad::tdown: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamen Rider Posted December 20, 2011 Share #8 Posted December 20, 2011 Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VWM Posted December 20, 2011 Share #9 Posted December 20, 2011 It's just not going to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RokuSix Posted December 20, 2011 Share #10 Posted December 20, 2011 Isn't one of the reasons why Amtrak was created in the first place was to put use to all the rail infrastructure abandoned by bankrupt private companies? Many of the private rail lines were far too ambitious and fell bankrupt. Let's take a look at the New York, Westchester, and Boston railroad which is now the Dyre Avenue Line. Historically, the private company thought this would be the biggest hit of the century, ferrying people in and out of Manhattan. However, one of the major issues with private companies is competition. Both the New York, Westchester, and Boston and the New Haven railroads were trying to be the primary railroad on the eastern shore of Westchester. Where did most of the NYW&B's money go? Fighting legal battles with the New Haven. Needless to say, the NYW&B went bankrupt long before World War II. If Amtrak were to be privatized, would we have one big national company taking care of it, or smaller regional companies competing over railroad infrastructure? One big national company wouldn't be much different from Amtrak, and smaller companies competing would be harmful as we saw in the historical example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ MC Posted December 20, 2011 Share #11 Posted December 20, 2011 Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qjtransitmaster Posted December 20, 2011 Share #12 Posted December 20, 2011 Privitization would only work if planned out properly. 1st there needs to be better upper management cut out the fat. 2nd Funding for amtrak if limited to a certain purpose should still be used for infrastructure improvements to allow them to compete with the roads. Eliminate tha snack bar and replace with fine dining cars where 4 or 5 star chefs prepare very nice meals then serve very nice food on the trains. Have an outlet store car selling merchandise on the trains then sell shirts and other things. Gather funding from local businesses that are near stations and create more partnerships. Upgrade some 5 city corridors other than NEC to HSR. Expand the rewards program to get discounts on normal things ppl buy everyday and not just free rail travel. Time connections at airports have airport stations in select cities. 3 trains a day will not compete well with greyhound's 12+ departures. In addition On some rural areas and suburban places use smaller trains with many amenities still available. And try more mixed trains strike a deal with freight to make some train runs mixed trains to reduce or eliminate frieght interference. Let regions coordinate connections with amtrak like they do in illinois already. Gather funding from more sources other than just gov't. Maybe then privitization can work if those steps are taken. Plus #1 priority is CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!!!!! and reliability. I am out:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Via Garibaldi 8 Posted December 20, 2011 Share #13 Posted December 20, 2011 Who's your dealer? The stuff you're taking must be very strong to make you beleive such caca.:mad::tdown: Believe what caca? I didn't endorse any plan... Re-read what I wrote. What I did say was that the current set up is not working, which is a fact because Amtrak is losing money left and right. If you don't want to believe that then clearly the stuff that you're taking must be very strong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qjtransitmaster Posted December 22, 2011 Share #14 Posted December 22, 2011 Believe what caca? I didn't endorse any plan... Re-read what I wrote. What I did say was that the current set up is not working, which is a fact because Amtrak is losing money left and right. If you don't want to believe that then clearly the stuff that you're taking must be very strong. thank you now keep preeching the facts couldn't say it better myself something just needs to change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trainmaster5 Posted December 24, 2011 Share #15 Posted December 24, 2011 The US government SUBSIDIZED interstate highway system and US and state subsidized airports were a primary cause of the death of passenger railroads in the first place. Throw in the localities across the country who collected property taxes for each mile of right of way, especially after WWII, and you end up with what existed pre-Amtrak. Since government effectively killed passenger service before it's only fitting, IMO, for government to help pay for it's continued existence. Up until the early sixties the railroads were the primary means of transport for the US military personnel and their equipment.The only way you could " See the U.S.A. in your Chevrolet" even today is because of US subsidized highways so why not subsidized passenger rail? Privatization is not the only answer or even a good one in Amtrak's case. Maybe a re-organization of it's primary goals and operation might work. With the exception of the Northeast corridor Amtrak is at the mercy of private railroad companies right now.Just my opinion. Carry on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qjtransitmaster Posted December 26, 2011 Share #16 Posted December 26, 2011 The US government SUBSIDIZED interstate highway system and US and state subsidized airports were a primary cause of the death of passenger railroads in the first place. Throw in the localities across the country who collected property taxes for each mile of right of way, especially after WWII, and you end up with what existed pre-Amtrak. Since government effectively killed passenger service before it's only fitting, IMO, for government to help pay for it's continued existence. Up until the early sixties the railroads were the primary means of transport for the US military personnel and their equipment.The only way you could " See the U.S.A. in your Chevrolet" even today is because of US subsidized highways so why not subsidized passenger rail? Privatization is not the only answer or even a good one in Amtrak's case. Maybe a re-organization of it's primary goals and operation might work. With the exception of the Northeast corridor Amtrak is at the mercy of private railroad companies right now.Just my opinion. Carry on. Damn you really are the trainmaster!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datDude Posted December 28, 2011 Share #17 Posted December 28, 2011 Public transportation in general is almost never profitable on its own. All public transportation systems get some sort of public funding. Consider it a public service, too important to be left to the whims of the market. The MTA is not profitable and never will be, hardly any subway system is. that 2.25 is nothing compared to the cost of a large complex system. Interstate rail is not gonna have it any easier. Only the NE corridor can possibly fund itself on its own. Our highway system is heavily funded with public $ as well, much more so in proportion to Amtrak. Should we eliminate the interstate system b/c its not profitable too?? I wouldn't pay too much attention to these threats for now, its all just political pandering, trying to appeal to their political base. Especially Romney who is trying to appear as conservative as possible, since hes considered too moderate by the republican electorate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N6 Limited Posted January 8, 2012 Share #18 Posted January 8, 2012 How are the private systems in Japan faring? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theaveragejoe Posted January 8, 2012 Share #19 Posted January 8, 2012 How are the private systems in Japan faring? you cant compare that also look at the size of the land mass for Japan with its population for the size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfs NJT459 Posted January 11, 2012 Share #20 Posted January 11, 2012 Romney said he likes to fire people Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ MC Posted January 11, 2012 Share #21 Posted January 11, 2012 Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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