The Pew Charitable Trusts took a look at the subsidies that Americans pay through their taxes to prop up the government-run Amtrak passenger rail service.
Though few Amtrak lines make a profit, the very worst was the New Orleans-to-Los Angeles Sunset Limited train. In 2008, Amtrak lost $462 for each one-way passenger on the Sunset Limited.
So we thought we'd do a quick comparison.
We checked on a round-trip ticket on Southwest Airlines from New Orleans to Los Angeles for Dec. 11-14, a Friday through a Monday. The price for that ticket came to $237.50, with all taxes and fees included.
So just the subsidy for the one-way Amtrak ticket was $224.50 greater than the total fare for the round-trip airline ticket.
And the Amtrak trip takes nearly 47 hours, compared with seven hours for the airline flight, including a stop in Houston.
It's no wonder the Sunset Limited is losing money hand over fist. The only wonder is that Congress keeps handing Amtrak billions of hard-earned taxpayer dollars.
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So just the subsidy for the one-way Amtrak ticket was $224.50 greater than the total fare for the round-trip airline ticket.
Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009
Planes, trains and subsidies
And the Amtrak trip takes nearly 47 hours, compared with seven hours for the airline flight, including a stop in Houston.
It's no wonder the Sunset Limited is losing money hand over fist. The only wonder is that Congress keeps handing Amtrak billions of hard-earned taxpayer dollars.
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Reply comment:
I for one, think the US is 60 years behind in developing a nation wide "people friendly" modern passenger rail service.
Every mode of transportation is in competition with the other and all of them cost the tax payers for the up keep of their infrastructure. Whether it is everything from bicyles to air travel.
You appear to be against all rail service, but with the right leadership the US could start improving the rail service and the cost of riding the rails to where more people are using the trains to travel.
Even in Chattanooga, the bus service does not cover areas for giving the people the choice of riding a bus or trolley from outside areas to downtown.
There is a need for a common exchange termial downtown so tourist can ride buses to other areas and also ride the buses in from other areas.