Amfleet
Engineer
Today Bush released the 2004 budget which included intercity passenger rail. The stats do not look all that promising. Only $900 million was aloted, $1.1 billion short of the $2 billion in Amtrak's fiscal 2004 budget. Mineta stated that Amtrak reform can no longer wait. This requires Amtrak to become a pure operating company, establish partnerships with national and state governments for support, and introduce competition. Click here and scroll down to about page 6 to read the details.
My opinion on this is we have not learned our lesson from the mess UK's rail system got into when it was privitized, our government has not realized that there really is NO other competition, and our government has not realized the importance of intercity passenger rail or the introduction of intercity high-speed rail. Obviously we are short on money due to the downfall in the economy and an unneeded war with Iraq. Hopefully lawmakers and David Gunn will fight for more in congress.
My opinion on this is we have not learned our lesson from the mess UK's rail system got into when it was privitized, our government has not realized that there really is NO other competition, and our government has not realized the importance of intercity passenger rail or the introduction of intercity high-speed rail. Obviously we are short on money due to the downfall in the economy and an unneeded war with Iraq. Hopefully lawmakers and David Gunn will fight for more in congress.