Biden Amtrak article 11/15

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Biden’s knowledge and experience with Amtrak and rail in general, could have him realizing that having a solid national rail system is a matter of national security should the airline industry get grounded for an extended period of time. It would be great if he was able to get Congressional support in the name of national security, thus forcing Amtrak management to make the nationwide network Priority One.
 
It would be really great if we could see additional funding for more Long Distance routes. Wishful thinking I know but it seems like a possibility with a President who genuinely likes trains.
 
Better support for Amtrak is likely for any number of reasons--it provides an alternative to air travel in corridors, it serves some of the areas of the country that are increasingly ignored by airlines, it's a 'greener' mode of travel than the alternatives, and it already exists and so doesn't need to be invented.
 
Now, if DeWalt or somebody like that could produce a cordless train engine that worked .... you know, it could have a couple thousand (or more) batteries plugged into it and they could just replace a few at each stop :eek:
 
So, just a quick thought, but even without Congress passing any funding, I believe that Biden still has most of the RRIF funding available (I'm not sure whether repaid funds could be re-loaned or not). Given current interest rates (at like 2%) and given Amtrak's situation as of last year/early this year, Biden could always kick about $20bn out the door that way (and I suspect that doing so might be something that an acting DOT Secretary might be able to do, but IANAL).
 
I know that outgoing presidents usually leave a letter for the incoming president, and typically it offers advice like not spreading yourself too thin. Pick one goal, they write, and put 100% effort into it. If Biden follows this, I don't think the one issue he'll champion would be passenger railroads and Amtrak. There are just too many other higher priority problems.

However, I realize, I doubt Trump would probably never bother leaving a letter. Though, if he did, it would not be one of advice, but rather a rant about stealing the election.
 
Just concede

I will be very surprised if that ever happens. Even after the Electors meet in the 50 States during December. Although then, maybe, the FLOTUS will tell him that it's time to start to get your bags packed. And, what about Barron? What we going to do about where he goes to school?
 
Consider, if you will, how it was that many of the richest men throughout our country's history got that way. I wouldn't consider the robber barons classy.
"Behind every great fortune lies a great crime." Attributed to Honore de Balzac and is certainly true in the case of the robber barons as well as many of today's wealthy class.
 
Biden is a definitely a plus for Amtrak... but it will take a while for us all to dig ourselves out of the economic slump we are in. I am hoping that a somewhat massive rebuilding for Amtrak will mirror the same as it did for the Interstate system after WWII; paradoxically inhibiting what we are trying to rebuild now. The dynamic has changed and rail is better for the country than more roads and more cars.

!f you take a look at the facts... a focus on Amtrak rebuilding makes sense. Rail travel is friendly to the environment; unclutter clogged bumper to bumper traffic... and freeing the nation from dependence foreign oil. We do have infrastructure and it's a matter of working in sync with the freight lines.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/24/us/biden-amtrak-covid.html
 
The Big Question for Biden and Amtrak is if those Dems in Congress will support his agenda. I think by expanding the network to include many more in Congress, Biden has a better chance to get Congress behind him. Unfortunately, the strong Rep districts and states probably will not change, but there is always hope.
 
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