Keep writing your elected officials. They're the ones that currently control the capital purse strings of AMTRAK-- it being owned by the Congress.
When you do, however, please consider the long-distance connections needed for any new routes or service. Several trains running a short-line, dead-end route are sad to see when AMTRAK has such need for equipment and personnel to run cross-country on its trunk line routes. Even if the short-hauls are packed, what can they connect with at the terminal that will absorb such volume? But, “they’re all going to the same (currently popular) destination.” What if that changes? And, should AMTRAK have thirty or more shops and administrations to service that many disconnected short-line AMTRAKS?
I know that many would like a new Southwind and/or Floridian to come through Louisville from Cincinnati through Nashville, Chattanooga and Atlanta to Jacksonville. I would too! But, it appears that CSX is too crowded on its “Dixie Line” to handle AMTRAK. The NS track through Lexington might be more favorable.
How about asking, for example, for a new Ponce de Leon and Royal Palm alternating every-other-day, coming off the Hoosier State and Cardinal at Cincinnati? (Bus connections at Lexington and even currently with Cincinnati are a mere, theoretical two-hour ride to Louisville with either.) It wouldn't hurt for one of those train consists to run as a new every-other-day Fast Flying Virginian alternating with the Cardinal east of Cincinnati-- merely (yeah, I know!) five cars for each. Of course, this is all if the Congress votes the funding-- given the current paradigm for AMTRAK financing.
Trains are for longer, especially overnight connections. Less distant stations such as Louisville may, regrettably, remain as bus connections with the longer strategic train routes unless we really return to all-stations rail passenger service. At least for now the strategic train routes should be well served.
