Why Amtrak Needs More Help

This editorial from The New York Times looks at a recently approved bill that will give more than $3 billion a year to help resuscitate Amtrak, and argues that more help is needed.

1 minute read

November 3, 2007, 1:00 PM PDT

By Nate Berg

"Anyone who has ridden Amtrak lately, especially anyone familiar with rail travel in Europe or Japan, should be able to see that it needs help. Congress is considering a bill to significantly increase funding for the nation's only passenger railroad. The bill would be a welcome step, but even if it passes, Amtrak - badly underfunded compared with air and auto travel - could use a lot more support."

"The Passenger Rail Improvement and Investment Act, which passed the Senate Tuesday, would direct a little more than $3 billion a year to Amtrak for each of the next six years. The bill comes courtesy of one of Washington's more unlikely duos, Senator Frank Lautenberg, a Democrat from New Jersey, and Senator Trent Lott, a Republican from Mississippi. Rail travel is important not only to their states but to the whole country."

FULL STORY: A Little Hope for Amtrak

Thursday, November 1, 2007 in The New York Times

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