Re:Want airline food? Take Amtrak
by protomyth on Friday April 20, 2018 @05:01PM
(#16888403)
Amtrak doesn't own most of the track they use. They pay track usage payments to the freight railroads that actually own the track. In FY 2009 that was $115.4 million (3.3% of total operation cost). Cannot find the current numbers. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&c...
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$115.4M seems really cheap. You couldn't lay too many miles of track for that, especially if you're buying land rights along the way.
Did the interstate highway system have to buy land rights?
The government used it in Eminent domain power to acquire the land (which if owned was paid for). The interstate system was built by the government, so it’s a totally different situation as the railroads built and maintain the track Amtrack is using.
I guess that then the solution is obvious.
Re:Want airline food? Take Amtrak
by closeparen on Sunday April 22, 2018 @01:03PM
(#16897097)
It doesn’t seem like a good use of eminent domain to build a slower and less capable transportation network when airline service is already ubiquitous. “I prefer to spend more for a slower journey because I like trains” is a weak justification for the use of such an invasive power.