This well written article has had the unfortunate effect of turning me into someone who now believes Amtrak, outside the NE corridor, should basically be abolished. At least long distance Amtrak routes.

Amtrak is subsidized because it’s considered transportation. But any 40+ hour trip cannot be considered transportation. As the author points out, it’s basically best treated like a cruise trip.

Why are we subsidizing people’s day+ vacations?

There appears to be absolutely no benefit to this and any incremental environmental benefits provided by a few hundred people traveling between Chicago and LA by train instead of plane each day is negligible.

This isn’t an indictment of train travel. It’s an indictment of Amtrak.