The concept is pretty simple. Provide mass transportation that is as fast
as or faster than driving. If priced
around what gas and tolls cost people will ride.
If you can provide a comfortable setting, clean bathrooms,
good food and drink... It will become popular and I would venture actually make
money.
Right now Amtrak only manages to meet one of
those criteria in that the cars are comfortable. So why does Amtrak consistently lose money? For starters they can't even make money
selling concessions to a captive audience.
The railroad's inspector general audited by the GAO
concluded Amtrak loses about $80 million a year selling food. From 2002 to 2012
Amtrak's food service lost $834 million.
For example Amtrak charges about $2 for a soft drink while costing taxpayers about $3.40 and don't even think about a hamburger that costs taxpayers $16 and tastes like...
My suggestion is to have the federal government take full responsible for the tracks, crossings, bridges, etc... while fostering competition among more than one rail company. Who knows, one day Norfolk Southern, CSX, Union Pacific or BSNF might offer something akin to the Uber ride service. However, right now that’s just a pipe dream even as Amtrak’s losses decreased to only $227,000,000 in 2014.
