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Also, maintaining tracks is expensive, especially in a large country like USA, as compared to just maintaining two airports. Kinda makes me wonder how much mon

Also, maintaining tracks is expensive, especially in a large country like USA, as compared to just maintaining two airports. Kinda makes me wonder how much money is spent on road maintenance that we are not thinking as a cost while driving.

protomyth 8y ago
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&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjD-7i738naAhWD3oMKHa6JADkQFggsMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.oig.dot.gov%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2FAMTRAK%2520Access%2520Fees%2520%2528Final%2520redacted3%2529.pdf&usg=AOvVaw2ogNTkB73VBhoBulz6Q8Mp https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&c...
- jandrese 8y ago
  $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.
  - rbanffy 8y ago
    Did the interstate highway system have to buy land rights?
    - protomyth 8y ago
      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.
      - rbanffy 8y ago
        I guess that then the solution is obvious.
        protomyth 8y ago
        I'm not sure what is obvious. The government pays rent on something it didn't build. Cargo is vital to so many sectors of the economy, and passenger trains are not.
        closeparen 8y ago
        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.
kalleboo 8y ago
> Kinda makes me wonder how much money is spent on road maintenance that we are not thinking as a cost while driving Here in Japan all the highways are privatized and are supposed to be self-funded by tolls. Where I live pretty much any road trip over 45 minutes you're likely to hit a toll. All tallied up (gas+tolls), driving 3-4 hours costs about as much as taking the 1hr 40minute bullet train (which isn't cheap - about $90 one-way). Driving only becomes economical when you're 3+ people in the car. I imagine there would be riots in the US if the interstates all started charging tolls.

protomyth 8y ago

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&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjD-7i738naAhWD3oMKHa6JADkQFggsMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.oig.dot.gov%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2FAMTRAK%2520Access%2520Fees%2520%2528Final%2520redacted3%2529.pdf&usg=AOvVaw2ogNTkB73VBhoBulz6Q8Mp https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&c...

jandrese 8y ago
$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.
- rbanffy 8y ago
  Did the interstate highway system have to buy land rights?
  - protomyth 8y ago
    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.
    - rbanffy 8y ago
      I guess that then the solution is obvious.
      - protomyth 8y ago
        I'm not sure what is obvious. The government pays rent on something it didn't build. Cargo is vital to so many sectors of the economy, and passenger trains are not.
      - closeparen 8y ago
        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.

kalleboo 8y ago

> Kinda makes me wonder how much money is spent on road maintenance that we are not thinking as a cost while driving Here in Japan all the highways are privatized and are supposed to be self-funded by tolls. Where I live pretty much any road trip over 45 minutes you're likely to hit a toll. All tallied up (gas+tolls), driving 3-4 hours costs about as much as taking the 1hr 40minute bullet train (which isn't cheap - about $90 one-way). Driving only becomes economical when you're 3+ people in the car. I imagine there would be riots in the US if the interstates all started charging tolls.