3 ms·
We just need Amtrak to own their own rails. Or whoever runs the passenger lines. It’s ridiculous they share it.
by iluvcommunism 5y ago
We just need Amtrak to own their own rails. Or whoever runs the passenger lines. It’s ridiculous they share it.
- pstuart 5y agoAgreed. Nationalize the rails, invest in and enforce PTC (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positive_train_control https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positive_train_control), and make passenger traffic a peer to freight. We could allow for a "market economy" of the rails where you could have differentiated passenger services with Amtrak being the the fundamental offering and allow third parties to participate as well.
- antognini 5y agoThe British model, where the state owns the rails but the train services are private, seems to work a lot better than the US model which is the opposite.
- pstuart 5y agoIt's a public commons, like the roads, air space, and radio frequencies. I think the downvoters see the word "nationalize" and panic over unfounded fears of communism.
- jerrysievert 5y agoI think that would only work if the freight trains were not allowed on the Amtrak owned rails. even now, amtrak has legal right of way, but the freight companies ignore it because there is no recourse.