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ignores the possibility of extra time that may be

and on glamorous projects that yielded a

needed for security checks in train stations.

poor rate of return. If given the funding,

Amtrak now requires passengers to show valid

Amtrak will undertake needed tunnel work.

photo identification when buying tickets and

But Amtrak also will waste a good portion of

checking baggage. Amtrak is working with the

the $3.2 billion on pork-barrel trains that

FBI to determine if it should institute measures

serve few travelers.

such as screening baggage and checking pas-

Amtrak also is poised to benefit from

sengers through metal detectors.7 Meanwhile,

three other pieces of legislation.

U.S. Department of Transportation secretary

Under consideration is the $12 billion High

Norman Y. Mineta has questioned the need to

Speed Rail Investment Act of 2001, which

require rail customers to pass through metal

would not really bring about high-speed trains

detectors before boarding Amtrak trains.8

(more will be said about this later).

Additional experience is needed to deter-

Also being discussed is an ill-advised stimu-

mine the degree to which these changing fac-

lus package that includes $37 billion, a good

portion of which would expand Amtrak.1 3

tors will help or hinder Amtrak.

Commented one editorial, "A vastly expanded

Overreaching in Washington

passenger rail system would do little for the

The giveaway

In a display of political opportunism,  nation's security and, if the system is a white ele-

fares appear to be

Amtrak is requesting $3.2 billion in "disaster  phant, the short-term economic stimulus

aid" even though no disaster exists at  would become a long-term economic burden."1 4

a move to build

Amtrak.9 In fact, Amtrak has profited from

One  measure,  named  the  Rail

ridership at any

travelers' reluctance to fly. Amtrak's request-  Infrastructure Development and Expansion

cost. Unfortu-

ed bailout is more excessive than the one the  Act for the 21st Century, or RIDE-21, pro-

airlines received. Consider that airlines aver-  poses to spend $71 billion on a broad range

nately, that cost

aged 1.8 million passengers a day and  of railroad-related projects.1 5 Although the

could be billions

received $5 billion in grants and $10 billion  bill appears to minimize Amtrak's participa-

in loan guarantees. Amtrak carries fewer pas-  tion, the fact remains that Amtrak's de facto

of dollars in new

sengers--typically 60,000 a day, and up to  monopoly in intercity passenger service posi-

taxpayer

80,000 at the peak of the airline diversion--  tions the railroad to feed at this additional

subsidies.

but wants a whopping $3.2 billion in grants.  government trough.

The disparity should surprise no one because

The rush to throw money at Amtrak rep-

Amtrak has no upper limit to the amount of  resents government at its worst. The nation

subsidies it seeks. Amtrak's current political  should not stay wedded to the Amtrak para-

posture is a low point in Amtrak's history. As  digm, which has been a colossal failure for 30

one congressional aide told Reuters,  years, because terrorists' acts have boosted

"Amtrak's agenda, as usual, is capitalizing on  train travel. Amtrak is the same mismanaged

[the attacks] in a bogus way."1 0

organization after September 11 that it was

It must be acknowledged that Amtrak  before that date. Additional subsidies will do

would use a portion of the funds to correct  nothing to reverse Amtrak's high costs and

fire and safety problems in the tunnels lead-  abysmal productivity and are likely to further

ing to New York's Penn Station. But that very  institutionalize poor Amtrak practices.

Choosing to expand rail service through

lack of repairs is an indictment of Amtrak

policies. Amtrak has long known about the  Amtrak instead of induce the creation of

needed work; as the first report pointing to  new, more efficient entities reflects more

the problem was issued in 1978,1 1 and other  than the usual lack of governmental imagi-

reports have been issued since.1 2 But Amtrak  nation; it reflects congressional panic and a

failed to launch a tunnel improvement proj-  dedication to a dysfunctional system, both of

ect for 23 years while it squandered billions  which are counterproductive to meeting

of dollars on lightly used trains elsewhere  future transport needs.

3