2001, p. 25, http://www.cato.org.
American freight railroads play a major
role in commuter rail service in Chicago and
3. "Federal Subsidies to Amtrak: 1971 to 2002,"
to a lesser extent in California, Washington,
Intercity Transport Fact Book, undated, http://
www.publicpurpose.com/amtrak-subys.htm
Texas, Florida, Virginia, and Maryland. The
(downloaded January 24, 2002).
degree to which the industry's role may
expand as a result of an Amtrak liquidation
4. John McCain, Testimony before the Transpor-
remains to be seen. It should be noted, how-
tation Appropriation Subcommittee of the
Senate Appropriations Committee, 107th Cong.,
ever, that Guilford Rail System of Massachu-
1st sess., June 28, 2001, p. 2.
setts recently expressed interest in running
the Northeast Corridor.76 Also, the trade
5. Amtrak Reform Council, "Amtrak Reform
publication Railway Age indicated that the
Council Finds Amtrak Will Not Achieve Self
Sufficiency: Reorganization and Liquidation
industry's focus this year is on Amtrak. The
Plans Due," Press release, November 9, 2001,
magazine, in mentioning the Burlington
www.AmtrakReformCouncil. gov.
Northern Santa Fe, CSX, Union Pacific, and
Norfolk Southern railroads, opined: "Maybe
6. Amtrak Reform Council, "Statutory Factors
Considered in Finding," undated, www.Amtrak
it's time for them to, under the right circum-
ReformCouncil.gov (downloaded January 24, 2002).
stances, take back the passenger trains. What
would they require?" At least one railroad
7. U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of
chairman, Canadian National's executive vice
the Inspector General, "2001 Assessment of
Amtrak's Financial Performance and Require-
president E. Hunter Harrison, "thinks the
ments," CR-2000-075, January 24, 2002, p. ii.
idea has merit."77
8. U.S. General Accounting Office, "Financial
Performance of Amtrak's Routes," GAO/RCED-
Conclusion
98-151, May 1998, p. 21, www.gao.gov.
9. "The Transmittal Letter to the President of the
Amtrak's three-decade record of losses and
United States," November 14, 2001, link under
poor performance makes clear that no govern-
Press Room at www.AmtrakReformCouncil.gov.
ment reorganization or short-term fix will
10. Amtrak Reform Council, "The Amtrak
make it into a profitable and efficient opera-
Reform Council Approved Basic Elements for Its
tion. Perpetuation of Amtrak will endanger
Restructur-ing Plan," Press release, January 11,
the future of rail passenger service in America.
2002, http://www.amtrakreformcouncil.gov/
pressreleases/pressrel011102. html.
The best hope for passenger rail is to align ser-
vice with contemporary and future American
11. "Guilford Makes Offer to Buy Northeast
Amtrak assets
market demands at an affordable cost to the
Corridor," Progressive Railroading, July 1997, p. 25.
public. To reach those objectives, Amtrak
and operating
12. "Company Wants to Take over Philadelphia-
assets and operating authority should be sold
authority should
Harrisburg Railroad Line," Associated Press,
or transferred to private innovative organiza-
January 16, 1998.
tions committed to providing rail passenger
be sold or trans-
service. It is in the public interest to use exist-
13. Jim Slakey, director of public transportation
ferred to private
and rail, Washington Department of Transpor-
ing bankruptcy laws to liquidate the failed
tation, quoted in Steve Wilhelm, "NW Spin-Off
innovative orga-
government enterprise known as Amtrak.
for Amtrak?" Puget Sound Business Journal, January
nizations com-
28, 2001, p. 1, http://seattle.bcentral.com/seattle.
mitted to provid-
Notes
14. U.S. General Accounting Office, "Issues
Associated with a Possible Amtrak Liquidation,"
ing rail passenger
1. Congressional Budget Office, "Budget Options,"
Report to congressional committees, GAO/
February 2001, Option 400-01, www.cbo.gov.
service.
RCED-98-60, March 2, 1998, p. 17, www.gao.gov.
2. Joseph Vranich and Edward L. Hudgins, "Help
15. Vranich and Hudgins.
Passenger Rail by Privatizing Amtrak," Cato
Institute Policy Analysis no 419, November 1,
16. Charles D. Chieppo, "T Reform Derailed,
14