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CooperHoya t1_j0v5bcf wrote

Reply to comment by [deleted] in Jealous of NYC transportation by OfficialEthxn

I used to use Amtrak at least once a month between NY and DC. I hear that it is the only profitable route and pays for most of the infrastructure. I’m completely OK with that.

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[deleted] t1_j0vbso3 wrote

I've gone all over the country with Amtrak

A couple months ago, before moving to NYC, I went to Cincinnati via Amtrak, then back, and then to NYC and back, and about 12 days ago I made hopefully the final Amtrak journey to NYC

I love Amtrak but it could definitely stand to be faster, especially along the DC-Boston corridor

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shotpun t1_j0wmnhj wrote

that line runs through my little hometown in CT. they integrate the train into downtown so everyone can see it, it's very fun. always heard it was slow though

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wwcfm t1_j0wacss wrote

How long did NYC to Cinci take?

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[deleted] t1_j0wgdpj wrote

I didn't go direct, I had a stop for some days between

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sutisuc t1_j0xf3r3 wrote

It is the only profitable route and that’s why the trips between DC and Boston are much more expensive than the equivalent trips elsewhere. Like so many other things in this area we subsidize everyone else.

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oreosfly t1_j0vu8oc wrote

> I hear that it is the only profitable route

That is true.

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Dragon_Fisting t1_j0w6cqd wrote

Which is how it was always supposed to be. Amtrak is a public service. It's like asking the post office to turn a profit.

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oreosfly t1_j0wv6hr wrote

> It's like asking the post office to turn a profit

Fun fact: It actually did until circa 2006. The Post Office makes enough money to cover its operating costs. Its main issues are retiree pension and healthcare costs. The Post Office is also a bit different from Amtrak in that USPS does not recieve direct subsidies from the government.

Anyways, I agree that Amtrak is a public service and that profit is not a main concern. But I also think it would behoove Amtrak and the public to examine its biggest money losers to see whether or not a restructuring is called for. As an example, one of its biggest losers is the California Zephyr, a 52 hour trip between Chicago and SF. Not only does it cost more than a plane ticket between ORD and SFO, but a plane will also bring you between the two cities 49 hours ahead of the train. Routes this long inevitably face delays along the way, hence its 36% on time rate. Perhaps Amtrak thinks about breaking its route into multiple segments so that it is not so prone to delays? Maybe beef up frequencies in its most crowded segments (Denver to Salt Lake)? Who knows.

I don't think Amtrak needs to make money, but it could probably benefit from someone taking a closer look at how the service could be made better

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