Who would be stupid enough to buy Amtrak?

Reader comment on: Sell Amtrak to Make It Safer

Submitted by Lyle (United States), May 20, 2015 00:18

Given the history of passenger rail in the world where none exists without subisdy, no one would be foolish enough to buy it without a big subsidy. This is even if you reduce Amtrak to the Northeast Corridor. Note that outside of that corridor all routes lose money, a lot of states subsidize the routes. Passenger rail lost money for a long time, as alternative means of travel took over. I doubt that at the fare level needed to run as a for profit corp anyone would take the railroad. In summary without a government guarantee I believe no one would be foolish enough to bid for any routes, if you took the UK solution as a model (where rail passenger routes are put out for bid)

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