Rail advocates can no longer afford the luxury of talking about the need to bring back rail in a vacuum. That discussion needs to be held in conjunction with all modes. The renewal of TEA-21, which will determine the national direction and thus financing of all transportation over the next decade, is just starting to be debated. As usual, rail is at the bottom. The US Dept. of Transportation's website, under "surface transportation reauthorization," provides no "rail" or "Amtrak" comment options to click onto, all of which gives an indication of the job ahead.
Meanwhile Sen. McCain (R-AZ) who now chairs the Commerce Committee, with rail under its jurisdiction, is scheduling hearings on whether to continue Amtrak, if so, at what level of financing; or how to reform Amtrak by introducing private competition and cutting unprofitable routes; to what extent the system should exist at all; greater state involvement (i.e., subsidies) and the long-term outlook for intercity rail (and transit for that matter).
It is no secret that the White House overwhelmingly favors highways and airlines over rail; that the private automobile is ultimately the best way of asserting America's "freedoms" is their firm belief.
So there is much work ahead !
