Recently, the Wall Street Journal published a lengthy article claiming that Amtrak had a “plan” to end most or all long-distance trains. The article offered very little evidence other than oblique statements by Amtrak’s CEO, Richard Anderson. The only official statement from Amtrak quoted in the article stated that the company was “rethinking” its network but was not “prepared to announce any plans or recommendations yet.”
A week later, the Seattle Times repeated these rumors, again without any evidence except for the WSJ article. I guess no one should be surprised when rumors and speculation get reported (and re-reported) as news, but it is still disappointing.
The best evidence for what Amtrak thinks of long-distance trains comes not from off-the-cuff statements by its CEO but from what it is actually doing on the rails. The day after the Seattle Times article, Amtrak announced it would provide matching funds to help rehabilitate tracks used by the Southwest Chief, indicating it is committed to maintaining long-distance service. Continue reading
