(Knight Ridder Newspapers circulated the following story on April 15.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Bush administration proposed yesterday that Amtrak be dismantled and replaced by regional, intercity rail lines run by the states.
Under the proposal, the federal government would no longer help pay the cost of operating national rail service, but it would share maintenance costs with the states. States would have the option of contracting with private companies to operate trains on their routes.
The plan would seem to spell the end for some of the service provided by Amtrak, particularly long-distance lines in rural areas where ridership is sparse, and federal subsidies are critical.
“I have served as a member of the Amtrak board of directors for four years, and everything I have learned during that time tells me that Amtrak cannot survive as a viable mode of transportation without structural reform,” said Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta in a letter to congressional leaders. “As a virtually unchanged creation of the 1960s, Amtrak has not evolved with the rest of the transportation sector.”
Although the Bush administration started pushing two years ago to break up Amtrak, it has ratcheted up the pressure in the past few months.
For the first time, the White House announced that it would seek to eliminate subsidies for Amtrak in the next fiscal year, acknowledging that the cut, if carried out, would force the rail line into bankruptcy.
But Amtrak has congressional supporters and has survived other near-death experiences.
The White House proposal, in the form of legislation sent to Capitol Hill, drew a sharp response from congressional critics, who charged that the Bush administration was simply trying to shift responsibility to the states rather than seeking to reform the rail system.
“This latest gimmick by the president – to claim federal responsibility by lowering the numbers and shifting the cost burdens to states and communities – is ill-fated, ill conceived and just plain wrong,” said Sen. Jon Corzine (D-N.J.)
Sen. Arlen Specter, (R-Pa.) said, “I do not see how it is realistic to even partially privatize Amtrak … I start off very skeptical.” Amtrak officials did not return calls seeking comment.
The Bush administration legislation, called the Passenger Rail Investment Act, calls for eight Northeastern states – Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts – and the District of Columbia to jointly operate service between Washington and Boston, the most heavily traveled of Amtrak’s routes.