Passenger Trains > Amtrak asks for 5.4B fiscal year 22

Amtrak is hoping President Biden is true to his nickname after the passenger service’s latest budget request.

On April 29 Amtrak asked Congress for $5.4 billion for the next budget year, which starts on Oct. 1. President Biden, called “Amtrak Joe”, is expected to attend Amtrak’s 50th anniversary event on April 30 in Philadelphia.

The passenger rail carrier says it is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, and $3.88 billion of the request will go towards basic needs. However, another $1.55 billion is needed to take care of Northeast Corridor infrastructure projects and to begin expanding service around the country. Over a five-year span, Amtrak wants $31 billion in federal aid to address the Northeast Corridor, with $16 billion going to the Gateway Project. By 2035, Amtrak’s wish is to have 39 new corridor routes serving as many as 166 cities.

Amtrak has received $3.7 billion in emergency funding since March 2020, and in 2019 the passenger carrier took in $2 billion. The Biden administration’s April 9 budget has $2.7 billion going to Amtrak, a 35% increase over pre-COVID levels.

On April 27, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg announced that the Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration is making more than $1.69 billion available to Amtrak to provide relief from the impacts of COVID-19 to the company’s business operations, workforce, and state funding partners. The funding is provided under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

Posted from iPhone

I predict out of the 39 Corridor fantasies, they will get a grand total of 1, and only because Colorado already had something cooking for the Front Range. 

If they get that much money, more new trains should be added. All stations with agents and security with TSA and  train Marshall's onboard for travelers security.

Also work on improving the food.

Molino Wrote:
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> If they get that much money, more new trains
> should be added. All stations with agents and
> security with TSA and  train Marshall's onboard
> for travelers security.
>
> Also work on improving the food.

Yes. I would love to have security onboard. It would make it faster when they have to wake us up and make sure all items are still in our suitcases that were tampered with downstairs in the coach. Man was that awful in Salt Lake City.lol



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/21 12:15 by grlhughes.

It really sucks all they care on expansion is corridors and not resurrecting LD Routes, I'm really losing interest with today's Amtrak!

Posted from Android

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> I predict out of the 39 Corridor fantasies, they
> will get a grand total of 1, and only because
> Colorado already had something cooking for the
> Front Range.

You're an optimist.

My opinion is that "corridor expansion" is political appeasement talk, so rail advocates won't get mad in the short term. Amtrak will be busy shoring themselves up financially, and I can understand that due to COVID.

Class I railroads still have to allow the new corridors to operate, and I don't see that happening. This based on what happened in Mobile, AL, where Amtrak management thought forcing the issue was the way to get things done. NOPE.

Amtrak California legislation passed when a governor who derided train as "exotic transportation" was still in charge. I expect success when there's a plan despite a hostile environment. May I remind folks that Graham Claytor faced 2 Amtrak hostile administrations?

A "favorable" political climate promotes arrogance, ignorance, and complacency and that's recipe for disaster. I can't believe people who should have more wisdom than me is totally ignorant of this?
 

I do think that if properly promoted, and if the service were timely and efficient, an LA to Las Vegas "special" could be a winner. 

RNP47 Wrote:
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> I do think that if properly promoted, and if the
> service were timely and efficient, an LA to Las
> Vegas "special" could be a winner. 

Don't count on it!

Posted from Android