September 4, 2005 [LINK]
Back from D.C.; ¡Viva AMTRAK!
My trip to Washington, D.C. went very well (much more on the APSA convention soon), and the return trip on AMTRAK this afternoon was not only pleasant and relaxing, the train was actually on time to the minute! There was a delay of nearly two hours when I departed last Wednesday, but that was anticipated, the result of "freight railroad congestion, track work or other operating conditions."
In much of Latin America, the government has traditionally owned and run the transportation system, usually resulting in gross inefficiency. Many people draw the same conclusion about the Federally-owned AMTRAK passenger rail system, but I've always had a soft spot in my usually free-market heart for that institution. At a time when gasoline prices are soaring close to $4 a gallon or more in some parts of the country, the idea of encouraging more use of collective passenger transport should be a no-brainer. Ironically, Greyhound stopped all bus service in the Shenandoah Valley last month because of lack of business, leaving carless people with virtually no means to travel. If that is not an indication of how this country is hopelessly addicted to automobile travel and cheap gasoline, I don't know what is.