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To: caddie
I am saying that there are things that the Federal government ought to provide for, that no private citizen or corporation can supply, provided that it is of significant value to the country's welfare and security. And I would maintain that a first-class rail system is exactly that.

Well, assuming that the sentiment is fine, why do you think that the government is capable of producing a first class rail system? Isn't that what they are doing now? What would you do, double Amtrak's budget?

The government is incapable of providing a first class system because the government is incapable of providing anything efficiently. I used to take the Metroliner from NY to DC three times per month. Orginally, I took the club car. Then, one time it was full and I sat in the cafe car. Turns out that the food in the cafe car was better than the food in the club car, and the cafe car had like 6 beers to choose from while the club car only had two. Well, after that Amtrak lost my roughly $50 each way for the club car because they were stupid and incompetant like all government workers are.

On that same train, they were too stupid to have the person in the cafe car from the last shift put the beers on ice for the next shift. I could not get a cold beer until 30 minutes in to the ride. So, I would buy two beers at the station in bring them on the train with me. More lost revenue because the government does not have the incentive to manage anything properly. If you want a first class rail system, government is not the place to look.

54 posted on 12/18/2001 1:22:34 PM PST by Rodney King
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To: Rodney King
Building a first class rail system has nothing to do with Amtrak. They can abolish it for all I care. The idea is to use federal help to build first class rail infrastructure. Once that is done, American ingenuity in the private sector can take care of passenger rail.
55 posted on 12/18/2001 1:24:44 PM PST by Publius
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