I guess I can understand ridership going up with air travel having become such a PITA. I used to take the train from time to time when I was in college, but needed to take combinations of bus and train to get where I needed to go. More recently (well, ten years ago) we took Amtrack from Dallas to Chicago just to do something different when the kids were small.
Considering that it was more expensive than flying, slower than driving, and the services was worse than the post office, I’m afraid I just don’t see the upside of long distance train travel.
Commuter trains in densely populated areas are different, and I have certainly ridden those in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta and other places - and would again.
I have never had trouble with Amtrak service. I’ve heard people are rude for some reason in the west, but Northeast is generally good. I’ve been on that many times Balto to CT; also short hops to western MD, but also out to Indiana and most recently Chicago (and WI through connection). Coach and sleeper.
My view is it has virtually none of the cons of car/bus or plane travel and all of the benefits. As yet, anyway.