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Amtrak’s Return To The Area In Jeopardy
May 24, 2017
President Donald Trump’s budget proposal released Tuesday would eliminate all Amtrak service in Florida and end ongoing efforts to restore service in Florida’s Panhandle and along the Gulf Coast. The proposal cuts funding for Amtrak’s long-distance routes, which includes all three routes in Florida.
“This just doesn’t make sense,” said U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL). “Eliminating Amtrak service in Florida not only affects the nearly one million Floridians who ride the train each year, it would have a real impact on our tourism-driven economy by making it harder for folks to come visit our state.”
The Gulf Coast Rail Service Working Group was established by the FAST Act in December 2015 to evaluate the restoration of rail passenger service between New Orleans, Louisiana, and Orlando, Florida. The previously-existing passenger rail service was stopped prior to Hurricane Katrina. Damage to the route has been repaired and freight service was restored, but the passenger rail service has not been restored.
In February 2016, a Amtrak inspection train across the Gulf Coast made stops at several location on the Gulf Coast, including Atmore and Pensacola. The train was packed with Amtrak officials, local officials and VIPs and the media to gauge the reaction to the possible return of rail service to the Gulf Coast.
Pictured top: An Amtrak inspection train rolls into Pensacola in February 2016. Pictured inset and below: The train also made a stop in Atmore. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
24 Responses to “Amtrak’s Return To The Area In Jeopardy”
Subsidizing a low cost carrier is GREAT insurance. It is better than trying to deregulate a monopoly of over priced airfares once rail transport is ousted.
Dont reply just yet….think about it.
REGARDING:
“Border wall estimates (construction only, no land acquisitions) between a narrow range of $12 billion to $69 billion.”
One foolish idea does not justify other foolish ideas.
David for beauty
Amtrak budget cut would be $2.4 billion.
Annual Farm Bill agricultural subsidies in the US are $10 billion.
Corporation for Public Broadcasting federal subsidy is $445.5 million.
Border wall estimates (construction only, no land acquisitions) between a narrow range of $12 billion to $69 billion.
REGARDING:
“What I want to know is – how in the world has the ultra socialist/communist Bill Nelson suddenly become relevant? This guy has been nothing but an enemy of free market and freedom in general and I was so thankful when he finally went away. ”
He never went away. He is our senator, one of two from Florida, one of the 100 in the Senate. He has always been relevant.
Governor Scott wants Senator Nelson’s job when he is forced to stop being governor
David for good public servants
REGARDING:
“By the time he cuts the Amtrak budget (which a lot of people use because it’s cheaper than an airplane),”
There are places where passenger trains make sense, such as parts of the densely populated northeast. Amtrak is profitable and reasonable there.
The only way it is cheaper elsewhere is due to subsidies — taking from others to benefit the few who do use it. That seems reasonable to those who get the money, unreasonable to those who have to provide the money.
David for reasonable people
@Safebear – your statement is so far from accurate it would be laughable except for the fact that so many of your ilk have been hoodwinked into believing this hogwash. I applaud the President for trimming this fat from the budget. We don’t need to spend 10’s of millions for the sake of nostalgia, especially when Amtrak has never been profitable in its entire history.
This is all rich coming from an area looking for state and federal handouts to fix its decrepit water system. And the crying on here about your “share” of the BP money. You’re 40 miles from the coast. And not entitled to one penny as far as I am concerned. Bloodsuckers.
This a great start for a good budget now if we can get the county to do something about the 4 cent on gas that goes to support a bus system no one uses and take a page from president Trumps book and cut wasteful spending here in Escambia county we will all be ok. I am not sad about Amtrak looking funds and would like to see more and deeper cuhe made by this administration if it cannot support itself the it ends just like any other business .
What I want to know is – how in the world has the ultra socialist/communist Bill Nelson suddenly become relevant? This guy has been nothing but an enemy of free market and freedom in general and I was so thankful when he finally went away. Suddenly he is getting folks to print his “views” in several news venues. This guy needs to just go away but so often when a “politician” starts making news appearances, you can bet they have intentions of running for something again.
By the time he cuts the Amtrak budget (which a lot of people use because it’s cheaper than an airplane), removes 24 million people from being able to get insurance (which is a majority of people who voted for him), makes everyone go to private schools and and decreases the tax on the rich he should have saved the country about enough money to pay for all of his golf trips, back taxes, security on trump tower and his lawyers trying to keep him from getting impeached.
And @Bob – if you’re not going to ride Amtrak because of the accidents they have, you should probably stay home – more people are killed in car accidents every day than are killed in all the Amtrak crashes in a year. Be careful walking too. More people die in falls than from all the Amtrak crashes too. Just be honest and find a better reason…
Drain That Swamp. Another Teet the government needs to cut off.
Awesome!! Little by little this country is heading more and more in the right direction!!!
Thank you Sir!
Well to be honest! with Amtraks record, Of crashes , I would not ride on one! Just sayin!
Gotta cut the fat to stay solvent–yeah for the republicans and Trump
Way to go Prez Trump, cut that pork!
Let the riders pay their own way not the tax payer subsidising them. If AMTRAK cannot pay its own way then scrub it. Of course If the government wouldn’t buy me a new car and pay for my gas, them AMTRAK can stay.
I say keep trimming the fat.We haven’t had it in a long time South Florida is no better than the people in this area.
Let’s get rid of Amtrak. We only need country wide bus service, just like our neighbor first world country: Mexico!
If Amtrak cannot stay financially solvent without government subsidies then so be it. There is a massive amount of fat that should be cut from federal programs and financial aid. Records show that in FY 2015 the federal government grant to Amtrak totaled $1.375 BILLION! While that may be a tiny fraction of govt expenditures, there is no question IMO this money could and should be better spent. How bout putting that into our dire need of infrastructure upgrades to bridges/highways(which are failing at record rates and endanger lives).
Amtrak gets most of its money from the tax payer. Like the budget director said yesterday it’s time to look at who’s paying the bills (tax payers)instead of looking at who’s getting the handout. (free phones and everything else that’s a waste)
It does make sense, Mr. Nelson, to tax payers. Why should a portion of my tax dollars go toward providing transportation for which I don’t use? The government needs to back off.
For my part i have not and will not need amtrak. If bill nelson wants it, all the more reason to get rid of it.
My first reaction is that if Sen. Nelson opposes the proposal, then it must have merit. In addition, there is hardly any chance there is any basis within the U.S. Constitution for federal spending on Amtrak. Pres. Trump and his administration leave a lot to be desired but, I applaud all efforts to reduce spending/taxes by restraining the Fedgov to within constitutional boundaries.