Amtrak is not a one size fits all solution. It only works in crowded cities where there are sufficient patrons to make the investment cost effective. As we go out to less populated areas, the cost is not worth the benefits, since too few people will use it. The rural areas is where a different solution; personal transportation and automobile, makes more sense. The automobile is a tiny fraction of the cost, for a complete alternate rural Amtrak solution, that can reach every road and customer.
The analogy is cable TV is not in all the rural locations, due the cost per extra rural customer. However, it is in all the major cities where people are stacked, closely, like cords of wood. In rural areas, one has to be more creative and self sufficient. They will use satellite TV, instead of cable. Each person can control this without placing a large burden on everyone else. This is team spirit.
Another big problem with Amtrak, is this is more of a Progressive vision than a Conservative vision. At the same time, Progressive led municipalities have too many rules, regulations, and busy bodies. The result is the places, that have the vision, tend to sky rocket costs, until even crowded cities are not cost effective. There is too much middleman skim and and too much foot dragging involved in Progressive led cites; money pit.
Consider the high speed rail in California, that is way over budget, and has become a national money pit. This was being used as a local Progressive piggy bank at the tax payer expense. California could use the Amtrak, on paper, but it is worse place to build anything that is cost effective. The dream becomes a night mare for the tax payer.
When the US Government finally does infrastructure, they need to set a standard cost and standard time schedule for all states. The fund should not pander to inefficient and wasteful states. Places like California, with all types of hidden costs and expected delays, which cannot meet this cost schedule, would have to agree to pay foe these extras. If the project is stopped for 6 months, to figure out how to deal with a rare cockroach, then this idle time should no be supported by the Federal fund. The cost of having everyone stand around and equipment idle should come from that state. Places like Texas will do just fine.
