Public Transportation and Smart Growth

or are they thinking of new scams to kill long-distance passenger traffic?

Frankly, I suspect the latter. Following in the footsteps of Amtrak's president Roger Lewis back in the 1970's, it looks like the Trump bunch is looking to kill off long-distance rail--rail that provides passenger service to a lot of rural communities underserved by bus companies and airlines. Amtrak's last gambit to kill some passenger trains was the lack of positive train control on certain routes--notably the former Santa Fe passenger main between La Junta, Colorado and Lamy, New Mexico that sees no more than one train a day in each direction. This looks like another trick using a different tactic.


Yeah, I'd like to see more corridors developed--Cincinatti to Columbus, Kansas City to Tulsa and Oklajoma City, Denver to Trinidad--but considering this administration's behavior regarding investment in public infrastructure, why should anyone, particularly journos who seem to have put aside investigation to transcribing press releases, believe the stuff coming out of a Trumpy-controlled operation.



I've said it before on other posts on other topics. I'll say it again because I've come to believe that it's true: Regardless of what certain Republican solons and appointees did generations ago, today's Republicans have proven that they cannot be trusted with public infrastructure--EVER! And only a fool would take their pronouncements at face value.