Public Transportation and Smart Growth

So true!

Here is an article from All Aboard Ohio that backs up exactly what you said in your post. The article is somewhat dated but it's clear that the "so-called budget hawks" is a reference to those same repub congresscritters who have been trying forever to kill Amtrak as a mobility option for Americans.

Road/air subsidies: huge, growing & safe; Amtrak’s are small, shrinking & attacked:
http://allaboardohio.org/2012/09/21/road-air-subsidies-huge-growing-safe-amtraks-are-small-shrinking-attacked/

Even the Amtrak route map of the 1970's contained several routes that do not exist today. I was really excited when the Obama Administration began to explore the possibility of restoring the North Coast Hiawatha/North Coast Limited route from Chicago to Seattle via southern Montana. If you're interested, here is the actual Amtrak North Coast Hiawatha Passenger Rail Study, I found it an interesting read:

http://nrvrc.org/nrvpassengerrailstudy/resources/research/national/Amtrak_North_Coast_Hiawatha_Study.pdf

The Obama Admin was also exploring the possibility of restoring the old Amtrak Pioneer & Desert Wind routes as well. Too bad it all became a moot point once the repubs took the House.

Incidentally I was fortunate enough to ride by rail as a passenger on the old North Coast Hiawatha route through Montana. It was on a (somewhat pricey) tour train known as the Montana Daylight which ran on the ex-Northern Pacific line from Sandpoint, ID to Livingston MT via Missoula that I rode in 2003.
The train doesn't run anymore, it's all freight-only today.
Should you be interested, you can see pics & a video of the train & route on my website at https://northamericabyrail.info/usa-west/the-montana-daylight/

Cheers,

Pete