Look at the following facts and give us your opinion.
Procurement/Contracts
Amtrak expended $268,336 for goods and services in Montana in FY08.
Employment
At the end of FY08, Amtrak employed 43 Montana residents. Total wages of Amtrak employees living in Montana were $3,604,411 during FY08.
http://www.amtrak.com/pdf/factsheets/MONTANA08.pdf
Empire Builder Revenue
Chicago - St. Paul - Portland/Seattle
Total Revenue: $64,000,000 Profit/Loss per Passenger Mile:1
(excluding costs such as depreciation) $-0.10
Profit/Loss: $-40,500,000 Profit/Loss per Passenger Mile:2
(including costs such as depreciation) $-0.21
Ridership: 554,266 Profit/Loss per Passenger:3
(excluding costs such as depreciation) $-73.07
Profit/Loss per Passenger:4
(including costs such as depreciation) $-97.36
Source - http://subsidyscope.com/transportation/amtrak/
High speed rail system for Montana? Yea, right Senator. It makes for a great press release to tell us hill billys back home how you are "fighting" for Montana but maybe you should try to work towards something attainable and reality based.
Maybe we could take the money wasted on Amtrak every year and put it into road improvements. People actually use highway 2 and 87. Spend the money there.
ReplyDeleteLets see right here in Havre:
ReplyDeleteGovernment spending:
Amtrak, Local Air Service, Bus service.
Cash for clunkers for personal vehicles, and I am guessing some horses are grazing on CRP land.
What am I missing? do we need a program for the government paying for replacement sneakers for for walkers? It seems like all forms of transporation are somehow funded.
I am a proud liberal democrat, I think some things need assistance, but is there a case when the market forces should determine the market? It does not seem to be the case with our current transportation system.
Whatever, this is kind of boring... Has anyone heard anything out of Shad?
I noticed you weren't sticking up for Tester DeConstructor? Can we say that we have bipartisan agreement with the comment that he is out to lunch when it comes to Montana's needs?
ReplyDeleteI am sure things will be better when we get that hi speed commuter train going thru havre
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ReplyDeleteCheck out the salaries of the SEIU BART system in San Franny, CA. Also how is that low speed rail system in Seattle working out? Can you get to SEATAC by low speed rail? Testy is another Mothra, the recently deceased congress critter from PA wanting “pork” for his little people (constitutes).
ReplyDeleteThe sad part is that Testers whole campaign platform was that he was going to end waste, earmarks, and stupid projects like the bridge to nowhere in Alaska
ReplyDeleteNow he is all about earmarks and stupid spending like that train for a place with NO passengers. Maybe for the people in Chinook that work in Havre?
He is just out of touch with Montana already his first (and last I would hope) term
Those high speed commuter trains need a second high speed rail. Does he actually think he can get Obama to spend billions and billions to lay track all the way from Chicago to Seattle when even Amtrak is losing money? It made a good speech and I would like to see the current passenger train off of the freight rail but this is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteSenator Tester should try talking to one of the rails here in the Havre yard before doing anymore posturing for votes to keep him from leaving with egg on his face. We have all been having a big yuck over this reelection ploy.
To answer your question. yes, I think the Senator not only out to lunch, but his lunch box is empty too