The federal gas tax hasn't been raised in 21 years. The subsidy of the federal highway system now greatly exceeds the cost of Amtrak.

The cost of Amtrak can be considered an assist to the freight railroads to make them profitable. Their corporate and property taxes now pay the cost of Amtrak many times over and the government no longer has to take over and run freight railroads (see Conrail).

Then there is the belief that city streets are paid for out of gas taxes. They are paid for with property taxes and bonds paid by everyone... even pedestrians who have never owned a car.

And at this point one usually gets the comment "But everyone uses the highways..." said by a highway user.