Actually, if the article accurately describes the bill, it's the first step toward finally killing Amtrak, but doing it in a Reason Foundation-approvable fashion. The "eliminate the subsidy" thing failed as a direct attack, but the bill appears to produce a 2-tier system with NEC revenues being only spendable in the NEC, hence fixing it up - which is needed - for eventual sale if it remains profitable. The rest of the system is designated for deterioration and eventual shutdown due to losses unless state-sponsored. Some good moves in terms of streamlining project procedures and state-subsidized train services. In all, it's probably a better bill than might be expected from the current Congress, but it's not necessarily beneficial.

Is anybody else as depressed as I am about the non-NEC mandates, such as further limits on food service and inability to cross-subsidize? The implications of those are quite clear: ride the long-distance trains now, and take lots of pictures to remember them by. Perhaps Amtrak should just contract out all long-distance customer services to Spirit Airlines and be done with it!

On the plus side, you can now bring your dog with you!