Hey bud,
Why do you disagree "violently"? What about what I said is so disagreeable?
Don't trounce on me for offering a little support for Amtrak and then imply that I haven't thought about Amtrak's funding situation. I have. A lot of us have. It sucks. But it is what it is.
Your blanket statements regarding the freight railroads and Amtrak are simply not true when it comes to regional services. Every state that has a hand in funding commuter/regional rail, both outside of and operated by Amtrak, has agreements with the host freight roads. Reason being all such states have ponied up state funds, and used parts of their federal transportation bill monies, to improve service over the host freight railroads. So, actually, the host companies could end up being very compelled to continue to allow regional service. If not because of preexisting legal obligations, then because of the possibilities of furthur capital improvements to their own facilities.
I could go on but hopefully you get my point. Go do a little research on some of the regional services, you'd be quite surprised at just how succesful some are right now, and at just how broad-base their funding actually is.
BTW, I didn't particularly appreciate your tone, either. Maybe you didn't mean it but you sure came across as a rather arrogant. You're not the only one around here who thinks this situation is a little ridiculous and has a few marbles rolling around upstairs.
Why did you feel it necessary to jump all over people who essentially agree with you?