Interesting comment, but largely information-free quoting from the current Administration's playbook for eliminating Amtrak. Along with other services for those who voted it in.

I think that long-distance capability needs to be kept. For defense and disability service, if nothing else. However, the way it's being operated now is largely an artifact of politics and lack of funding, and is probably less than optimal even for basic service. For instance, SP ran DAYTIME trains between the Bay Area and Portland OR, and DAYLIGHT trains between the Bay Area and LA. Overnight trains on those routes died for lack of patronage long before Amtrak. Studies have been done for the Bay Area-LA run that show considerable traffic potential for more Daylight service. Bob2 has mentioned some. But there is little potential for overnight service; it's just too convenient to travel by day and spend the night in a hotel close to the destination. I'm not aware of similar studies north of the Bay Area, but an argument for daytime service (rather than overnight) there is also possible. Unfortunately, under the current budget rules and with current equipment/crew availability, Amtrak can't run 2 trains for the coastal service - only one. That means some part of the run must be overnight. And don't forget track work and freight train interference; the former takes place mostly in the daytime, as does (away from the port areas) the latter. For cross-country runs, though, overnight (and therefore sleepers in First Class) operation is necessary.

Have you actually tried to get a ticket on the Starlight? Very nearly unobtanium at many stations, and mostly booked up months ahead for first class. Granted, an anecdote, and probably one of the more popular trains, but if you look at actual real statistics (not those cooked to make a point) I suspect you'll find that many long-distance trains carry larger loads relative to capacity than is commonly assumed. Yes, there are some poorly-performing trains; if the job of Amtrak is to provide transportation and attract patronage (rather than fold up and go away in the interest of miniscule deficit reduction), a proper approach would be to examine the poor performers and try to find ways to improve their performance, first, before deciding to kill them off. Of course, the present direction to kill them off is made on ideological principle rather than actual facts...