Jim R Wrote:
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> Other than the NE Corridor and a very few state
> supported routes, Amtrak is a total joke and
> should just be done away with. If I want to get
> from my rural town in E. Oregon to Portland or
> Eugene, I can drive to Pasco, take a chance on
> catching an Amtrak train a 5 in the morning, and
> get to Portland hours later. Or I can drive to
> Pendleton, take the commuter airline to Pendleton
> for $59 to PDX, and then catch any number of
> alternatives from there.
>
> As much as I love rail travel, in 90% of the cases
> it is a total waste of time and money. A well run
> bus company could do better. In most cases there
> are a number of privately operated shuttle
> services that offer a better alternative at no
> cost to the taxpayer, other than the cost of
> maintaining the highways.
>
> The Empire Builder and it's ilk need to go the way
> of the Rocky Mountaineer. If someone wants that
> experience, let them pay the big bucks it takes.

Just because a Amtrak line isn't all encompassing and doesn't best suit your needs doesn't mean its bad travel option. The number of permutations on which using Amtrak is a bad idea is enormous and anybody can come up with thousands of such scenarios. If the trains are running full, or if minor tweaks are all that's needed to ensure it runs full, then obviously Amtrak is not a bad option and is living up to its potential. And to say greyhound is a viable substitute is a bit offensive. Given the tweekers that ride buses and a buses indifference to comfort, there are plenty of reasons to become discouraged and majorly inconvenienced for long distance travel.