With new progressive leadership in Washington D.C. now, expect Amtrak to have a happy future. The Republicans (let them take buses) have always tried to kill Amtrak -- Bush, Reagan, McCain (a huge critic), even Nixon. Nixon, it was rumored, created Amtrak fully expecting it to be dead within two years; it was a backroom deal, but surprise! People actually wanted rail service and they couldn't get away with letting it go. Now with sufficient funding, we may move into the modern era like Europe or other industrialized nations.