Santa Fe used to sell boxed lunches at the San Diego Station for a few bucks, in the hour before departure of the mid day train. I assume they did the same at LAUPT for the companion southbound train. Those lunches weren't bad at all, and saved the need for dining car service on that 2 hour and 40 minute run. Of course, that would not be as practical on a longer run spanning over multiple meals. And I must say, that those Santa Fe passenger services were impeccable, performed with much pride, even in the late 60s.

But since the cost of a fancy restaurant catered dinner, served to a limited size crowd, seems to be considerably less than the costs being mentioned here; perhaps Amtrak should consider providing their primary food service that way, by contracting with en-route restaurants - shades of Fred Harvey in a way. There would still be a need for a snack bar though.

In any event, the handwriting has been on the wall for a long time now (30-40 years). No matter how important and relevant rail passenger services might be (and I believe they are), operating costs must be contained. Even John Knieling foresaw, and often warned, that we would eventually run out of "willing taxpayers" - willing to fund any sort of infrastructure, let alone other vital public services such as the common defense or police and fire departments. He expected that as we all were forced into more and more dependence on government, all moneys would eventually be diverted away to various socialistic dole programs instead - not to trains.

Well, that day has arrived! We have not only run out of willing taxpayers, we also have run out of even unwilling ones. Who the hell has any more money to pay taxes with, let alone to actually hire someone to do something useful! As California has already found out three time in a row now; each tax increase (past the point of diminishing returns) just results in even less actual revenue.

There is no more to be had! Any more dollars taken out of the economy in taxes, is just one more private sector job gone out the window. Even our illustrious President is conceding that point - says he wants to only tax the filthy rich "who can afford it", to avoid a double dip recession ("depression" if he was honest about it).

Trouble is, there are not enough of the "Rich" to amount to more than a drop in the bucket, against a 4 trillion dollar annual deficit. Even if they were taxed at 100%! Even if all of us were taxed 100%! Besides, Every Democrat President since Woodrow Wilson has emphatically said that very thing, over and over again. But just look at the taxes the middle class pays now - and even those taxes paid on minimum wage jobs! So even were I to believe this incredulous malarkey, and even if he really meant it this time; He WILL still end up missing that rich target, and hitting us instead! History says so!

-- Net result, the economy tanks - this time for good.

Finding less costly ways of doing stuff is therefore imperative. And after a 40 year career primarily focused on public transit, I can see enormous opportunities to save money, just in that industry alone (at least 5 times the bang for the buck), and I have posted often about that.

It also needs to be remembered that Amtrak was intended to merely relieve the railroads of the financial burdens of passenger services - NOT to relieve them of common carrier obligations to carry them. Those obligations need to be better enforced - to the tee! And never mind all that cry-baby crap you hear from thoroughly inept railroad managers, who can't even manage a Lionel set, let alone a truly scheduled railroad.

Oh hell! we are probably done for! Fat Chance! ....the cry-babies have the government's ear! All three branches of it!

Bottom line still - if the American people want trains, they had better help find less expensive ways to get them. As hard as some at Amtrak (and other places) have tried, Amtrak as it is now constituted, still ain't cutting it.

OPB