Michael Dresser's column today is yet another of the gajillion "How to Save Amtrak" stories, writing about a guy who has written one of a quintillion "How to Save Amtrak" books. Dresser is coy, and saves the solution for the last paragraph punch line... more money. Gosh, who could have guessed?
But he also does serve the local angle - "heavy involvement at the State level".
I'd give you a weblink but the Sun website seems to treat Dresser as an unwanted stepchild. I can't find his articles anywhere, including on his own blog.
Anyway, this gets back to my solution on the celebrated posting that got me kicked off of EnvBalt. I promise I won't mention that the MTA has a "culture of incompetence".
The solution is for the Northeast corridor rail operations to be turned over from Amtrak to an authority consisting of representatives of the state/local transit operators - New Jersey Transit, Philly SEPTA, Boston MBTA, New York MTA, Virginia VRE, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, DC, and our very own MARC. Eliminate the artificial distinctions between Amtrak and commuter rail. Run MARC trains to Philly and SEPTA trains to Baltimore and DC. Real distinctions can remain - Acela trains have nicer seats and skip Aberdeen.
Share the expertise, which seems to be in short supply around here, despite all the self-appointed experts like the guy in Dresser's article (and of course, me).