Amtrak service
We need to work on the railroad
A recent letter to the editor that “Amtrak offers a poor quality ride” is sad but true.
America is at the bottom of the global heap in utilization of its 90,000 track miles for passenger service, and experiences like his show how unimportant passenger rail is to our national or regional transportation agencies. It doesn’t need to be that way.
We too could have excellence in rail. Rail is of vital importance as a climate solution given its low (or zero) emissions and energy savings, but that means we need robust ridership. That means investment, maintenance, disciplined operations and statutory coordination with freight carriers. It means making the service reliable, frequent, clean, enjoyable.
How the money gets spent is monitored by Washington and Oregon departments of transportation, if it’s a Cascades train. If it’s the Empire Builder, it’s national Amtrak. We’re volunteering ‘round the clock to improve rail service nationwide, for mobility, for climate.
Join us by emailing info@climaterailalliance.org,
Lael White
Mountlake Terrace
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