Rail

Joel Connelly
September 24, 2001
Uncategorized

‘The Left Coast’ Deserves Expanded Amtrak Service

Joel Connelly
September 24, 2001
Uncategorized

A trip down to Portland on Amtrak’s comfortable Cascades train leaves you relaxed and ready to enjoy tales of woe from those who have dealt with airport security or traffic on Interstate 5. As well, riding the rails gives passengers time to reflect on a trio of topics: how we deal with Northwest growth, the Mickey Mouse aspects to the Read More ›

January 1, 1998
Uncategorized

Commentary: Cascadia’s future in the spotlight

January 1, 1998
Uncategorized

September 25, 2000 By JIM TORREYand SUSAN CASTILLOTHIS WEEK, leaders from the Pacific Northwest will gather in Eugene to share economic and environmental strategies. How can we help our economy and our communities thrive in an increasing global world? How can we link high speed rail, revitalized downtowns, trade and tourism corridors, and environmental efforts to improve our quality of Read More ›

Ray B. Chambers
November 1, 1995
Cascadia

Can Privatization Put Passenger Rail Back on Track?

Ray B. Chambers
November 1, 1995
Cascadia
America needs passenger rail service as an economical and ecological alternative to endless road and airport construction. Unfortunately, Amtrak cannot (and probably should not) survive as it is presently structured and funded. Perpetuating the status quo will burden America with a lame, government-run passenger operation, limping along on the nation's freight rail rights-of-way, operating under outdated federal rules from its 1970 authorization, and surviving on Congressional handouts. But, the solution is not to throw Amtrak on the market, accepting whatever happens. What would happen is, Amtrak would die. The proper course is to reorganize the system, privatizing whatever can be privatized, building new public-private alliances and compacts around the set of rail corridors that link cities 100-500 miles apart-which is the functional core of the national system-and then reconnecting this reorganized nation system to other forms of transportation to create a true intermodal passenger network. Read More ›