[. . . ] Congress allocated nearly $10 billion to shore up Amtrak over the next five years, plus $1.3 billion in “stimulus” funding intended to make up for decades of deferred maintenance. Even these sizable amounts fall short of the rail giant’s claimed need for $20 billion to clear a backlog of essential projects.

Proudly wearing the conductor’s hat, Congress is having too much fun to worry about numbers. Legislators routinely reject the most common-sense of reforms, including an amendment by Rep. Pete Sessions, Texas Republican, that would have kept taxpayer dollars from footing the bill on Amtrak’s least profitable route. A real business subject to market pressures would not hesitate to optimize operations. Amtrak, on the other hand, demonstrates what happens when there is no incentive for efficiency. [. . . ] (Editorial Board, “Budget Buster Express,” Washington Times, 02/07/10)

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