Freakonomics Quorum: Can Amtrak Ever Be Profitable? - Freakonomics (
freakonomics.com)
Amtrak's ridership and revenue has been steadily increasing over the last 10 years, and 2011 set a new ridership record with 30.2 million passengers, and $1.9 billion in ticket revenue. But, even though it took in $1.42 billion from Congress last year, it still manages to lose $1 billion annually. This is hardly a new development. Amtrak has a long and storied history of functioning at a loss despite government subsidies.So, as we enter what appears to be a new era (maybe?) of government austerity, it se...