Sunday, October 16, 2011

Tommy Thompson's ChooChoo

Oh, yes, Tommy stuck taxpayers with far more than a ballpark.

In the last year, Amtrak set a record for ridership as their trains carried over 30 million passengers for the first time. Paradoxically, more riders means more losses, as a 2009 study found that the company loses money for every passenger it carries.

The company is projecting an operating loss of $507 million for the fiscal year ended in September -- even more than its $420 million loss in 2010 -- and next year, it expects to lose $616 million. Amtrak... hasn't had a profitable year since it began operations in 1971.

Tommy served as Chair, Amtrak Reform Board.

Some reform.

4 comments:

Saint Revolution said...

From one who actually rode Hiawatha for over four years every day back and forth to/from Chicago/Milwaukee...

...most of those 30MM "riders" are repeat fare customers who ride every day...the actual individual users number is much lower...

...a stadium no taxpayer wanted;

...a train for a ralative handful of customers;

...now, in a state and city with six month winters, a resurrected 1950s ~2.5 mile trolley no one is going to ride that is going to cost somewheres in the neighbourhood of ~$5,300.00 per lineal foot (Barrett you complete ass)...

...how about rickshaws pulled by panda bears?

...or piggy back rides from old ladies on welfare? Get 'em back to work...

Wouldn't these also invigorate the local sickonomy of this dead worthless town called Milwaukee WI?

Oh, yeah, I forgot...NONE of these listed above have or are going to value add a penny to the local economy...

What, again, is the reason to even look at a 1040 form any more...?

Tim Morrissey said...

Tommy has spent too much time in Madison, where train = good, car = bad.

Dad29 said...

Edit: "Tommy's spent too much time in Madison, where spending = good, restraint = bad.

Dan said...

"Tommy served as Chair, Amtrak Reform Board".

That's about the best description I've ever read about this nincompoop: he's a chair.

With a head made of wood. Just like Howdy Doody. Whom he resembles.