Reinventing Amtrak.

The following editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune on Thursday, July 31:

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The Bush administration unveiled an Amtrak reorganization plan on Tuesday that is refreshingly bold, though it is vague on some funding details. The proposal seeks to devolve critical decisions for train service, routes and schedules from Washington to regional agencies and the states.

That is a sound tack. The future of passenger service lies in regional or intrastate arrangements such as those operating in Oregon and Washington state, and in some parts of California. There, market demand has fueled expansion of train service and in some cases even creation of new lines.

Under the Bush plan, states would get together to decide what type of service is most in demand for the region. One likely prospect: a group called the Midwest High Speed Rail Coalition has proposed fast, efficient service between population hubs such as Chicago, St. Louis and Detroit. The coalition believes that efficient, fast train service can compete with the airlines on such short-haul trips, given the expense of air travel and congestion at airports.

Bush's plan would encourage the formation of such interstate coalitions, which would award operating contracts to private firms or perhaps to public transit agencies such as Metra. The federal government would provide some infrastructure and operating funds to the regional coalitions, which ultimately would decide what type of rail service is needed.

On the Northeast Corridor, where Amtrak carries the most passengers, its operations would be split into two companies, one to run the trains and one to maintain the tracks and equipment. The Northeast is the only area in which Amtrak runs trains and owns the track. Elsewhere, trains run on privately owned freight track.