The purpose of TIP is to serve as a central repository of ideas, research and proposals to establish parity among the infrastructures of different modes of transportation. Since rail has not been treated equally in government policies nor funding, the philosophy of TIP is decidedly "pro-rail".
(The views expressed on this page are my own and do not reflect the views of those that have been the source of information for this section of TrainWeb. -- Steve Grande)
$654. Billion: Expansion of the State of Maryland ports $ 32.3 Billion: Highway Spending (Proposed for FY 2002) $ 13.3 Billion: Aviation Spending (Proposed for FY 2002) $ 13. Billion: Boston's "Big Dig" $ 12. Billion: Proposed expansion of LA International Airport (1/20/01) $ 6. Billion: Wilson Bridge project I-95 $ 3. Billion: Expansion to Dulles Airport $ 1. Billion: Expansion of the Red River Waterway $ 0.65 Billion: 3.5 mile Las Vegas Monorail (1/24/01) $ 0.57 Billion: Amtrak's National System Funding (FY 2000) Data brought to my attention courtesy of Jim Norton, Merritt Mullen and Dave Pedersen
The United States government has been very active in supporting the transporation infrastructure from almost the start of this nation. With the exception of rail, the transportation infrastructure has been planned, built and maintained by the government. This includes our highways, airways, and even waterways, but does not include the railways.
In every mode of passenger transportation, the government is the primary provider of the infrastructure and the private sector is the primary provider of the vehicles, except rail. Rail is the only mode of passenger transportation in which these rolls are reversed. For rail, the private sector provides the infrastructure and the government provides the passenger vehicles, a system that is known as "Amtrak".
TIP contends that this reversal of rolls has been a major contributor to the problems that have plagued the rail industy throughout its history and is especially a cause of current problems in the rail industry. TIP also contends that this reversal of rolls is the primary reason why this nation does not have a modern, useful and financially feasible passenger rail system.
Note: This web page is a "work-in-progress".
Steve Grande
www.TrainWeb.com
Fullerton, California
Funding Authorized for Amtrak by Congress vs. the Actual Funding Received by Amtrak from the Congress: FY 1998: Authorized: $1,138,000,000 Actual: $ 582,000,000 FY 1999: Authorized: $1,058,000,000 Actual: $ 609,700,000 FY 2000: Authorized: $1,023,000,000 Actual: $ 571,000,000 FY 2001: Authorized: $ 989,000,000 Actual: $ 521,500,000 FY 2002: Authorized: $ 955,000,000 Actual: $ 521,500,000 Authorized Total: $5,163,000,000 Actual: $2,805,700,000 Amtrak has only received 54.34% of the amount that Congress authorized for it from 1998 to 2002.
