Bigfork Eagle editorial

Riding the rails

It must have been nice for President George Bush to fly into Great Falls last week on Air Force One. Travel by air is simply not an option for many Montanans facing financial hardship. Instead, people wishing to visit other places, especially in the Pacific Northwest, must opt for a more affordable means of transportation-they take the train.

President Bush's recently released budget fiasco would cut all funding for Amtrak. This despite the fact that national passenger rail service has seen two years of record ridership. In Fiscal Year 2004, the number of train travelers was about 25.1 million-an increase of a million from the previous year. And in Montana, about 130,000 people used the rail service. Also in Montana, Whitefish is the busiest stop on the Empire Builder route.

This is not the first time Amtrak has been a target for annihilation. In 2002, President Bush offered up some budgetary scraps for the railway, a mere $520 million when Amtrak requested $1.2 billion. In 2005, Bush offered up $900 million, but Congress stepped in and granted Amtrak $1.2 billion. Now Bush has dealt his lowest blow ever, zero dollars for an increasingly popular mode of transportation. A zero budget request would end passenger rail for Americans.

If you have ever climbed aboard a train, then you know it is a pretty good way to go. The overnight train from Whitefish to Portland is great, especially at $130 for a round-trip ticket. Air travel to Portland from Kalispell is typically around $300. Amtrak is in dire need of federal support. Although Amtrak has been criticized for performance problems and poor on-time performance, it is still reliable and accessible. When was the last time you took a flight that was exactly on time? Flying is also a great way to go, but for many, simply not affordable.

Without funding from the government, Amtrak will not be able to sustain and repair equipment. Therefore, transportation will no longer be possible by railway. For those of us without a private jet, this is not good. Riding the rails is not just for hobos, Mr. President.