Reputation At Risk

Amtrak has put its reputation at risk based on the number of accidents it has had recently. Some were not its fault — hitting a garbage truck on the tracks that didn’t belong there. Others are due to maintenance and human failure. At least one was egregious. Train travel is supposed to be safe. The rail company is falling down on keeping passengers secure. There are reasons for its failures but most stem from a lack of money to keep the system from deteriorating. Amtrak has been on the edge of bankruptcy for years and it shows in the state of its equipment, which is old and poorly kept. The railroad needs to cut back to profitable routes, but Congress won’t consider it. As long as the impasse continues, Amtrak will be a sick system limping instead of running.