By: Cory Birenbaum
One of the goofiest ideas for wasting taxpayer money is the President’s plan to build fast intercity trains in order to ease traffic congestion between cities. Of course, most traffic problems are found within cities, and would be untouched by this network. Hmmm . . . If only I could think of an example of a money-losing rail network powered by taxpayer money and train enthusiast. I think I can, I think I can. Choo-choo!.
As someone who has used Amtrak to get around the New York-DC-Philly corridor, let me point out why this is a regional sop instead of a serious national solution. Unlike Europe, almost all of our cities are sprawling, especially outside of the Eastern Seaboard.