House Transportation Committee Chairman John L. Mica (R-Fla.) and Railroads Subcommittee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) at a national briefing June 15 rolled out a “dramatically new approach” to bring private sector competition to high-speed passenger rail in the Northeast Corridor and intercity passenger rail service across the country.

“After 40 years of highly subsidized, poorly managed Amtrak operations, it’s time for Congress to change the direction of America’s failed high-speed and intercity passenger rail service,” Mica said.  “This new direction will employ private sector competition to bring real high-speed rail to the Northeast Corridor, reform passenger rail service across the country, and lower taxpayer costs. After spending billions of dollars, Amtrak and its snail speed, last-century level of service have reached the end of the line.”

“As high-speed trains and passenger rail service around the world speed by, America remains stuck at the station,” said Shuster.  “It’s time to leave behind the decades-old, inefficient and unproductive Amtrak monopoly and deregulate passenger rail service.”