NH Resources

 Vermont should suspend it's Amtrak service and it's state subsidy.      Amtrak needs to improve it's state operations and run a well-managed, competitive railroad.   Throughout this winter (2018) I've witnessed half-empty Vermonter and Ethan Allen Express trains traverse through Vermont as Greyhound bus lines ran on exactly the same routes with better service and prices. Their coaches weren't half-empty either. Not Many Palm Trees In Vermont.   Started in 1971 after the bankruptcy of the Penn Central railroad Amtrak has strayed from its original purpose to save passenger rail. Instead its become a labyrinthine bureaucracy based in Washington that doesn't respond to anything including market conditions.    For example, Amtrak has a corporate goal in it's route planning of serving state capitols like Montpelier. They've actually scrapped better route proposals like Boston to Burlington because of policies like this which makes no sense. B...

 Vermont could have one of the best passenger rail systems in the country.     It isn't to be and the reason is politics and chaos and it's on both sides of the river.      During the last 30 years I've watched Vermont taxpayers throw millions of dollars in financial subsidy at Amtrak in exchange for empty seats and an unclear direction for the future. Nothing has ever changed.    The Amtrak Vermonter train which truncates at St. Albans is politically supported by Senator Patrick Leahy and more recently, New Hampshire's Senator Maggie Hassan.There is an expensive proposal to bring this train back to it's original namesake, Montreal. Nothing is ever said about ridership numbers for this idea. "They are so critical for our state's and businesses." Sen. Hassan said in support of Amtrak. She hasn't said which New Hampshire businesses and how Amtrak running up and down the Connecticut River Valley could be considered "critical." Is ...

  Senator Maggie Hassan recently came to the aid of Amtrak though not in New Hampshire, but in Vermont. What could be wrong here...... Senator Maggie Hassan Helps Amtrak In Vermont.    "They are so critical for our state's and businesses." Hassan says as a reason to continue running a mostly empty Amtrak Vermonter into White River Junction. This is an example of what is wrong with Amtrak and the surreal Washington politics that surround this neolithic and subsidized railroad.   Sen. Hassan would rather spend millions of dollars in state subsidy instead of considering private sector alternatives like Greyhound bus lines which has newer equipment, lower ticket prices and directly services this same area at least four times a day.   It's interesting that Sen. Hassan even had the time to assist Amtrak in Vermont. I've never seen her in the North Country, never mind explaining what exactly Amtrak even does for New Hampshire, so critical or not.   I...

  Vermont should suspend it's Amtrak service and it's state subsidy.         Amtrak needs to improve it's operations and run a well-managed, competitive railroad.   Throughout this winter I've witnessed half-empty Vermonter and Ethan Allen Express trains traverse through Vermont as Greyhound bus lines ran on exactly the same routes with better service and prices. Their coaches weren't half-empty either.   Started in 1971 after the bankruptcy of the Penn Central railroad Amtrak has strayed from its original purpose to save passenger rail. Instead its become a labyrinthine bureaucracy based in Washington that doesn't respond to anything including market conditions.    For example, Amtrak has a corporate goal in it's route planning of serving state capitols like Montpelier. They've actually scrapped better route proposals like Boston to Burlington because of policies like this which makes no sense. Bringing Amtrak onto the Burlington wat...