VACATION AND TRAVEL
some cases a courtesy shuttle to take you to your motel if you decide to stay a few days, while you take another train for your return trip when you decide on heading back home. With a train ride you pretty-well know all the costs ahead of time, where when you drive from state to state, there are hidden costs with different prices of gas, motel/hotels, food, cost of repairs if you break down etc.
Now, I mentioned in a past article about taking a trip from Michigan to Niagara Falls, New York, where if you leave from the
Now, here is a little history of Amtrak! Amtrak is a federally supported corporation that operates nearly all intercity passenger trains in the United States. It was established by the U.S. Congress in 1970 and assumed control of passenger service from the country’s private rail companies the following year. The corporation pays the railroads to run their passenger trains and compensates them for the use of certain facilities, including tracks and terminals. It bears all administrative costs, such as those incurred for the purchase of new equipment, and manages scheduling, route planning, and the sale of tickets.
Also, the creation of Amtrak marked the first time that rail passenger service received any form of direct financial assistance from the U.S. government. Although the corporation derived income from ticket sales and from its mail-carrying service, its revenues were not enough to offset its expenditures. Facing a decline in federal funding in the mid-1990s, Amtrak reorganized its corporate structure, initiated changes in service, and sought alternative financing, including subsidies from state governments, and that is the short history of this company.
So, riding on an Amtrak train is a nice adventure for many. You can get a group of your family or friends together and really enjoy not worrying about driving in bad weather, traffic jams, using GPS, gassing up a car, looking for a motel that is suitable for your needs, finding a restaurant that does not charge through the roof, plus the tip.
With an Amtrak train the cost is very reasonable, and you can really relax and enjoy the people with you, and once you reach your destination, most railroad stops have places where you can rent a car, or in