No LD train gets direct operating subsidy from any state.
As I have mentioned earlier LSL was introduced as a 403(b) train with operating subsidy from Ohio and New York. But that was back in the '70s. It has long since become a part of the National System
However, there are some states that have spent large amounts of money on infrastructure supporting mostly medium distance trains and incidentally LD trains, and some other states that have spent money on infrastructure, mostly stations, but some on track improvement and such in support of LD trains.
Amtrak has pretty much said that there is going to be no restoration of a Sunset East LD service. Service restoration will happen only if the states or the federal government appropriates specific funds to restore that service.
There are instances of state funded trains that run through another state which does not fund it and even makes stops in that state, but none are LD trains. An example is Downeaster passing through and stopping in NH.
Then there are cases of states like NJ which do not contribute to operations of Amtrak trains but spend significant money in improving the NEC infrastructure in NJ, primarily for supporting NJ Transit service, but incidentally benefits Amtrak sometimes in very significant ways.
There is nothing that prevents a state from funding some part of operations of an LD train to try to entice Amtrak into run an LD train on a particular route. Usually such happens in terms of infrastructure like stations and track improvement rather than operating subsidy. But nothing really precludes a state from providing operating subsidy through some means. Indeed if the through cars from the Pennsy to the Cap happens some sort of a deal will have to be struck between Amtrak and PennDOT for carrying those through cars on a state supported train - or not.
However, on the operating subsidy front for LD trains the biggest contributions the states make is through their Congressional delegation in keeping the subsidy levels adequate for running the LD network. Those that work harder at it tend to throw in some extras for their trains and that is what sometimes makes the difference about where a train continues to run vs. where one doesn't when push comes to shove. As has been mentioned earlier, the Cardinal was protected by specific legislation for a period of time. The Empire Builder has always enjoyed extremely vocal support from the Montana Congressional delegation, The Texas Eagle became daily as a result of the personal interest taken on it by Senator Hutchinson. There are many other such specific examples of targeted support leading Amtrak to make specific choices when it came time to choose.
Well then if you're all going to say Pennsylvania needs to fund a new Broadway Limited/ Three Rivers/ whatever train, I'll say what about all the current LD trains that states are not funding? If Amtrak is going to tell me we don't have the money to fund this train themselves, I'm going to ask them what are you spending your money on now? And a better question, where does that money your spending come from? So if Amtrak would rather fund the Cardinal than an eastern PA train, they are telling me West Virginia is more important than eastern PA, plain and simple (assuming its THEIR money). If West Virginia is paying money for the Cardinal, then Amtrak can tell me they are paying for it and I can't complain. If I am paying Amtrak money, I think I have a right to question where that money goes. We all do. We aren't talking about state contributions, we're talking about federal contributions. If Amtrak chooses to fund a train that mainly serves a state with 44,293 passengers as opposed to a state that serves almost six million, that's bad business. Back in 2004 (NARP data), the Three Rivers served 149,562 passengers and the Cardinal served 86,833. Unless West Virginia is paying for it, it's a bad business choice.
http://www.narprail.org/site/assets/files/1038/states_2014.pdf
And if you want to talk about route maintenance and improvements, we all know the Three Rivers was WAY faster than the Cardinal. If the Cardinal isn't the slowest route in America, what is? And the route between HAR and PHL? Doesn't Amtrak own it? Does Amtrak own any tracks in West Virginia? If Amtrak can improve the speed along either of the routes, which is more likely, HAR to PHL or insert names of 2 cities in West Virginia because I can barely name 2 cities without looking at the schedule. They can run the Liberty Limited (name suggested by Eric S) along that route as fast as they run the Keystone trains now without interference from NS, CSX, or any other freight company. Can you say that about a significant portion of the Cardinal? Well the NEC but remember the part from PHL to NYP would also be part of the Liberty Limited. So you're comparing WAS to PHL vs. HAR to PHL as PHL to NYP cancels out. Plus you can run the rest of the train in less time and less miles, using less fuel, less workers, etc.
So if what you say is true and West Virginia doesn't support the Cardinal financially then you can't hold the "Pennsylvania won't pay for the Liberty Limited" excuse over me. Amtrak should pay for it and if they don't have the money then get rid of the Cardinal or reroute it from CIN through Columbus and Pittsburgh and they might actually get more passengers and revenue. It's not a "this state supports trains more than others" if Amtrak is the ones paying. And oh by the way, Robert Byrd is dead. He can't stop anything now.
So let's end the "this state supports such a train more than others" excuse. Amtrak can fund this train like all of the other LD trains and if they can't, they need to look at which trains will bring in the most R & R. Tell Congress that they should be able to decide which trains to run and if they got to maybe they can choose the right trains, make more revenue, and not need as much federal money from Congress next year.
Looking at the state data, the states with the most Amtrak passengers:
New York: 11,934,779
California: 10,519,287
Pennsylvania: 5,953,977
Illinois: 4,883,918
Massachusetts: 3,114,852
I believe those are the only states that have over two million passengers.
The only LD train that serves more than one city in Pennsylvania is the CL and one of those is Connellsville which I have no idea where it is and had only 4,925 passengers last year. All other routes serve one city and one city only. No LD train serves HAR or Lancaster, both with over a half million passengers last year. I would say a good 15-20 states have LD service passing through 3 or more cities in the state but PA isn't one of them. Remember all of this is paid by Amtrak not the states (unless I am misunderstanding). This to me is Amtrak saying a big F you to Pennsylvania.
LD Service through PA:
Capitol Limited, PGH: 52,821
Silver Meteor, PHL: 25,600
Silver Star, PHL: 23,971
Crescent, PHL: 23,128
Palmetto: PHL: 21,497
Lake Shore Limited, Erie: 18,311
Cardinal: PHL: 6,590
Capitol Limited, Connellsville: 4,925
We have two major cities in our state, how many states can say that? But we don't get an LD train that connects the two? You want to increase frequency in routes? Why not PGH-PHL/NYP?
And Amtrak dares to ask us to pay? Make West Virginia pay then. Send them a bill. The Cardinal supports 11 states plus DC? Well the train is pretty useless for PA. New York and New Jersey would rather have a Liberty Limited. New York City already has the LSL. Washington DC has the CL. Chicago has both. None of the major cities care about the Cardinal. Most of Virginia can go to the NEC directly and can connect with the CL in WAS. Is it unfair they would have to connect? Is it unfair Pennsylvania has to connect?
Obviously Indiana is a state that does benefit from the Cardinal. But they have no other choice. If the Hoosier State service picks up they won't need the Cardinal as much. Extend that to CIN and they would be taken care of. By the way, CIN is served at such lousy times do they really care about the Cardinal? 13,375 passengers. If the Cardinal really cared about CIN they would change their times to better serve them. The Cardinal schedule in the Amtrak timetable says "New York • Washington, DC • Cincinnati • Indianapolis • Chicago". We all know three of those cities don't care much about the Cardinal so if your primary markets are IND and CIN, why not serve them at better hours? Unless the train is really a West Virginia train. And if it is, send them a bill. Stop spending our money and leaving us in the dark and Ohio in the dark ... literally.
Pennsylvania doesn't support Amtrak? Yes we do... with our wallets and our butts. Almost 6 million of those butts in 2014. Stop treating us like we're West Virginia.