Their are a few things I would like to see more (train wise) than the major RR getting back into the passenger business, particularly when it comes to LD trains.
I also do not think their is a snowballs chance in hell for it to happen without major government subsidies or tax breaks.
I saw that article the morning and all I saw were quotes from Downs.
Until the CEO or chairman from UP CSX, BNSF or NS says "we want passengers" I will call this a bunch of BS.
Agreed. There is no magic spell that suddenly makes passenger traffic profitable to the point where the legacy RR's will come back into the picture without any tax-payer funding, and continued subsidy. And further more, I don't see Long-Distance overnight services returning in any way, no matter the desire of some, under the banner of a legacy carrier. Any services started by the big boys will only be corridors, much like Metra has in Chicago, that serve commuters and day-travelers. So, no. Amtrak is not going to disappear, much as Mr. Downs would like to make it out to seem. Yes, he was apart of Amtrak at one time, but he is now on the other side of the coin looking to cash in on the corporate feeding frenzy that would take place if Amtrak were to be cut up and privatized. And no, I don't believe it would be to the best interests of the American tax payer or the rail traveler.
Is there room for improvement? Oh, hell yes. But this should be done in conjunction with Amtrak, maybe to (re)establish services to places not served today with rail travel. But not to replace what we have had to fight tooth and nail for, and give it up at a loss.
There is no cost savings in handing the system back to the legacy companies. If anything, I wager it would end up costing more. One of the best ways to allow the current system to expand and meet future needs for capacity and demand is to uncuff Amtrak from the multitude of Congressional mandates and idiotic limits imposed upon it.
*EDIT*
And on a second thought: A politically unpopular move right now, and one with its own list of costs and troubles, but one that would revolutionize rail travel in the United States to a level where great benefits for all were to be had: Nationalization of the rail infrastructure. Buy out the right-of-way from all railroad operators and operate them under the same rules as the interstate system is ran. A blanket statement that requires a large amount of detail that cannot be placed into this limited discussion, but in the simple terms it would level the transportation field across all modes. The independent companies continue to operate the same in terms of traffic, and vie for the contracts to maintain and construct the lines like road construction companies do under the respective State DOTs. All above the rail costs are the concerns of the operators, all below the rail costs are the concern of the DOT. Users pay a fee, based on weight and mile, and a separate Railway Trust Fund is established to support the system and let it expand.
Amtrak remains, and perhaps slowly migrates toward that ultimate goal of being an independent company on the same playing field as a legacy carrier. A pipe dream, for sure, but one that has roots in reality if the will to make it happen is fostered.