Yet Another Article about the SWC's Future

[VentureForth]

From the New Mexico Business Weekly:

The only passenger rail service that hits the New Mexico towns of Raton, Las Vegas and Lamy could be cut.

Stuff we all already know. But an interesting link to an article in the Santa Fe New Mexican tugging at the heart strings of seniors...

And, ooo ooo ooo - another comparison of SUBSIDIES to highways and airports. Interesting to see that only 10x the subsidy is given to airports which I would guess handle more than 310 million passengers yearly (10x Amtrak's ridership) and highways which handle more than 40x the traffic of Amtrak...

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

Subsidies are all they can use to subsidize their rationale. *see what I did there?*

 

[Paulus]

More than 122,000 New Mexicans and 12,000 Santa Fe passengers take the Southwest Chief line through New Mexico each year, with a Lamy stop-off. Amtrak said 69 percent of the passengers on the line this year alone have been older than 55 years of age.

Seriously? We're losing hundreds of millions of dollars a year just to subsidize trips for senior citizens (who get discounts on top of it)?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

More than 122,000 New Mexicans and 12,000 Santa Fe passengers take the Southwest Chief line through New Mexico each year, with a Lamy stop-off. Amtrak said 69 percent of the passengers on the line this year alone have been older than 55 years of age.

Seriously? We're losing hundreds of millions of dollars a year just to subsidize trips for senior citizens (who get discounts on top of it)?

Excuuuuuuse me. Who are you calling senior citizens? And I fit the 55+ age group, but I do NOT get a discount.

 

[Paulus]

More than 122,000 New Mexicans and 12,000 Santa Fe passengers take the Southwest Chief line through New Mexico each year, with a Lamy stop-off. Amtrak said 69 percent of the passengers on the line this year alone have been older than 55 years of age.

Seriously? We're losing hundreds of millions of dollars a year just to subsidize trips for senior citizens (who get discounts on top of it)?

Excuuuuuuse me. Who are you calling senior citizens?

Those aged over 55, which is a fairly common point for senior discount eligibility. I didn't realize initially though that Amtrak set their discount criteria for 62+.

 

[jis]

Those aged over 55, which is a fairly common point for senior discount eligibility. I didn't realize initially though that Amtrak set their discount criteria for 62+.

Really? What common discounts start at 55? How come I am not aware of any? Are we talking of discounts that you get for being a member of AARP? Well that starts at 50 after you pay the membership fee. OTOH, the AAA discounts start as soon as you become a AAA member, and that you can do when you are 20 too!

 

[Paulus]

Those aged over 55, which is a fairly common point for senior discount eligibility. I didn't realize initially though that Amtrak set their discount criteria for 62+.

Really? What common discounts start at 55? How come I am not aware of any? Are we talking of discounts that you get for being a member of AARP? Well that starts at 50 after you pay the membership fee. OTOH, the AAA discounts start as soon as you become a AAA member, and that you can do when you are 20 too!

Movie theaters, restaurants, etc. in my experience and that I can recall seeing (being quite some ways away from there, I've never cared overly much about it, so I apologize if my impression is gravely wrong).

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Those aged over 55, which is a fairly common point for senior discount eligibility. I didn't realize initially though that Amtrak set their discount criteria for 62+.

Really? What common discounts start at 55? How come I am not aware of any? Are we talking of discounts that you get for being a member of AARP? Well that starts at 50 after you pay the membership fee. OTOH, the AAA discounts start as soon as you become a AAA member, and that you can do when you are 20 too!

Some restaurants do have 55+ discounts. I save about 35 cents at Taco Bell unless my daughter goes with me then I save a whole bunch more because she eats a lot more than me (and she's only about 110 lbs). Of course I have to remember to ask for it. There are websites where you can put in your location & find discounts.

 

[SarahZ]

69%? For real? I never would have guessed that, especially with the number of Scouts that ride it every summer. I realize this is anecdotal, but every time we ride the SWC, the age range seems pretty balanced from kids through seniors. I figured the 55+ age group would be more like 40%.

 

[PaulM]

69%? For real?

I'm a little suspicious too. Also, the phrase "this year alone" seemed strange. To talk about the number of something occurring this year alone make sense, but not a percentage.

 

[SarahZ]

69%? For real?

I'm a little suspicious too. Also, the phrase "this year alone" seemed strange. To talk about the number of something occurring this year alone make sense, but not a percentage.

I wonder if it's just poor writing.

"More than 122,000 New Mexicans and 12,000 Santa Fe passengers take the Southwest Chief line through the state annually, with the Lamy stop-off. Amtrak said 69 percent of the passengers on the line this year have been older than 55."

Do they mean just the portion of the line between ABQ and Lamy, or the state of New Mexico? I still don't buy it, especially since it's easier (and cheaper) to take the Rail Runner.

I'm so confused. I hope that percentage is a typo.