As commuters continue to look for alternatives to high gas prices, increasing numbers are choo-choo-choosing Amtrak. A record 28 million passengers are expected to ride the train this fiscal year compared to 25.8 million last year. The House and Senate have passed bills that could boost Amtrak’s funding by 33 percent, which has Amtrak prez Alex Kummant saying he’s “optimistic” about the rail service’s future. But he warns that aging trains, dilapidated tracks, and overcrowding are concerns. Nearly $5 billion would be needed just to get infrastructure up to snuff along the heavily traveled Northeast Corridor.
