All Aboard: Too Many for Amtrak

From The Wall Street Journal:

[M]any Amtrak trains are getting overcrowded, and a backlog of infrastructure problems stands in the way of expanded service.

Amtrak's newfound popularity has made an impression in Congress, where lawmakers view the rail service as an environmentally friendly, energy-efficient approach to reducing gridlock and expanding transportation options.

The House and Senate have passed by veto-proof margins legislation that could increase Amtrak funding by 33% or more in the new fiscal year beginning October. The legislation would also establish a grant program to encourage states to expand rail offerings.

In recent decades, much of the federal support has gone to highway construction and, to a lesser extent, mass-transit systems.