tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508297173552567556.post1770764347068480464..comments2022-11-06T03:24:14.807-06:00Comments on Front Porch Coffee Talk: My letter to Scott Walker on railE Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12304285973189454230noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508297173552567556.post-44954564417862341752010-11-11T12:01:05.811-06:002010-11-11T12:01:05.811-06:00@Irish Frog: I'm running to a meeting, so can&...@Irish Frog: I'm running to a meeting, so can't research all the articles, but I googled "Hiawatha, Chicago, Milwaukee, ridership," and this was the first article to come up:<br />Bix Times (not always friendly to rail and non-road options), Oct 29, 2010: NOW: Amtrak’s Hiawatha Service has record ridership<br />http://www.biztimes.com/news/2010/10/29/now-amtraks-hiawatha-service-has-record-ridershipE Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12304285973189454230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508297173552567556.post-62804304742480343492010-11-11T11:41:01.873-06:002010-11-11T11:41:01.873-06:00Hi, I also support the train and am a little upset...Hi, I also support the train and am a little upset at Walker just lighting money on fire to make a point. However, can you explain where you get data for this statement: Already, the Chicago-Milwaukee Hiawatha line is bursting at the seams, and we can anticipate the same demand on the extension to Madison.<br /><br />I'd love to be able to use that info, but from the data I've seen, the rail line is not bursting, mostly because it's inefficient (something this new rail line will fix!)Irish Froghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18334666061782399866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508297173552567556.post-56173509500909531472010-11-10T16:22:59.545-06:002010-11-10T16:22:59.545-06:00A fantastic letter. Thank you.A fantastic letter. Thank you.Arnie Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11411929397021829586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508297173552567556.post-30628649243230717932010-11-10T13:45:42.501-06:002010-11-10T13:45:42.501-06:00Well said. If folks would figure the likely subsid...Well said. If folks would figure the likely subsidy of $750K annually in terms of WI not having to match federal dollars in a 80/20 mix to build it in the first place, it almost becomes a bargain. And now having to pay back $100 million to the federal government for basically what amounts to nothing, it doesn't do much for our road budget either. Better off to build it, subsidize it for many years at 750K a year and use the rest of what would have been the $100 mil. payback money to fix some roads.<br /><br />DaveUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17658745116741238544noreply@blogger.com