Amtrak reaction Mica/Shuster plan: NEC not just a piece of real estate

Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman issued the following statement today regarding proposed legislation by House Transportation Committee Chairman John Mica and House Railroad Subcommittee Chairman Bill Shuster on privatizing the Northeast Corridor and the Amtrak national network. "Any plan for transforming the Northeast Corridor (NEC) must make transportation the centerpiece of the effort. The NEC is not just a piece of real estate - it is a major transportation artery and a vital component of the regional economy carrying more than 250,000 intercity and commuter passengers every day," said Boardman. "We're going to have to take a careful look at the proposal because we don't want to run the risk of adopting something that won't work, that compromises safety or that simply costs more than we can afford. We have a basic duty to the public to ensure that we're looking after their interests, and the last thing the Northeast needs is a plan that's poorly thought through and that doesn't take key issues into account."