Keeping Track Of Amtrak

<B>Keeping Track Of Amtrak</B>

Kudos for bringing readers up to date on Amtrak's continuing delay in introducing full "Acela" high-speed service between Washington, D.C., and Boston. Amtrak tends to shoot itself in its feet. Ninety-five percent of its subsidy is spent on 5 percent of its system, the Northeast Corridor, leaving mere "scraps" for the nationwide rail system, which now must haul as many mail/express/freight cars as passenger cars to bring enough money to augment the subsidies.

Far too much is spent on personnel, stations and equipment at stops that have only one train a day in each direction, true of the majority of Amtrak's approximately 500 stops. Such stations must sublet services, waiting rooms and ticket sales to nearby hotels, service stations and restaurants located near present Amtrak manned or unmanned stations to improve quality of service.

In a separate comment, I admired the artwork showing a thoughtful young executive pondering his business with a globe at hand (BTN, June 12). Who is the artist? Let's see more of his work.

<I>Marvin Doudna</I>

<I>The artist is Mark Tuchman. Thanks for the feedback.