Surging Demand for Rail Service Straining Amtrak Fleet

CHICAGO — Amtrak faces a new problem around the nation: The passenger rail service that once struggled to woo riders is now so popular amid soaring gas prices, it fears it soon won't have enough trains to meet demand. Already record-high ridership is expected to grow to 50 million riders a year in ten years, from around 25 million now, meaning Amtrak must double its fleet to meet demand, its president and chief executive officer, Alex Kummant, said Wednesday. Nationally, 2,750,278 passengers used Amtrak in July, a 14 percent surge from the year before and the highest ridership for a single month in the service's 37-year history. "In a way, it's a good problem to have," said Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari. "But we can't meet demand with the current fleet." Kummant met with U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, and other... [read full story]