Dimensions: 6'' x 9'' 282 pages AEI Press  (Washington) Publication Date: November 2004 Hardcover ISBN: 0844742031 Price: $ 25.00 Add to Cart   Examination Copies

View the press release, introduction, and summary.

"This incredible work documents Amtrak's quest to undermine even mild congressional reforms. End of the Line will inspire a reassessment of Amtrak, a dysfunctional organization that has failed taxpayers and travelers time and again."

    --Anthony Haswell, railroad passenger advocate instrumental in the formation of Amtrak

"Mr. Vranich made the conversion from spokesman to scourge, arguing in books titled 'Derailed' and 'End of the Line' that train service would never improve as long as Amtrak had a monopoly on it. . . . Amtrak officials no longer pretend that Acela is the future--they've vowed not to buy any more of the trains--but they insist that they still know the solution to passengers' woes: more money from Washington. Last week, though, the Bush administration adopted Mr. Vranich's idea of giving the federal money to someone other than the folks who brought us the Acela."

       --John Tierney, New York Times, April 19, 2005

[Read more of what others are saying about End of the Line.]

Joseph Vranich has produced the first insightful analysis of the deficit-ridden Amtrak system since the passage of major reform legislation in 1997, the Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act. His review comes as Amtrak is seeking record federal subsidies while continuing to resist meaningful reforms.

The book addresses myths and fallacies about Amtrak, exposing how the railroad is not as essential to mobility as it claims. For example, each of the nation's top sixteen airports serves more travelers every day than does Amtrak's entire national system. [more...]

Joseph Vranich has been involved with passenger railroad issues for more than thirty years. He has served as a public affairs spokesman for Amtrak and as president of the High Speed Rail Association, and is the author of two previous books about passenger rail service.