Sixty-One Million Tax Dollars Down the Drain.

Five or six years ago, city officials in Hagerstown, Maryland, wanted to induce the airlines to start bringing jet aircraft in and out of their municipal airport instead of the prop jobs. The goal was better air service for the residents of the area.

So they spent $61 million on a nice new 7,000-foot concrete runway which was finally ready for service six months ago. Trouble is, two months earlier Hagerstown lost all scheduled air service. The reason? Cut-backs by airlines as the result of high fuel prices and tough times generally for the aviation business.

This is not an isolated case either. Across the country, 30 cities have lost all scheduled air service just in the past year and 400 other cities and towns have seen the number of flights to their airports reduced. According to the Official Airline Guide, almost 23,000 fewer domestic flights were scheduled this month compared to May of last year.

Anyone who doesn’t understand that the airline industry in this country is in big trouble just hasn’t been paying attention.

You know where I’m going with this, right? Right! Passenger trains can step up and, in a great many of those cities and towns, fill the transportation void. It’s going to happen, too … it’s just a question of time. Public officials at all levels are finally beginning to see the light, but it’s going to take new awareness, some political courage and a bunch of tax dollars. Help ‘em out, will you? Call, fax or email your federal and state reps and give them a friendly push.

And consider joining the National Association of Railroad Passengers. The people in NARP’s Washington office work tirelessly to educate the key senators and representatives and to press for adequate funding for rail in general and Amtrak in particular. This is a non-profit, non-partisan organization whose mission is to work for “a modern, customer-focused national passenger train network that provides a travel choice Americans want.”

Sounds like a pretty darn good idea, doesn’t it? I’m damn sure the people in Hagerstown think so!