Another fine example of privately owned and operated passenger rail.  Providing tourist, commuter, and regular day passengers travel along the Panama Canal.

Check it out.  Panarail

So why is it Alaska Railroad, Panarail, Ski Train, and others all operate above the subsistence, or worse, subsidized level of Amtrak?  I mean, most of the people that ride long distance trains are "tourist" types.  All of maybe 2-4% use it because they "have" to, which is often quoted.

I'd really like to see the day Amtrak is allowed to operate (or some other operator) on the efficiency level of Virgin Rail (Another privately operated passenger railroad) or the TGV Service in France (not private operated, but is now profitably operated well above the "operational costs")

 

...so again, in the US, which had some of the most magnificent passenger rail in the world, the leader of operations, how did we end up here?  (This is a somewhat rhetorical questions btw)