Amtrak Shutdown Would Cause Havoc for NJ Transit, SEPTA
For the last week or so, there have been news stories warning that Amtrak is in danger of running out of operating funds. Today, The Washington Post reports what may happen if Amtrak is forced to begin "an orderly shutdown".
An Amtrak shutdown, threatened for the middle of next week, would ripple far beyond intercity passenger train service to halt or severely curtail rail commuter service along the East Coast and California, officials said yesterday.
....In addition to the {Washington D.C.} area {commuter railroad} shutdowns, Philadelphia's Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority would be largely shut down, as would New Jersey Transit...."The operational chaos that will result from this is incalculable at this point. It's a disaster," New Jersey Transportation Commissioner James P. Fox told the Associated Press.
An orderly shutdown of Amtrak could begin as early as Wednesday or Thursday of the coming week, unless Congress appropriates money or the Federal Government extends loan guarantees of as much as $200 million dollars.