On Saturday, May 16, 2015 at 8:49:32 AM UTC-4, Peter Schleifer wrote:

> It doesn't matter to the deceased, but it matters a great deal to how
> the public, and especially media pundits, will react. An ISIS attack
> on our rails is probably the only thing that would convince most
> Republicans in Congress to approve more funding for Amtrak.

IMHO, if it was a terrorist attack (which is doubtful), it would _not_ mean
more funding for Amtrak.  Rather, it would mean more funding for Homeland
Security.  More troubling, it would mean more onerous security checks on rail
passengers (even though a 
passenger wasn't involved).  Also, more problems for railfans.

As an aside, Amtrak has been trying to fence up its largely open ROW, mostly
to protect against trespasser fatalities.  But vandals quickly cut through the
fence; a kid was killed after doing that.

--- SoupGate/W32 v1.03
 * Origin: LiveWire BBS -=*=- UseNet FTN Gateway (1:2320/1)