Hello RMP,
Yep, nothing like government interference and regulation to hamper sound economic business practice and re-investment. The route needs more sidings and tracks in general...
Regards,
O.A.

The moment Amtrak took it over he kicked and rolled. We did the Seattle to Chicago a few Christmas breaks ago. We had a good experience and saw as we had to pull over for every freight train that went by, that we were going to be late. Except on the 2nd night, I awoke because the train was bouncing all over the place, when I looked out the window we were flying, going much faster than the cars on the highway next to us, and sure enough, when the sun came up we were on time pulling into Chi town 48 hours after leaving Seattle.
After an agreeable dinner, we headed up to Winnipeg and took the Via rail back as far as Kamloops where we went skiing.
Our comparison...take the dining cars out of Canada and put them in the Amtrak train.

For Our first dinner on the Canadian rail, the train pulled over and stopped just as we were seated, and I thought dang these folks take dining seriously, only to learn later we had stopped for a freight car miles ahead.

It's a beautiful day