John Mica Wants High-Speed Rail in the Northeast and Amtrak Out of the Way

Florida Congressman John Mica, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said Thursday he wants to take the Northeast corridor train service away from Amtrak and instead let private investors bid to replace it with a high-speed rail service.

The Northeast corridor commuter system is Amtrak's most popular and only entirely profitable service line.

According to the Huffington Post, Mica claims there is "great potential" along the corridor which extends from Washington to Boston, including service to New York and Philadelphia for better, faster train service, if Amtrak will get out of the way.

Though Amtrak is a private corporation, it depends on federal subsidies for routes less subscribed to on a daily basis. It is vulnerable because the Federal Railroad Administration holds liens on most of its assets.

Mica said he will introduce legislation soon to solicit bids -- and his Republican House colleagues are backing him up on it. But he said he knows the Senate is unlikely to go along.