All passenger operations make up less than a tenth of total traffic on the rail, the rest is freight. 
Every railroad in the country is supplemented by federal money, as they are considered vital infrastructure like the highway system and power grid, not a tourist trap. 
Lastly, AKRR tried to bring commuter service between anchorage and the valley 14 years ago. The Begich administration blocked them after they'd already spent millions upgrading the rail to accommodate the added traffic. Place blame where it's due, and stop speaking out of ignorance.