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When they discontinued some of these routes it was cheaper to buy each passenger a first class airline ticket than have them take the train. I love trains and

by rmason 5y ago

When they discontinued some of these routes it was cheaper to buy each passenger a first class airline ticket than have them take the train. I love trains and there are places where cities are close together and if the train went 150 mph or faster where it might make sense. I'd love to see a Cleveland to Detroit to Chicago train for example. But I'm not taking the train if travelling by car was faster, that makes no sense. We're not more than 5-10 years away from a time where travelling by car could mean sleeping (or working on a laptop) in the back seat until the end of the trip is possible.

johnday 5y ago
> We're not more than 5-10 years away from a time where travelling by car could mean sleeping (or working on a laptop) in the back seat until the end of the trip is possible. There is no reason to think that this is true beyond marketing and sheer optimism.
- ngokevin 5y ago
  It's easy to think it if you take Elon at his word (5 years away in 5 years).
  - wonnage 5y ago
    it's amusing that Tesla announced a battery codenamed cold fusion, which is also perpetually 5 years away
    - ckemere 5y ago
      *Hot* fusion is perpetually on the horizon. *Cold* fusion most likely doesn't exist.
RcouF1uZ4gsC 5y ago
> We're not more than 5-10 years away from a time where travelling by car could mean sleeping (or working on a laptop) I have a feeling that we might be 5-10 years away for several decades.
techsupporter 5y ago
> But I'm not taking the train if travelling by car was faster, that makes no sense. If you are going purely for minimizing time, all forms of shared transport will be slower than going it alone. A plane trip on a commercial route is slower than getting a private jet, for example. The difference is in how much additional time the shared option takes, and how the experience varies, especially relative to cost. For an Amtrak cross-country trip measured in days, I agree with you; I won't ride that (outside of the trip being the reason for the trip) either. But Amtrak Cascades between Seattle and BC or Portland? I'll definitely take the train for that. I go from downtown to downtown in a bit longer than the time to drive, I don't have to deal with the TSA, I don't have to concentrate on driving myself, I can get food and use the restroom without stopping my trip, and I get a much better seat than on a plane. If the time comparison is within about 50% extra train versus plane or car, I'm taking the train every time.
BrianOnHN 5y ago
To your point (I guess the downvotes are representing people's thoughts on Tesla), Self-driving could still have a major impact like this without being the "fully-autonomous" version. Virtual routes can be developed with negligible infrastructure(sensors) compared to a trains requirements. However, Amtrak has historically been a socialism that blue-collar towns are OK with participating in, so my guess is that this has more to do with giving government money to those people than solving any real transportation issue.

by rmason 5y ago

johnday 5y ago

> We're not more than 5-10 years away from a time where travelling by car could mean sleeping (or working on a laptop) in the back seat until the end of the trip is possible. There is no reason to think that this is true beyond marketing and sheer optimism.

ngokevin 5y ago
It's easy to think it if you take Elon at his word (5 years away in 5 years).
- wonnage 5y ago
  it's amusing that Tesla announced a battery codenamed cold fusion, which is also perpetually 5 years away
  - ckemere 5y ago
    *Hot* fusion is perpetually on the horizon. *Cold* fusion most likely doesn't exist.

RcouF1uZ4gsC 5y ago

> We're not more than 5-10 years away from a time where travelling by car could mean sleeping (or working on a laptop) I have a feeling that we might be 5-10 years away for several decades.

techsupporter 5y ago

> But I'm not taking the train if travelling by car was faster, that makes no sense. If you are going purely for minimizing time, all forms of shared transport will be slower than going it alone. A plane trip on a commercial route is slower than getting a private jet, for example. The difference is in how much additional time the shared option takes, and how the experience varies, especially relative to cost. For an Amtrak cross-country trip measured in days, I agree with you; I won't ride that (outside of the trip being the reason for the trip) either. But Amtrak Cascades between Seattle and BC or Portland? I'll definitely take the train for that. I go from downtown to downtown in a bit longer than the time to drive, I don't have to deal with the TSA, I don't have to concentrate on driving myself, I can get food and use the restroom without stopping my trip, and I get a much better seat than on a plane. If the time comparison is within about 50% extra train versus plane or car, I'm taking the train every time.

BrianOnHN 5y ago

To your point (I guess the downvotes are representing people's thoughts on Tesla), Self-driving could still have a major impact like this without being the "fully-autonomous" version. Virtual routes can be developed with negligible infrastructure(sensors) compared to a trains requirements. However, Amtrak has historically been a socialism that blue-collar towns are OK with participating in, so my guess is that this has more to do with giving government money to those people than solving any real transportation issue.