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A good start would be reasonable prices. My gf and I would love to take a train, but every time we check Amtrak it is way more than flying. I mean come on! I

A good start would be reasonable prices. My gf and I would love to take a train, but every time we check Amtrak it is way more than flying. I mean come on! I can fly through the air cheaper than a train on tracks?

pm90 5y ago
Amtrak long distance trains have like 4 or 5 “cars”. Unlike planes that carry hundreds of passengers, the trains carry far fewer so the cost per passenger tends to be higher. I’m guessing they don’t add more cars because there isn’t much demand but IDK; could also be their engines can’t tow more.
- sofixa 5y ago
  A "car" can easily be double decker and have hundreds of places (280 for a double decker TGV car); even a single deck can easily have more than a hundred places in non first class; meanwhile a traditional short haul airplane ( eg. A320 or 737 ) is in the <200 range. So your argument doesn't really hold up.
  - pm90 5y ago
    You are wrong. From: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superliner_(railcar) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superliner_(railcar) > Pullman-Standard built 102 Superliner I coaches and 48 coach-baggage combine cars. Bombardier built 38 Superliner II coaches.[57] As built, Superliner coaches could carry 62 passengers in the upper level and 15 passengers on the lower level. The lower level's capacity would later be reduced to 12. The coach-baggage cars had a baggage compartment in lieu of the lower-level seating area,[58] and squeezed 78 seats into the upper level.[59] The total capacity of 75 to 78 represented a small increase over the 68 to 72 seats on the Hi-Level coaches, which lacked seating on the lower level.
    - sofixa 5y ago
      Even with this specific railcar, even if we assume 3 cars, that's 216 places. An A321, the biggest single-aisle airliner, can have up to 220 passengers in a high density configuration. So, a train can both have more passengers and transport them more comfortably with more luggage.
BurningFrog 5y ago
Tracks cost a lot to build and maintain. In contrast, air costs nothing.
- occz 5y ago
  Flying is highly subsidized by the simple fact that their externalities are allowed to simply be pumped out to the atmosphere. Rectifying that makes electrified trains a lot more competitive.
  - BurningFrog 5y ago
    That's decent counterargument to something I didn't write.

pm90 5y ago

Amtrak long distance trains have like 4 or 5 “cars”. Unlike planes that carry hundreds of passengers, the trains carry far fewer so the cost per passenger tends to be higher. I’m guessing they don’t add more cars because there isn’t much demand but IDK; could also be their engines can’t tow more.

sofixa 5y ago
A "car" can easily be double decker and have hundreds of places (280 for a double decker TGV car); even a single deck can easily have more than a hundred places in non first class; meanwhile a traditional short haul airplane ( eg. A320 or 737 ) is in the <200 range. So your argument doesn't really hold up.
- pm90 5y ago
  You are wrong. From: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superliner_(railcar) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superliner_(railcar) > Pullman-Standard built 102 Superliner I coaches and 48 coach-baggage combine cars. Bombardier built 38 Superliner II coaches.[57] As built, Superliner coaches could carry 62 passengers in the upper level and 15 passengers on the lower level. The lower level's capacity would later be reduced to 12. The coach-baggage cars had a baggage compartment in lieu of the lower-level seating area,[58] and squeezed 78 seats into the upper level.[59] The total capacity of 75 to 78 represented a small increase over the 68 to 72 seats on the Hi-Level coaches, which lacked seating on the lower level.
  - sofixa 5y ago
    Even with this specific railcar, even if we assume 3 cars, that's 216 places. An A321, the biggest single-aisle airliner, can have up to 220 passengers in a high density configuration. So, a train can both have more passengers and transport them more comfortably with more luggage.

BurningFrog 5y ago

Tracks cost a lot to build and maintain. In contrast, air costs nothing.

occz 5y ago
Flying is highly subsidized by the simple fact that their externalities are allowed to simply be pumped out to the atmosphere. Rectifying that makes electrified trains a lot more competitive.
- BurningFrog 5y ago
  That's decent counterargument to something I didn't write.