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Why though? The USA is huge! Even on a 250mph train, theoretical transit times through the Midwest are still going to take a long time! I love rail travel when

Why though? The USA is huge! Even on a 250mph train, theoretical transit times through the Midwest are still going to take a long time! I love rail travel when I’m in the EU, but it simply doesn’t make sense for the US and its geography. Here’s my wild opinion so feel free to disagree and point out the shortcomings… Air travel could be a lot nicer, like the days of TWA and on plane lounges; and before you got tased for getting out of your seat to walk around.

cowmix 2y ago
The best family trip my wife and I did with my kids (8 and 12) was Amtrak from AZ -> DC -> NYC. It was relaxing, fun and different. We even did it in coach (so no private room) and it was still amazing. We flew home -- and even though the flight time was about 5.5 hours - it was stressful and a let down. Your family's milage may vary.
seadan83 2y ago
Why? IMHO the best travel is not about how fast you can get there. Seeing the land from the ground is an immense experience. More so than a car since interstates are dug out, the land trains cross is amazing. Wild horses in the southwest, mountains in the west. And - you can walk around, observation car, dining car (nothing quite like making bar friends on a train), with close to zero risk of getting tased!
wpm 2y ago
Transcontinental train travel across the US? No, it probably doesn’t make sense to design a system for that alone. But just like European trains don’t only run from Lisbon to Moscow, US trains could very easily set up popular routes from small, medium, and large cities that are around 100-500miles from each other. The new Borealis route, which is nothing more than an additional short run of the Empire Builder, from Chicago to Minneapolis started turning a profit a few days after it started running. What do you get when you add up all the obvious city-pair routes in all regions? You get a transcontinental system that while likely not most people’s first choice for a NYC-LA trip, is possible without being painful. Not unlike the system that existed before the subsidized highways destroyed the private passenger rail system in the US. We know it’s possible here because it already existed.
kaliqt 2y ago
It actually does make sense. America has more amazing landmarks in one country than any country on earth. If trains were more prevalent, each would become more of a hub and cities would grow around them. There are no airports situated on top of said landmarks.
Klonoar 2y ago
It can make sense in the USA; not every trip is coast to coast. The northeast corridor is a good example of where trains work well (ish) and could be ramped up further.
BobaFloutist 2y ago
I want a US train route that functions like a cruise ship: You travel at night, sleep on board, and then the train stops for a few days at points of interest and you get out and wander around.

cowmix 2y ago

The best family trip my wife and I did with my kids (8 and 12) was Amtrak from AZ -> DC -> NYC. It was relaxing, fun and different. We even did it in coach (so no private room) and it was still amazing. We flew home -- and even though the flight time was about 5.5 hours - it was stressful and a let down. Your family's milage may vary.

seadan83 2y ago

Why? IMHO the best travel is not about how fast you can get there. Seeing the land from the ground is an immense experience. More so than a car since interstates are dug out, the land trains cross is amazing. Wild horses in the southwest, mountains in the west. And - you can walk around, observation car, dining car (nothing quite like making bar friends on a train), with close to zero risk of getting tased!

wpm 2y ago

Transcontinental train travel across the US? No, it probably doesn’t make sense to design a system for that alone. But just like European trains don’t only run from Lisbon to Moscow, US trains could very easily set up popular routes from small, medium, and large cities that are around 100-500miles from each other. The new Borealis route, which is nothing more than an additional short run of the Empire Builder, from Chicago to Minneapolis started turning a profit a few days after it started running. What do you get when you add up all the obvious city-pair routes in all regions? You get a transcontinental system that while likely not most people’s first choice for a NYC-LA trip, is possible without being painful. Not unlike the system that existed before the subsidized highways destroyed the private passenger rail system in the US. We know it’s possible here because it already existed.

kaliqt 2y ago

It actually does make sense. America has more amazing landmarks in one country than any country on earth. If trains were more prevalent, each would become more of a hub and cities would grow around them. There are no airports situated on top of said landmarks.

Klonoar 2y ago

It can make sense in the USA; not every trip is coast to coast. The northeast corridor is a good example of where trains work well (ish) and could be ramped up further.

BobaFloutist 2y ago

I want a US train route that functions like a cruise ship: You travel at night, sleep on board, and then the train stops for a few days at points of interest and you get out and wander around.