[cdcdawg]

Because they tell you where you can go, and when you can go there. DONE!

[Olog-hai]

So do airlines. And the “Hound”.

[gleeaikin]

Because they are not Randians?

[lefty-lie-spy]

I love the train system in Japan. It works here because Japan is small and all metropolises are within 30 minutes to one hour of another. The metro subway systems are simply bitchin’ and work extremely well. In the USA, not a freaking chance. I remember in the 80s when Sacramento put in light rail in the downtown area to shuttle people a few blocks between here and there. It was faster to walk.

[wjr123]

Exactly! There is a significant difference in culture that leads to different population densities over a given area.

[Cronos]

Trains can be an effective way of transportation -- if managed and designed privately. If you think about it -- a train from Washington DC to Grand Central going at bullet train speeds would do great business. Of course you need a lot of capital investment first, but this would reap dividends year after year.

Maybe even Chicago-NY, but nothing further. For these short distances you can stretch, relax and work, maybe even walk around.

But if you get government designing or regulating, then you end up with the US passenger train system -- what a pity.