The Amtrak Era is Over; it’s Time for a Replacement

Railway Age ^ | 4 October 2018 | F. K. Plous

[SJSAMPLE]

They’re called “airplanes”.

[wally_bert]

Supertrain now.

[FreedomPoster]

Railroads: A 19th Century solution to 21st Century problems. Only make sense in very population dense locales. Most of the growth in the U.S. for the last 50-ish years has been in the Sunbelt, and is not particularly densely populated. People like elbow room, despite what the urban planners tell us.

[Red Badger]

Monorail!..........IT’S TIME.................

[SkyDancer]

Flying cattle cars.

[Publius]

Suppose you live in a small town in flyover country and the nearest airport is 300 to 500 miles away. What then?

[SkyDancer]

Took the Empire Builder from Seattle to Chicago numerous times - fun trip and food was cooked, not microwaved. Only travel on it first class though, roomette - includes meals.

[Publius]

Railroads: A 19th Century solution to 21st Century problems.

Highways: A Roman Empire solution to 21st Century problems.

Your argument is a cliché, not a possible solution.

[TheTimeOfMan]

Are you referring to passenger or freight?

Our current system of moving so much freight in individual trucks over roads also has problems and huge inefficiencies.

[newfreep]

What about us brain-dead slobs?
You'll be given cushy jobs
Were you sent here by the Devil?
No, good sir, I'm on the level

But Main Street's still all cracked and broken
Sorry, Mom, the mob has spoken

[JPJones]

NYC to West Palm Beach on an Amtrak sleeper:

Best way to travel.

[Publius]

I've done the Builder many times. I've met some fascinating people in the dining car.

[SJSAMPLE]

That was a crazy show. Nuclear powered and two sets of tracks. Only NBC could think of that shit.

[SJSAMPLE]

Is there a chance the track could bend?
Not a chance, my Hindu friend!

[wally_bert]

Supertrain almost railroaded NBC into bankruptcy.

The train set would be fun to have.

[Paladin2]

What then?

Automobile, or The Dog

[Quality_Not_Quantity]

People like elbow room, despite what the urban planners tell us want.

There - fixed it.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

We MUST keep passenger trains running. How else are claustrophobes like Blowsey-Fraud going to travel?

[SkyDancer]

Fun way to go when you’ve the time.