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110 MPH? In whose dream? In a typical mile of railroad right-of-way will be dozens of crossings, everything from busy highways and two-lane roads to goat paths.

At each crossing the train is required to slow down and sound its horn. The horn sounds continously because the train is almost always approaching a crossing.

There are long stretches of track in such sorry repair that speed is restricted to 30 or so miles per hour.

Every so many miles a train must pull off onto a siding and stop and wait to permit a train coming from the opposite direction to pass.

Rail passenger service died out because of lack of passengers. Passengers abandoned rail service because it was no longer needed.

Amtrak cannot live without subsidies. Last year Amtrak asked for 1.8 billion and got 1.2 billion. The Bush administration is trying to eliminate subsidies altogether except for commuter service in the Northeast.

Each passenger's fare must be subsidized to the tune of $30 to $200 per ride from taxpayers most of whom never see a train and few of whom ever rode on a train.

Passenger trains, at any speed, are a part of the Golden Past and are as obsolete as buggy whips, good beer, and honest politicians.