Have you priced what it costs to travel the rails? Given the taxpayer (Gov’t) susidies, the cost to travel by rail is not only woefully inconvenient, slow; it’s outrageously expensive too.
Consider, the destinations are limited, but for me to leave from Ogden, UT and travel to Memphis, TN - that trip, one-way will cost me $240.50 and involves the following.
I leave 5:10pm on Tuesday, and after a bus ride, and a transfer - I arrive in Memphis on Friday at 6:27am. 3 Days of sleeping in a chair for a one-way ticket. Round trip is going to run an extra $315.
For that price, I can fly First Class round trip - and my travel time will only be a matter of a couple hours.
Consider, the destinations are limited, but for me to leave from Ogden, UT and travel to Memphis, TN - t
That's a 1500 mile trip.
I don't expect passenger rail travel to be competitive with airlines on trips exceeding 600 miles in distance.
Modern high-speed rail is best suited for regional travel between 100 and 600 miles distance.
However, commuter passenger rail is also gaining poularity in shorter distancses as well, due to rising fuel costs, traffic congestion, etc, etc,