The other problem with trains in America is a lack of quick and economical transport once you reach the intercity.
When I lived in the UK about 30 miles West of London, I could get into London in about 30 minutes via train. Once in the central city from Paddington or Waterloo I could be anyplace in London in about 30 minutes via the underground, known in the United States as the subway.
I drove my car into London only once. It took me longer to find a parking place than the entire journey would have taken by train and subway.
I liked the trains and underground. However, this will only work if we have high speed trains into the central cities and good transport via subways to the various points in the city. The crux of the problem is how much will it cost and who should pay for it.
I really do not think the airlines are a political force in this. Even in England if the journey was more than 200 miles I would take a commercial airline and then a taxi to my destination. In the United States I use a figure of 350 miles. Our highway system is superior and fuel cheaper. Thus using my car is cheaper and takes about the same time from home to destination when one considers getting to the airport, clearing security, the flight, retrieving your luggage, and arranging transport to your destination in the central city or worse the suburbs.
New York is an exception to the rule in the United States. They have an excellent subway system and trains that bring the passengers into the central city.
ps
I am not bleeding heart liberal. I am a Libertarian and hard right economic conservative, strict constitutionalist. These are just my observations.
Your post is exactly what I would have written were I not enjoying a beer in the park and reading this on my iphone. So Paddington is London? What was the Edinburgh station called then? I drove into London on once or twice too, to return the rental cars I kept clipping the side mirrors off of... ;)
World’s best cabbies in that town too. They take a lot of the up-market and mid-distance commuters. London works because of the density, the multiple transportation options, and the anti-automobile government policy. San Francisco’s somewhat similar. I lived there for a year without a car, and didn’t miss it.
It’s cultural too. I doubt we’ll ever see American cab drivers biking around town learning “The Knowledge”.
Plus, parking at any hotel in Manhattan is now at least $45/day. Therefore, if you are going to be there for more than a couple days it is probably cheaper to take the train into Penn Station. Also, don’t even think about driving a Suburban into NYC. I had a friend who did that. The Marriott charged him $110/night to park because it is an oversized vehicle.
good points.