Why don't Americans ride trains?

The Economist ^ | 29 Aug 2013 | Economist

[Cronos]

AMERICA has by far the largest rail network in the world, with more than twice as much track as China. But it lags far behind other first-world countries in ridership. Instead of passengers, most of America's massive rail network is used to carry freight. Why don't Americans ride trains?

..the Japanese, the Swiss, the French, the Danes, the Russians, the Austrians, the Ukrainians, the Belarussians and the Belgians all accounted for more than 1,000 passenger-kilometres by rail in 2011; Americans accounted for 80. Amtrak carries 31m passengers per year. Mozambique's railways carried 108m passengers in 2011.

There are many reasons why Americans don't ride the rails as often as their European cousins. Most obviously, America is bigger than most European countries. Outside the northeast corridor, the central Texas megalopolis, California and the eastern Midwest, density is sometimes too low to support intercity train travel. Underinvestment, and a preference for shiny new visions over boring upgrades, has not helped. Most American passenger trains travel on tracks that are owned by freight companies. That means most trains have to defer to freight services, leading to lengthy delays that scare off passengers who want to arrive on time.

[wastedyears]

The interstate highway system was used as a means to grow government. Not what I’d call freedom.

I'm not disputing your statement, but what do you mean by that?

[wastedyears]

I haven’t had any problems with Amtrak. I’m not a frequent rider though.

[central_va]

Round trip Richmond Va to Wash DC is a 100 bucks to go 100 miles. Kind of expensive.

[RaceBannon]

Sri Lanka

[Vermont Lt]

Has this guy ever ridden a motorcycle in this country? Evidently not.

[cripplecreek]

[Vermont Lt]

If I wanted to take a train the NYC the cost is about $80. But I have to pick it up in Springfield, Ma. The train station there is in a war zone. Not quite Chicago, mind you, but still more dangerous than Kabul.

No thanks.

[Sooth2222]

Why don't Americans ride trains?

The underlying premise is wrong. Americans ride trains when it makes sense for them to ride trains, and they walk, bike, fly, take a bus or drive a car when it makes sense to them to walk, bike, fly, take a bus or drive a car.

Rhetorical question closer to Economist's home turf -- why don't Australians or Canadians ride trains as much as Londoners?

They just need to look at a map.

[BobL]

Unless MASSIVE amounts of government money is used, firms like MegaBus and BoltBus are in the process of ending what little change trains had for a comeback, and that’s FINE WITH ME.

[miss marmelstein]

Personally, I think Dublin is a hellscape so his comment eluded me.

[punchamullah]

In January 2012, I rode the Empire Builder MSP-SEA for $132, one way. It took 37 hours then, but now takes 40 hours.

[stars & stripes forever]

Rail lines were into bike trails in my area. Our community is investing $$$$ on bike trails instead of filling potholes.

[yuleeyahoo]

We traveled coach on Amtrak From Jacksonville TO D.C.. We arrived 12 hours late due to various mishaps. Upon arrival we immediately lodged complaints with Amtrak and in recompense, they upgraded our return trip form coach to a private stateroom.

Amtrak is a very nice way to travel if you have a lot of flexibility in your schedule and book a stateroom.

[ABN 505]

Love trains. That said I don't ride them anymore, when I was younger I would take a train anywhere, from Boston to Colorado just to see the country. Last time I took a train was from Albany to Buffalo N.Y. with my wife and 4 of my kids to see Niagara Falls. What a nightmare, constant stops for no apparent reason, failure of A/C, STINKY TOILETS, Dirty cars, Lousy prepackaged food, etc. Kids had a blast though as they weren’t strapped in a seat and could go from car to car. North By Northwest it wasn't.

[WriteOn]

Old man who worked on the trains all his life told me that freight pays better than passengers.

[Rides_A_Red_Horse]

Why don’t “Progressives” think for themselves?

Why do Marxists constantly strive to limit our freedoms and choices?

What business is it to anyone else what damned transportation I choose?

[Rides_A_Red_Horse]

I’ve seen references to “Willie Green,” mostly on train related articles.

I did a web search and found a basketball player who plays for the Clippers (Willie J Green). Am I missing something? Is he some kind of model railroad enthusiest?

[Dr. Sivana]

From the full article:
per capita, the Japanese, the Swiss, the French, the Danes, the Russians, the Austrians, the Ukrainians, the Belarussians and the Belgians all accounted for more than 1,000 passenger-kilometres by rail in 2011;

1,000/365=2.74 km per day. 2.74 km equals 1.74 miles per day.

Since plenty of commuters are going considerably farther than that, there are a WHOLE LOT of of people even in these places not using the train much at all.

[Dr. Sivana]

Let's take a part of the U.S. with LOTS of trains ... New York City. You are in Brooklyn, you want to go to Queens, ten miles away. You want to take trains. You will have to go to Manhattan and transfer back. Or perhaps both Brooklyn and Queens should be ripped up for elevated trains or subways.

I lived in Chicago with no car for three years. From Hyde Park (U of Chicago) to the Pro Life Action League offices (northwest side, Cicero Ave.) took nearly three hours by public transport. Going to the nearest Montgomery Ward for a Coleco Adam ribbon wasn't much better.

[spankalib]

bkmk