Gentlemen and gentlewomen, did you know that there's such a thing as passenger rail between San Antonio and Cleburne, Texas? I didn't until yesterday, but there is, seriously. The train leaves San Antonio at 06.48 and rolls into spiffy little Cleburne at around 13:00, and all for what? The stupidly low price of 20-40$.
This saves me a 6 hour highway slog, there and back, to pick up a member of the team, result. And result for the passenger, 6 hours of blissful train journey through the rolling plains and sylvan mesquite groves of Olde Texas. Nice, I'm jealous.
That in mind, you can take the Texas Eagle to Chicago, which might be interesting, see recip clubs, then take it back to California, behold the desolation, and then back to the safety of Free State Texas. This appeals to me, and it'd appeal a whole lot more if there was an equivalent with an open carriage and opening windows. Perhaps you know what I mean.
As it is, Amtrak has an interesting rail solution, the Texas Eagle. Let's check it out, and while we're at it, why can't America provide us with a convenient, workable, affordable rail solution? It's not as though we're not the richest, most powerful country on the planet, for goodness sake.
So let's see fewer billions sent to transsexual theater groups in Uganda and more money spent on passenger rail. It'd benefit us all, don't you think?
LSP
Profit/loss. Without pointing finders, if hauling passengers were profitable, the railroads would be doing it. Amtrak is a government creation to operates with huge subsidies.
ReplyDeleteWhat you need to do with rail service is look what Brightlines did with the Florida East Coast Railroad (FEC.)
ReplyDeleteThey helped fund double-tracking and improving the roadbed from Miami to Cocoa, and then built their own double-track ready/single track actual from Cocoa to Orlando International Airport and built a modern service and maintenance facility.
The passenger service on the BL/FEC line can go up to 80mph, while the dedicated line can reach up to 130mph.
Not a drop of federal or state money. Totally private funding. Done right and even early.
The FEC portion of the line gives the passengers a chance to see the Indian River basin and lots of little suburbs and cities. The Brightlines-only gives a good view of the St. Johns River and lots of wild Florida.
Again, done on or before time and not on government money.
Good mornin' America, how are ya,,,,,"
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvMS_ykiLiQ
When I was about 7, my mother and I rode the Shasta Daylight from Klamath Falls to Sacramento.
I'm cautiously supportive of the proposition. Mrs & I went to Spain a few years ago and after a hilarious fail of the rental car company to provide an actual car, ended up getting around by their high speed rail system and it was fantastic. 300 KPH, clean, smooth, comfortable seating, especially compared to airline seating, relatively quiet, lunch included and the included beverage cart had some pretty good wine. Highly civilized.
ReplyDeleteThen I lookit what air travel in the United States has turned into, and I have to wonder......Anyway, I'm aware Amtrack has private cabins or whatever they call them. Perhaps that would be the way to go.