Train, planes and automobiles.

[mattpegher]

The car vs train thread got me thinking. WTF is with trains in this country (US). Why does a train ride from NYC to Florida cost the same as flying, takes 10x longer. How is it that Amtrak cant sell tickets to florida for like 50% or less than the cost of flying. For example a trip from Penn Station to Orlando is about $250, Air fair that same days is $215. Who the hell takes the train and why?

 

[LTC8K6]

Great holiday movie.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Sad holiday movie.

Want to see an amazing train system? Go to Germany or Japan. But those countries are about the size of Montana. Covering the US in high speed RR track is a different investment.

 

[xanis]

Sad holiday movie.

Want to see an amazing train system? Go to Germany or Japan. But those countries are about the size of Montana. Covering the US in high speed RR track is a different investment.

I used the train system in Italy pretty extensively when I was there. Absolutely incredible – America is doing it wrong.

For the equivalent of around $12 USD I could travel on a fast, clean, modern train across half of a country. A friend of mine lived in Maryland and rode Amtrak Philly -> Baltimore and it was something like $40 EACH WAY.

 

[amdhunter]

Railways make their living off of people too scared to fly. They are probably making more money from people scared to get finger popped by Mr. TSA also.

 

[waggy]

you can't compare Europe and the US on this. the scale does not fit.

 

[xanis]

you can't compare Europe and the US on this. the scale does not fit.

For a large, national railway... why not? What's the difference between Amtrak and say, Trenitalia? The ones in Europe actually allow you to travel between countries if you get a pass, and they're not THAT expensive.

 

[mnewsham]

The car vs train thread got me thinking. WTF is with trains in this country (US). Why does a train ride from NYC to Florida cost the same as flying, takes 10x longer. How is it that Amtrak cant sell tickets to florida for like 50% or less than the cost of flying. For example a trip from Penn Station to Orlando is about $250, Air fair that same days is $215. Who the hell takes the train and why?

Two of us going from DC to Miami on Jan. the 9th via the Silver Star 91 is gonna be around $1,200. We have a bedroom, comes with full dining service, etc. I prefer traveling by rail. If speed is needed however I wouldn't hesitate to take a plane.

 

[Newbian]

For a large, national railway... why not? What's the difference between Amtrak and say, Trenitalia? The ones in Europe actually allow you to travel between countries if you get a pass, and they're not THAT expensive.

Because it doesn't work that way.

 

[Arkaign]

you can't compare Europe and the US on this. the scale does not fit.

This is really the truth. Texas alone is what, the size of France, or a little larger? Trains only work in somewhat isolated sections of the country like say Boston to NY. They would be better if they were better trains as in Europe or Japan, but that's probably not going to happen.

Rail in the US is probably 90%+ simple freight transport, particularly of heavy goods.

 

[xanis]

Two of us going from DC to Miami on Jan. the 9th via the Silver Star 91 is gonna be around $1,200. We have a bedroom, comes with full dining service, etc. I prefer traveling by rail. If speed is needed however I wouldn't hesitate to take a plane.

Holy Christ, $1,200? I'd rather put up with the nonsense and spend half of that and get there quickly.

 

[waggy]

For a large, national railway... why not? What's the difference between Amtrak and say, Trenitalia? The ones in Europe actually allow you to travel between countries if you get a pass, and they're not THAT expensive.

we do have railway from one large city to others. but take a look at the sq/milage of the us vs Europe.

not to mention most of the US is very rural! there are very large portions of the US where the population is very limited. it would be extremely expensive and stupid to do.

 

[Arkaign]

For a large, national railway... why not? What's the difference between Amtrak and say, Trenitalia? The ones in Europe actually allow you to travel between countries if you get a pass, and they're not THAT expensive.

That doesn't really work either.

It's 735 miles (1182km) from Berlin to Rome, a couple major European cities that aren't the farthest or the closest.

It's 1747 miles (2812km) from Chicago to LA. Factor in say NY to SanFran, and uggggh. Or Miami to Seattle.

 

[mnewsham]

Holy Christ, $1,200? I'd rather put up with the nonsense and spend half of that and get there quickly.

It is basically like first class plane ticket. Could take regular coach seats for FAR less. But a full two bed bedroom, private bathroom, shower. Access to dining car, steak, wine, beer, etc. for a 26 hour train ride I would rather go this way then in a coach seat. As to not taking a plane, well we could for about 100 bucks each way. And in fact we are taking a plane on the way back. But we both enjoy rail and are doing it because we enjoy it.

 

[mnewsham]

we do have railway from one large city to others. but take a look at the sq/milage of the us vs Europe.

not to mention most of the US is very urban. there are very large portions of the US where the population is very limited. it would be extremely expensive and stupid to do.

Do you mean rural?

 

[waggy]

Do you mean rural?

err yeah. lol

 

[davmat787]

I doubt many realize just how big the US is, whether you are a citizen or not. I flew recently from SEA-MIA, about a 2700 mile flight. From Paris @ 2700 miles, you can get to anywhere in the top half of Africa, Nova Scotia, Iran, etc. Paris to Moscow is a little over half that distance.

For those who like pictures, a representation of where you can go within 2700 miles from CDG airport in Paris:

http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?R=2700nm%40cdg&DU=mi&SU=kts&RS=best

edit: this great circle mapper tool is fun to play around with if you like aviation and/or geography and stuff.

 

[ElFenix]

the government put passenger rail out of service by making sure trains weren't competitive with airplanes for passenger travel. then they realized their error and so have created a boondoggle by the name of amtrak to run pax service on the freight lines. problem is, freight doesn't mind if it takes 8 hours to go 150 miles.

 

[mattpegher]

I will say that if I could get a autotrain from NYC to Orlando for 1200, with a sleeper I might consider it. The main problem is that I rarely have enough time for the vaca to make it worth it. Airfair plus car rental is about 1500 for a family of four for a week. But The autotrain rate is 1500 for a family of four to sit for 24hrs in coach seats. 2400 for sleeper cabins both ways.
The rooms on the trip are $700 a trip. Thats a fucking suite at a premium disney hotel.
There must be a lot of people so afraid to fly that they will waste money this way.

 

[waggy]

I doubt many realize just how big the US is, whether you are a citizen or not. I flew recently from SEA-MIA, about a 2700 mile flight. From Paris @ 2700 miles, you can get to anywhere in the top half of Africa, Nova Scotia, Iran, etc. Paris to Moscow is a little over half that distance.

For those who like pictures, a representation of where you can go within 2700 miles from CDG airport in Paris:

http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?R=2700nm@cdg&DU=mi&SU=kts&RS=best

edit: this great circle mapper tool is fun to play around with if you like aviation and/or geography and stuff.

yeah its huge.

I live in IL. My mother lived in Salem OR. i would drive out every now and see her. it was a long fucking drive.

I went to college at Rochester Institute of Tech. so driving to Rochester from IL and back was a pain.

Me and my dad would drive from Il to NM often to see family.

its boring driving across the middle of the US

 

[Drako]

Those aren't pillows!

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Um, passenger train service was essentially killed in the United States by the automobile, not air travel. All you freaking car-lovers combined with the interstate highway saw that passenger train service was not a competitive business.

 

[mnewsham]

I will say that if I could get a autotrain from NYC to Orlando for 1200, with a sleeper I might consider it. The main problem is that I rarely have enough time for the vaca to make it worth it. Airfair plus car rental is about 1500 for a family of four for a week. But The autotrain rate is 1500 for a family of four to sit for 24hrs in coach seats. 2400 for sleeper cabins both ways.
The rooms on the trip are $700 a trip. Thats a fucking suite at a premium disney hotel.
There must be a lot of people so afraid to fly that they will waste money this way.

yeah if you need a car then that will kill it. Autotrain is going to cost you more for the same length.

 

[BUTCH1]

Those aren't pillows!

"Do you have your rental agreement??"...NO. I FUCKING THREW IT AWAY!!.., Oh dear, I guess your FUCKED....

 

[mmntech]

On the trains here, the level of service far exceeds what the airlines offer. However, they've gotten to the level of what cruise ships are to the great liners. Intercity train travel has become the holiday itself, not a mode of transport.

VIA Rail makes most of it's money shuttling people between Toronto and Montreal, and it is cheaper than flying. For shorter distances, it makes sense. It's the only profitable route.