Why would ANYONE take a long distance train??

[Accipiter22]

how do the rail lines actually stay in business though? I've been wondering that for about a decade now

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Vic
It's the experience. I took a 14 hour (one-way, each way) train trip in '05 and (except for the fact that I discovered I can't sleep well on trains) it really is a great experience. An almost completely stress-free way to travel and see the scenery.

I took a short train ride from Salem Oregon up to Seattle WA. it was a great way to travel.

if it didn't take so long i would take a train from IL to Salem to visit my mom. My wife hates to fly.

 

[shortylickens]

If I had the money and the time, a first class cabin in a train would be an excellent way to see America.

But I usually only travel to get somewhere, not just for the sake of travelling.

 

[AtlantaBob]

Although, European trains != American trains.

 

[Imdmn04]

Lots of people take the train does it for the scenery and comfort, not to save money.

 

[Sukhoi]

Originally posted by: Dunbar
They don't, that's why Amtrak loses money every year.

They can't even get people to work for them; it's kinda sad. At a career fair this past spring Amtrak had a table among a bunch of other engineering firms. Almost all of the tables were packed except for the Amtrak one, which had nobody. Even the other railroads had people talking to them. I ended up going over to the Amtrak table and wow those were some of the nicest recruiters I've ever talked to. A shame that they work for such a lowly regarded company.

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: episodic
I've traveled on trains in Europe - and it was a much more relaxed experience than trying to hop a plane.
Much less stressful.

Big 2nd. The trains in France are fantastic.

 

[AaronB]

Originally posted by: Leros

Originally posted by: JRich
mi scuzi mi scuzi

watch out for tunnels

:music:I want some hot stuff baby this evenin' !:music:

 

[LS20]

i looked amtrak travel when i was a po college student... for short distance home travel (200 mi), intermediate distance trips (500-100 mi), and longer vacations (1000+ mi),

in all cases, they cost either as much, or more than plane tickets. additionally, the long distance trips take days longer (obviously)... so it didnt reason to ever take amtrak.



shame.

 

[OulOat]

Originally posted by: Josh

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: TheWart

Originally posted by: sm8000
Europe knows how to do train travel right.

To be fair, most train travel for Europeans involves covering a good deal less ground that indicated by the OP. Travelling by high speed rail from Paris to Marseille is a lot diff than going from Biloxi to New York.

yeah, keep in mine that france is a nice rectangular country that is smaller than texas all by itself. much smaller distances = less time in the train

Seems a hella lot cheaper too...

It's not. Travelling 200 miles on the high speed trains in Germany costed me 200 bucks.

 

[FilmCamera]

Let's see... Why are trains still in business? Well freight trains will probably not go away anytime soon. That is the majority of train traffic. As for passenger trains, some people like the slower paced ride and ability to see some of the country on the way.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: FilmCamera
Let's see... Why are trains still in business? Well freight trains will probably not go away anytime soon. That is the majority of train traffic. As for passenger trains, some people like the slower paced ride and ability to see some of the country on the way.

+ a massive Federal subsidy

 

[WiseOldDude]

Cause you are not treated like cattle on the way to the slaughter house on trains.

 

[Eeezee]

And taking the train doesn't give you nearly as much radiation exposure, in case some people are deathly afraid of that.

 

[Perknose]

Why a train over a plane, especially with your girlfriend? So you can join the Ten Feet High Club!

 

[Tom]

I don't know how to get them, but apparently it's possible to get much lower train fares, kind of like it's possible to get discount air fares.

 

[Furyline]

I take a 150 mi train to get home from college. If I buy tickets far enough in advance I can get them for about $50 round trip, which is about the same cost as driving, plus I can relax or read or play ds or whatever. The train is always full when I take it.

 

[OutHouse]

every night at 10:30 i see a amtrack go by from the tracks i can see from my back yard. I want to take a train sometime, i just hate flying, lots of stress, dealing with TSA monkeys, shoehorning myself between two fat women on my plane and unable to get up and walk around. 2 hours of that is enough for me, i would almost say its just a step above taking a greyhound bus.

 

[narzy]

Lets see,

Reasons to travel by train...

More ass room
More leg room
You get to see the country you live in (which is beautiful by the way...)
Great service (Amtrak food is actually pretty darn good and everyone is super nice)
Absolutely No stress or stupid security checks, yet you surprisingly still feel safe.
No nasty airport smell
the list goes on and on...

Cons of trains
Slower (if we built a high speed rail system this wouldn't be such a problem)
Price (they do cost a bit)

 

[narzy]

Originally posted by: Tom
I don't know how to get them, but apparently it's possible to get much lower train fares, kind of like it's possible to get discount air fares.

really? if someone could enlighten us I'd be forever grateful. (well maybe not forever...)

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Josh

Originally posted by: Sukhoi

Originally posted by: Josh

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Do you have to take off your shoes and leave all liquids behinds to ride a train these days? If not, you get back a couple of those hours just from skipping the security fun.

I suppose....

Hmmm anyone have a recent picture of inside a AmTrak train? I just can't imagine sitting in a seat for 13 hours...yea i know they have a dining car and all that...but still.. I feel like the only way I'd do it was if I had the bedroom but its like $300 for that.

I could see it being fun if traveling in a group where you had your own party going on, but alone it must be hell.

I'd be with the girlfriend. That's why we were thinking bedroom...:Q but too expensive

Hah... I took a night train in Europe, 6 beds in a room, 3 stacked on each side. Each bed was about 2 1/2 feet wide, and you had 2 to 2 1/2 feet of space between your bunk and the one above you, and you had about 2 1/2 feet between the two sets of beds. So basically it was 6 people in an 8x8x8 cube. I slept pretty well though. Took the train from Nice to Barcelona, not sure how long the trip was.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Accipiter22
how do the rail lines actually stay in business though? I've been wondering that for about a decade now

Freight (and in Amtrak's case, government subsidies I think). Train is the most efficient way to move freight on land by far. With shipping containers it's easy to go from boat to train to truck without ever unloading anything.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: Accipiter22
how do the rail lines actually stay in business though? I've been wondering that for about a decade now

Freight (and in Amtrak's case, government subsidies I think). Train is the most efficient way to move freight on land by far. With shipping containers it's easy to go from boat to train to truck without ever unloading anything.

depends what you are moving, bulk materials like grain and liquids are best moved by barge actually

rail freight for is good for most everything else

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: Accipiter22
how do the rail lines actually stay in business though? I've been wondering that for about a decade now

Freight (and in Amtrak's case, government subsidies I think). Train is the most efficient way to move freight on land by far. With shipping containers it's easy to go from boat to train to truck without ever unloading anything.

depends what you are moving, bulk materials like grain and liquids are best moved by barge actually

rail freight for is good for most everything else

I said by land. Ocean freighters beat trains too, but they're kind of limited to oceans.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: Accipiter22
how do the rail lines actually stay in business though? I've been wondering that for about a decade now

Freight (and in Amtrak's case, government subsidies I think). Train is the most efficient way to move freight on land by far. With shipping containers it's easy to go from boat to train to truck without ever unloading anything.

depends what you are moving, bulk materials like grain and liquids are best moved by barge actually

rail freight for is good for most everything else

I said by land. Ocean freighters beat trains too, but they're kind of limited to oceans.

drat...damn details

me getting sleepy