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Our great capitalist society...
"F.O.A.D." wrote in message ... On 9/2/13 8:46 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote: "BAR" wrote in message . .. I just went to the WAMATA.com web site and plugged in my home address and my work address to see what it would take to get from home to work. It will take 1 hour and 7 minutes and I get to ride a bus to the Metro station, take a train a couple of stops and then take another bus ride. It would take me 1 hour and 7 minutes and cost me $3.20. If I drive it takes 25 minutes and about 1/4 of a gallon of gas. Even figuring in insurance and maintenance I would pay about $2 at the most and I would get to work in less than 1/2 the time. ----------------------------- Just for kicks, I went to the Amtrak website and priced the *cheapest* one-way fare from Boston to Charleston, SC. Train would leave Boston at 9:30 pm and arrive in Wash DC at about 7 am the next morning. Then a three hour layover in DC with a connection leaving at 9:55 am. Arrive in Charleston, SC at 7:15 pm. Total travel time: 22 hours. Cost: $289.00 I can fly there in 2.5 hours for less than that. I can drive it in about 15-16 hours and not need to rent a car when I got there. A high-speed train would have to be non-stop and average almost 400 mph to be competitive with the airlines, time-wise. We can't do it because we can't do it because we can't do it. I get it. We can't do anything anymore, and that's another example of why conservatism is killing America, because we can't have nice trains, we can't keep our interstates in good shape, we can't repair our bridges, whatever, we can't do it because...we can't do it. When we take the train to Jax, it usually works out to be a 13 hour train trip. We leave in the evening and arrive the next morining, after a good night's sleep aboard the train. No long waits to clear security at the origin, no long wait for luggage at the termination. Compartment includes private toilet, two bunk beds and two pretty decent meals. Takes about the same time as driving, if I felt like driving without an overnight stop, which I don't like doing. Would take much less time if trackage and equipment were a lot better, but the trackage south of DC is mostly CSX, and it doesn't give a **** about high speed passenger rail. No worries about all the crap that accompanies airline travel. About $700 round trip for two adults. Much more comfy than even first class on a plane. Takes longer, sure, but it's overnight and you have to sleep. Oh, and two first class airline tickets would be about $1000. But we can't improve passenger rail transportation because this is America and we can't things like that anymore. I get it. --------------------------------- Part of the cost of your travel to Jax is subsidized by taxpayers although Amtrak has done better this year, requiring only $1.3 billion in federal subsidizes compared to $1.4 billion in 2012. Sure, anything is possible if you throw enough money at it but the demand needs to warrant the investment. You're travel preferences represents those of a small percentage of the population. Why is it that liberals think there's simply no limit to what taxpayers should be willing to spend to benefit a few? |
Our great capitalist society...
On Monday, 2 September 2013 22:41:57 UTC-3, F.O.A.D. wrote:
On 9/2/13 8:46 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote: "BAR" wrote in message . .. I just went to the WAMATA.com web site and plugged in my home address and my work address to see what it would take to get from home to work. It will take 1 hour and 7 minutes and I get to ride a bus to the Metro station, take a train a couple of stops and then take another bus ride. It would take me 1 hour and 7 minutes and cost me $3.20. If I drive it takes 25 minutes and about 1/4 of a gallon of gas. Even figuring in insurance and maintenance I would pay about $2 at the most and I would get to work in less than 1/2 the time. ----------------------------- Just for kicks, I went to the Amtrak website and priced the *cheapest* one-way fare from Boston to Charleston, SC. Train would leave Boston at 9:30 pm and arrive in Wash DC at about 7 am the next morning. Then a three hour layover in DC with a connection leaving at 9:55 am. Arrive in Charleston, SC at 7:15 pm. Total travel time: 22 hours. Cost: $289.00 I can fly there in 2.5 hours for less than that. I can drive it in about 15-16 hours and not need to rent a car when I got there. A high-speed train would have to be non-stop and average almost 400 mph to be competitive with the airlines, time-wise. We can't do it because we can't do it because we can't do it. I get it. We can't do anything anymore, and that's another example of why conservatism is killing America, because we can't have nice trains, we can't keep our interstates in good shape, we can't repair our bridges, whatever, we can't do it because...we can't do it. When we take the train to Jax, it usually works out to be a 13 hour train trip. We leave in the evening and arrive the next morining, after a good night's sleep aboard the train. No long waits to clear security at the origin, no long wait for luggage at the termination. Compartment includes private toilet, two bunk beds and two pretty decent meals. Takes about the same time as driving, if I felt like driving without an overnight stop, which I don't like doing. Would take much less time if trackage and equipment were a lot better, but the trackage south of DC is mostly CSX, and it doesn't give a **** about high speed passenger rail. No worries about all the crap that accompanies airline travel. About $700 round trip for two adults. Much more comfy than even first class on a plane. Takes longer, sure, but it's overnight and you have to sleep. Oh, and two first class airline tickets would be about $1000. But we can't improve passenger rail transportation because this is America and we can't things like that anymore. I get it. Lot of similar concerns up here. VIA Rail just cut our service to Montreal from 6 trips a week to 3. Years ago we had two trains leaving and arriving daily. I'm thinking of booking train travel to Toronto just for the adventure.. and we are eligible for seniors discounts because we are 60 years & over. Only trouble is.. the private compartments are a bit expensive. There are also 'sleeper cars.. I find it hard to get much more than a nap sitting in a reclined chair. |
Our great capitalist society...
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Our great capitalist society...
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Our great capitalist society...
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Our great capitalist society...
In article ,
says... On 9/2/2013 1:05 PM, Wayne.B wrote: On Mon, 02 Sep 2013 11:48:18 -0400, wrote: In this country, we for the most part gave up on rail public transportation development after WW II. We discovered air travel. === And the interstate highway system, along with comfortable, air conditioned cars. And the fact that most of us couldn't conduct our everyday lives on public transport.... It's not like you have a career or anything, so what difference would it make to you? |
Our great capitalist society...
In article ,
says... On 9/2/2013 1:31 PM, wrote: On Mon, 2 Sep 2013 12:34:21 -0400, iBoaterer wrote: In article , says... On Mon, 02 Sep 2013 09:38:55 -0400, "F.O.A.D." wrote: Japan Railway Comp Once you get away from the Boston - DC corridor, there are not many places where people would ride a train. Even there, if you are not spending your visit in the city center, you need a car. We are not Japan nor Europe. The only place with a similar population density is the NE megopolis and they have a train Yes we do, and we had two stops right within five miles of my home in Essex... In all my years down there I knew two folks who used the train, I know because I had to meet them at the station and drive them to where they were actually going... ... with my car.... One of the stations is in downtown Saybrook though so I saw it a lot... it was always empty... There certainly is if there was a viable one to ride. There are plenty of trains in the US and they go off virtually empty. That is why Amtrak is always on the public dole. There are some routes that make sense and they succeed. Acela is one. That does not translate well in most places. Here in Florida they wanted to build a high speed train between Tampa and Orlando. They problem is, they would really need to have a lot of stops near both ends to make it attractive ... as a commuter train. That is not conducive to "high speed". You end up with the same problem I brought up before. You need a car to get around Tampa and Orlando. Tourists are unlikely to travel in between by train anyway. If they have a rental car, you are only talking about a 1 - 1.5 hour drive. They would be at the other end, checked into their hotel before you got through the train station on both ends, if they "beamed" you to Tampa. Only two people rode the train, eh? |
Our great capitalist society...
In article ,
says... On 9/2/2013 8:07 PM, BAR wrote: In article , says... On Mon, 2 Sep 2013 13:49:37 -0400, iBoaterer wrote: Here in Florida they wanted to build a high speed train between Tampa and Orlando. They problem is, they would really need to have a lot of stops near both ends to make it attractive ... as a commuter train. That is not conducive to "high speed". You end up with the same problem I brought up before. You need a car to get around Tampa and Orlando. Tourists are unlikely to travel in between by train anyway. If they have a rental car, you are only talking about a 1 - 1.5 hour drive. They would be at the other end, checked into their hotel before you got through the train station on both ends, if they "beamed" you to Tampa. I agree wholeheartedly, our infrastructure sucks. Trouble is it sucks because people like you are afraid of change and innovation. A train offers absolutely NOTHING to "people" like me. That is the problem. I am not sure where I would take a train to I just went to the WAMATA.com web site and plugged in my home address and my work address to see what it would take to get from home to work. It will take 1 hour and 7 minutes and I get to ride a bus to the Metro station, take a train a couple of stops and then take another bus ride. It would take me 1 hour and 7 minutes and cost me $3.20. If I drive it takes 25 minutes and about 1/4 of a gallon of gas. Even figuring in insurance and maintenance I would pay about $2 at the most and I would get to work in less than 1/2 the time. And how would you get to work if you had anything to carry for work, or deliver anything for work... Trains are only good for paperpushers and vacationers anyway... Yeah, just take a look at Europe... Oh, wait, high speed trains are successful there, never mind. |
Our great capitalist society...
On 9/3/13 7:34 AM, iBoaterer wrote:
In article , says... On 9/2/2013 1:05 PM, Wayne.B wrote: On Mon, 02 Sep 2013 11:48:18 -0400, wrote: In this country, we for the most part gave up on rail public transportation development after WW II. We discovered air travel. === And the interstate highway system, along with comfortable, air conditioned cars. And the fact that most of us couldn't conduct our everyday lives on public transport.... It's not like you have a career or anything, so what difference would it make to you? Well, he could roll that winning team's motorbike onto a city bus or trolly. |
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