"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?

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.

On 9/2/2013 11:26 PM, wrote:
On Mon, 02 Sep 2013 16:18:37 -0400, JustWaitAFrekinMinute
wrote:

NIMBY
Would you want a 150 MPH train running by your house?



It's already there on the whole frekin' shoreline... they got the land,
it's not about land...

Where is that?

Are you saying they are going to condemn all of those Sandy damaged
properties and build a railroad? (where the next hurricane will
destroy it)
That sounds like our government.


Don't understand your question... There is already a railroad there...
Right on the shoreline.... all the way from Stonington to Grenwich....

On Tue, 03 Sep 2013 00:20:57 -0400, wrote:

My day to day travel is about a tank of gas a month and 90% of it
could be in my golf cart if they would let me use it on the FPL R.O.W.

===

You bring up an interesting question there. I've been tempted to go
"off road" a few times under some of the power lines around here (LCEC
I assume). Is it illegal and/or enforced?

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

Got it, it doesn't do anything for you, so no one should have access to
it.

In article ,
says...

On Mon, 02 Sep 2013 18:16:12 -0400, wrote:

Harry is right, driving into NYC is bad but if you are going to the
burbs, from the burbs, driving it is.

===

Driving into all of the major cities is bad but burbs-to-burbs
describes a lot of what people do.

That would be connecting light rail. Another win.

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?

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?

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.

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.