[mozarky2]

It could only happen in America. After a rail odyssey of 3,397 miles from New York to San Francisco, our journey was ending at a bus stop.

He’s right-you can only travel from New York to San Francisco in America...

[PugetSoundSoldier]

I love this part at the end:

MIHIR flew with Virgin Atlantic from London to New York and San Francisco to London. Fares start from £647.27.

AMTRAK sleeper tickets from New York to San Francisco cost from £1,000, including meals.

It cost $970 to fly from London to New York and then San Francisco to London.

It cost $1500 to go ONE WAY across the US ($3000 round trip).

And that's supposed to be our future of transportation? A fun trip it can be, but economical? Not even close. And when you consider the TOTAL airtime of those two legs is 15 hours, and the train was at least 4 days one way, it's not even close to time efficient.

[Le Chien Rouge]

I’d rather drive.....I-80 has some great diners and scenery once you get out of Jersey...

[Alberta's Child]

Interesting article. I think the author's complaint about Penn Station in New York City and the "subterranean passage" where he boarded the train is misleading, though. Penn Station is located under Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, and it is a major transit hub that serves some of the busiest lines on the New York City subway as well as AMTRAK and the commuter trains from New Jersey and Long Island. Most of these lines operate underground, so it's absurd for him to think he'd board a train anywhere BUT a below-grade train platform.

The author's description of the route he took out of New York City illustrates exactly why this country's passenger rail system is so cumbersome and expensive to operate. It simply developed without a lot of coordination because it was comprised of many different railroad companies. The Lake Shore Limited service he describes, for example, operates out of Penn Station (part of the former Pennsylvania Railroad system) and up the Hudson River and out along the Mohawk River valley along tracks that were once part of the New York Central system.

[Publius]

I’ve traveled from Philadelphia to Seattle via Amtrak many times over the past 13 years. I wouldn’t want to go any other way.

[Grunthor]

How long does it take to cross the country in a train with the current tech?

How long does it take to do the same thing on an airplane?

Which costs more for a basic “no frills” ticket?

Thank you.

[Gay State Conservative]

Long distance trains may well make sense in Europe because of the shorter distances involved and because Europe is *much* more densely populated.But apart,possibly,from the Northeast corridor,they don’t make sense here.