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Apparently you've never lived in a city or an older rail-connected suburb where you can walk from home to the station and walk from the station to the job. There is no need for us to be slaves to our cars if a meaningful public transportation alternative is available.

Apparently you've never lived in a city or an older rail-connected suburb where you can walk from home to the station and walk from the station to the job.

And that is the ONLY places where rail is a viable option and works because you dont need a car in those places. But unless that is the case, you NEED a car.

Apparently you've never lived in a city or an older rail-connected suburb where you can walk from home to the station and walk from the station to the job.

You describe a situation that includes less than 10% of the taxpaying population. Even less when you consider that only a small percentage of New Yorkers, Chicagoans, or BART-area people use their systems.

There is no need for us to be slaves to our cars if a meaningful public transportation alternative is available.

The point is public transportation isn't available, isn't useful, or isn't cost effective in 99% of the USA.

High(er)-speed freight rail operates in Europe. At least it's higher when you compare it to travel on their roads.

A piss-poor comparison - turtles are fast compared to the snails in the swamp, so what. It isn't high-speed, it isn't efficient on an intracity basis, and it is totally taxpayer subsidized. All high-speed rail systems are highend commuter or expensive passenger systems - that's the only way they are cost effective.

Apparently you've never lived in a city or an older rail-connected suburb where you can walk from home to the station and walk from the station to the job. There is no need for us to be slaves to our cars if a meaningful public transportation alternative is available.

OK, I'll bite. I used to live in Simi Valley and work in Chatsworth, CA. About a 12 mile ride. In Simi Valley it was about 3 miles to the only commuter station in town. In Chatsworth it was about 1 mile by track, and 2 miles by road between my work and the only commuter station in town. On the Simi Valley end it was about a one mile walk and one bus to the station. On the Chatsworth end it was about 1/2 mile walk and 2 buses (with a transfer).

Sure, the train ticket allowed you on the bus for free. But since they set up Simi and Chatsworth in two different zones, the ticket was something like $20 a day (this one I am not sure about. I do remember doing the math and finding out it was cheaper to buy the car, gas and insurance).

Is this what you had in mind by "meaningful public transportation?" If so, sorry, no go. If not, then almost all of southern CA is out.