Posted: 3/15/2015 9:28:34 PM EDT
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Just got back from a weekend trip on Amtrak with my daughter. She had a blast. I got to nap. Went from Denver to Glenwood Springs, CO. Spent the night and then headed back. It is amazing they are still in business. It would have been less expensive to rent a car and drive up there. Just over 200 bucks round trip for us. It was honestly fun. And I am considering a longer trip, and using a sleeper car. Just for the novelty. For grins I checked what the price is to go from New York to Seattle. Just under a grand. And would take 66 hours of travel time. Not counting layovers. And that is the low cost sleeping car room. |
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Quoted: It would be nice... Quoted: Quoted: After spending a week in London and Wales, I really, REALLY want a good passenger rail system in the USA. It's amazing. It would be nice...  I suppose cheap rental cars could work, but I like to avoid driving when I can. Find a good deal on a pistol down in Austin, take the Tube to the station, hour and a half ride, Tube to within a few blocks of the shop, have a nice walk, maybe lunch at a cafe, pick up my pistol...  Yeah, I'm dreaming. |
| If you're not near the Northeast Corridor, and in a hurry, take a plane. If you want to see the country and aren't in a rush, the long distance trains might be for you. For the haters, you are aware that Amtrak gets far less federal subsidies than the airlines, right? |
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Quoted:
If you're not near the Northeast Corridor, and in a hurry, take a plane. If you want to see the country and aren't in a rush, the long distance trains might be for you. For the haters, you are aware that Amtrak gets far less federal subsidies than the airlines, right? Still the case since deregulation? |
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Quoted:
Still the case since deregulation? Quoted:
Quoted:
If you're not near the Northeast Corridor, and in a hurry, take a plane. If you want to see the country and aren't in a rush, the long distance trains might be for you. For the haters, you are aware that Amtrak gets far less federal subsidies than the airlines, right? Still the case since deregulation? Well, the gov't gave the airlines over $15 billion right after 9/11 alone. And then there is the TSA. I've yet to see someone have to go through a body scanner and get fondled by a TSA employee to get on a train. Amtrak only takes about 1.5 billion per year They make a good portion back. Amtrak is not, and has never been profitable. But neither have highways, and the gov't sinks much more into them than Amtrak and the airlines. |
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Quoted:
Enjoy the Welfare express, It only exists to cost money,  My limited experience with Amtrak is from MI to Chicago and back a few times a year. It was not a trip I'd want to fall asleep on. With the multiple stops along the way it was about the same as driving time-wise. It was a little cheaper compared to the cost of gas at the time. |