Just My Opinion
Just My Opinion by Steve
We should all take the train more. Just my opinion. A perfect example is the Seattle to Portland run. After considering the time it takes to get to and from the airport it only takes a couple hours longer than flying. The drive is faster, but it’s Interstate 5 all the way.
I took that trip on the train last month and it was exquisite. Small foot print. Amazing scenery. There’s even a dining car. Warning: I heard that if you don’t buy a business class ticket, and the coach if full, they’ll put you on the bus. Yikes!
If we all start taking the train more often, they’ll start building more tracks.
Tags: ecological foot print, Seattle to Portland, train travel
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The Seattle to Portland ride is amazing. However here is a warning… don’t order the quiche in the dining car! It’s nasty!!!
Comment by Kristin H. — July 23, 2010 @ 8:50 pm
I love trains, and constantly think about how lucky people in continental Europe are, since they can take a train from anywhere to anywhere relatively cheaply, quickly and conveniently. If I want to visit my mom, going from Dayton to Salt Lake City, I have to drive to Cincinnati (1 hr), park in a pay lot, board the train at 1:10 am, ride to Chicago (9 hrs), layover in Chicago (4 hrs), then ride to Salt lake via Denver (34 hrs). That costs about half as much as a flight. If I want the sleeping car, it’s $1500 more for my family of 5. Also, we have to have 2 extra days off just for the voyage, each way. And that cost is train one way vs. airplane roundtrip. So the train is really more than 4 times the cost of an airplane, and 10x the duration (5 hours vs. 50).
There was a headline in The Onion once that read something like, “95% of Americans favor public transportation for other people.” As soon as we Americans can ditch the desire for so many cars, we might get a good system going. I can’t wait.
Comment by sarah k. — July 25, 2010 @ 8:42 am
Be prepared for delays. I would love a great train system, but Union Pacific owns the tracks and has the right of way. Therefore, at 36 hour trip turned into a 48 hour nightmare…
Comment by Anne — July 26, 2010 @ 9:30 am