the air line business lobbest against this all the time. if this was a thing in the USA the air line industry would collaps.
Yikes this comment section got flooded by car brains making some wild fucking claims.
Ughh this comment section. Americans are so dumb?m, and yes I speak for myself as well. We have been so propagandized my exemptional individualism that when we’re presented with something that could benefit all of we turn and run. It’s so god damn stupid.
Someone “trains” and America thought they said “trans.”
TSA would make it take 3 hrs to get through security and every state transport agency would funnel so much money to the mob that each ticket would cost $4k and you’d still have your seat cancelled due to overbooking.
We don’t know how to make and have nice things.
The US environment, systems, and societies are not conducive to HSR. You will see widespread cheap electric flights before you see HSR. Here’s a good video explaining why: https://youtu.be/753xlF0EWsI
Basically the land costs way more, it’s viewed as business that needs to profit, not infrastructure you spend on, and you cant bulldoze over people as cheaply to make the necessary routes.
My feeling is that widespread high speed rail will never take off in America there are too many barriers. Two that come to mind that will delay and increase the cost to prohibitive levels are Private Land acquisition and Environmental assessments and preservation laws.
What I think will be a more realistic “High speed Rail” option for the US is using existing infrastructure in new ways. Something like fully automated cars, where each car is similar to a rail car and the connection between cars is digital not physical.
Yeah, the problem is train tickets are about the same cost as a plane ticket. There’s little incentive to choose rail.
It’s always a bit ridiculous seeing posts about public transport, from the country which doesn’t know public transport. Claim and picture of this post are accordingly ridiculous. This isn’t public transport, this is a pipe dream.
edit:if the trains were faster the cost would make sense. if that 20 hour amtrak ride was actually 2.5 hours like the planes to get from the middle of the us to the east cost of the us, then the 194$ train ticket vs 98$ (minimum you could find is probably like 98$ you’re more or less looking at like 120$/plane ticket) plane ticket would make sense.
Flying: The fastest and most popular mode of travel. Over 50 daily nonstop flights operate between NYC airports (LGA, JFK, EWR) and Chicago airports (ORD, MDW), with flight times averaging roughly 2.5 hours.
Amtrak Train: The Lake Shore Limited runs direct daily service between New York Penn Station and Chicago Union Station, taking approximately 19 to 20 hours.
Round-trip flight prices from New York to Chicago start around $232, and one-way tickets start around $84 to $113 on platforms like Google Flights.
it’s around 198$ one way for new york to chicago, amtrak.
*it’s not cost feasible to sleep next to your bathroom on amtrak for 20 hours for 200$. *
Amtrak’s annual cost for fuel, power, and utilities is roughly $330 million to $336 million based on recent fiscal year reports. 2024-2025 report https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/corporate/financial/Amtrak-Audited-Consolidated-Financial-Statements-FY2025.pdf
The total global airline spending on jet fuel is estimated at roughly $291 billion. source: https://blog.openairlines.com/time-is-money-fuel-inefficiency-costs-us-airlines-daily
I really don’t get this pro train community. Cars are much more convenient. U can haul multiple Things. Kids, griceries, furniture - this is not easily replaceable with trains.
And Nobody commutes from Chicago to nyc- Develop railways in the USA
- Americans turn it into mass shooting range and terrorism site
- ???
- Trains are as uncomfortable as airplanes now
Why would I, a Chicago resident, want to go to nyc
Easy, we’re idiots.
California: Hang on, we got another rich land owner suing us because the rail path would cut through their lucrative almond orchard that they pump ground water to use for flood irrigation because fuck you.
