Car, Plane, or Train? Amtrak Wins!!

I was doing some comparison shopping for a trip down to Roswell, GA to see my parents. Here's the results:

Amtrak's direct roundtrip fare to Atlanta, GA is $306.00. It includes a rather large, reasonably comfortable seat to sit and sleep in (the same or better than airline first-class seating), a two moderate-size bag carry-on limit, a three rather-large-bag check-in limit for the baggage car (try and fly with that!!), a lounge car with carry-away snacks, drinks, and light meals, and a dining car (a bit more expensive but with full meals to order). Although trains can and do run behind schedule, you've got room to walk around, and you don't have to worry about the weight-challenged person squeezed into the seat next to you in coach.

I called and spoke to a rep about their refund/cancellation/modification policy; he assured me that there would be no more than a 10% penalty for canceling, but most probably no penalty at all. Reservation date and time can be moved if seats are available. Try that with an air carrier!

Want to drive to Atlanta? If you figure gas at $4.00/gal with a 25-mpg car, the one-way train fare just about equals the cost of fuel alone! Figure in hotel (you have to stop halfway unless you have the zany stupidity to drive 17 hours straight [I did that once!]), maintenance, insurance, depreciation, and other things and it gets to be quite an expensive proposition to drive that distance. Travel time is 17 hours -- just about the same as the train trip. Of course there's no having to take a bus or subway to your car, but who cares about two hours anyway [see below]. And I'm not figuring in traffic jams! Also figure in the weariness that comes from dodging trucks and cars at high speed for hours. Couldn't that result in possible increased stress (medical bills) and need for psychiatric counseling?? And if your car breaks down... fugetaboudit!!

I didn't bother checking out air fares; I'm guessing that the base fare would be about the same as Amtrak. However... airlines seem to be adding surcharges faster than the price of oil is rising, and there are less promotional, cheap fares out there on the internet, so I'm guessing that someone with one piece of check-in luggage might spend at least $400 round trip.

As far as the amount of time spent traveling, one has to add in getting to the station for the train (45 minutes to an hour by subway and bus on both ends). Amtrak suggests being at the station one-half to one hour beforehand to pick up your ticket and check baggage. LaGuardia airport is not too long of a subway/bus ride for me, but then comes check-in (at least a half hour), security check (who knows what could go wrong there, and I like keeping my shoes on!), the wait to board, the wait on the tarmac to take off, the potential delay in landing, and waiting to get your bags after you land -- that is, if they weren't sent to Istanbul. Total wasted and waiting time — somewhere between two and four hours — or more.

Train travel is less susceptible to weather changes. You won't be circling around the airport for hours to land.

I must admit that I didn't check into Greyhound or other bus lines. The reason? Some of those bus drivers really scare me.

Now for the sermon: We've neglected our passenger rail system in this country for far too long. In terms of energy use, it is one of the most efficient use of our resources for long-distance traveling — it is a green way to travel. So why do we only have one high-speed train — the relatively new up-to-150-mile-an-hour Acela between Boston and New York and Washington, D.C.? Why do we have only very limited service to cities outside of the Northeast, Atlantic coast, and Great Lakes/Canada? I would say that we have stubbornly and selfishly spent far too much love on the automobile and the airplane; it's time to invest in building a good passenger rail system with a well-maintained infrastructure and updated, reliable equipment. A program of expanding rail service along existing rail corridors (and maybe along interstate highways?) is as important to our national security as building the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System in the middle-to-late 20th century. While we're at it, how about shifting cargo to a higher-speed rail system as well and get some of those trucks off the road? Well... that another subject for a different time.

I saw a news item on ABC mentioning that Amtrak ridership is up at least 10% in the last year. Of course most of the segment was reporting about the higher cost of operating planes and cars, but at least someone acknowledged our rail system and the potential for it's growth. Rail can become an important part of the transportation mix in this country as it has been for years in many other European countries. Once people realize how much cheaper, efficient, green, and more pleasant train travel is, Amtrak is going to have quite a crowd to deal with! I just hope that Amtrak is ready for the influx of passengers.

As for me... I'll just sit back and read and sip my soda or tea while watching the trees and hills speed by... the Amtrak way!

Are we there yet??

Have a pleasant summer!