Trains: Congress does not get it

Congress is clueless about the need and demand for more trains.

We were at the train station, seeing Willie go back to Portland.
The train was packed, not a single seat empty, the conductor said.  "Why don't they just add cars?" asked an older man to a friend.  The reason: there are no more cars to add. There are only 632 passenger cars in the whole country.  Congress has only recently authorized money to build and repair more cars.

Earlier this month Julie took the train while visiting family in North Carolina. Her brother drove her to the train station, only he did not know where it is.  When they got there, her brother was amazed at all the people getting on the train.  Like her brother, Congress just does not understand the demand for trains.

The pro-car forces are fighting trains in Congress, and across the land.  Meanwhile, England is spending $46 billion  (more than the entire California route) on improving speed between just two cities: London and Birmingham. The trip only takes 70 minutes now, the $46 billion will take 15 minutes off the trip. The Brits, even with a Conservative government slashing expenses, understand that trains are so important that saving 15 minutes for thousands of business people will mean billions more in economic activity and increased prosperity. 

Photo: Wonderful sight of a jam packed train station, as we see Willie off after the holidays.  Trains are wonderful!

Comments

[D. P. Lubic]

Seme-off topic, a report on marketing cars to baby-boomers that touches on the generational shift:

http://autos.aol.com/article/baby-boomers-and-car-marketing/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl4%7Csec1_lnk1%7C195370

[D. P. Lubic]

Another item on the auto trend:

http://www.vtpi.org/future.pdf