- Joined
- Jul 16, 2010
- Messages
- 4,891
Three things:
1) High speed rail of 120 mph. Above that the price goes way up, the returns go down (air is better for long distances at high speed), and the money can be better used for more rail. Rail is best between cities 4 hours or less (at that speed) apart. They have the most traffic between them vs longer distances; rail is competitive with air for convenience; rail beats cars for time and human wear & tear.
2) More Auto-trains. Nothing can match an auto-train. You don't have to drive and you have your car at your destination. Rail is the only way to do this. (Wonder what airlines would add for fees for that "oversized" luggage?)
3) Small city to metro center AIRPORTS! Rail needs to go to the major airports from smaller cities. There would be a dramatic decrease in the airport flight congestion and the cost savings by eliminating all those wasteful small city airports could do a lot for decreasing the net cost of the rail lines. Atlanta is a good example. Columbus to Macon to Atlanta, Asheville to Greenville to Atlanta (or Charlotte) and Augusta and Savannah to Atlanta (or Charlotte) would eliminate a lot of short flights (which still take a landing slot and a gate just like flights from Atlanta to Dallas or New York do).
1) High speed rail of 120 mph. Above that the price goes way up, the returns go down (air is better for long distances at high speed), and the money can be better used for more rail. Rail is best between cities 4 hours or less (at that speed) apart. They have the most traffic between them vs longer distances; rail is competitive with air for convenience; rail beats cars for time and human wear & tear.
2) More Auto-trains. Nothing can match an auto-train. You don't have to drive and you have your car at your destination. Rail is the only way to do this. (Wonder what airlines would add for fees for that "oversized" luggage?)
3) Small city to metro center AIRPORTS! Rail needs to go to the major airports from smaller cities. There would be a dramatic decrease in the airport flight congestion and the cost savings by eliminating all those wasteful small city airports could do a lot for decreasing the net cost of the rail lines. Atlanta is a good example. Columbus to Macon to Atlanta, Asheville to Greenville to Atlanta (or Charlotte) and Augusta and Savannah to Atlanta (or Charlotte) would eliminate a lot of short flights (which still take a landing slot and a gate just like flights from Atlanta to Dallas or New York do).