Why trains instead of planes for long distance?

[William]

I have been riding on Amtrak for many years now, and vastly prefer it to flying.I live in NY (Long Island), and often take an Amtrak train to Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Toronto, New Orleans, Houston,etc. Flying, even on short flights, is stressful, and I will only fly in the case of an extreme emergency.
The reasons I prefer to travel on Amtrak are many. The seats, even in coach are very roomy and comfortable. I get a sleeper/roomette when I am on an overnight train and I thoroughly enjoy it.
Once we get moving, I relax in my roomette, take my shoes off, put my feet up, pour myself a cocktail, and read a book or a magazine, while enjoying watching the scenery go by.
It is also fun to talk to other Amtrak travelers either in the dining car, lounge/cafe car or sightseer lounge.
I used to have a lot of fun the in old Sunset Limited smoking car. It was a party on wheels!
The whole Amtrak experience is to me very relaxing, and I always arrive at my destination relaxed and refreshed. I also sleep very well in the roomette, actually better than at home.
My only complaints about Amtrak travel are the usual grumpy cafe car attendant, and the sleeping car attendant that vanishes once your trip begins, never to be seen again during the entire trip.
As for the scenery, I just love being able to see different parts of the country. I love the view on the Crescent when it crosses over Lake Ponchartrain.
There is also a beautiful spot for scenery on the Texas Eagle. A bit before it gets to Longview, the train makes a curve and all of a sudden you can see a beautiful little lake with all kinds of beautiful birds, especially these big white egrets all over.
I'll take Amtrak over flying any day.

Bill P.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

A few posters have mentioned the cramped seating on airplanes vs. the train and most have mentioned how roomy a roomette is. Umm that seems a little unfair. A roomette should only be compared to a first class domestic seat.

That’s really the only way I fly unless Southwest is offering a super great deal or better flight times.

I still enjoy the train better of course, but I find domestic first class to be quite comfortable.

 

[Asher]

In the UK we are world famous for our short termism, is this a problem in the US re long term projects?

Compared to the UK, the US is short term.

 

[jis]

Compared to the UK, the US is short term.

Yeah. 243 years is really not all that long...

 

[BALtoNYPtraveler]

If I need to get off the train for some reason, I can do so at the next stop. In fact, everyone can, should there be an emergency. In an extreme emergency, we can get off wherever the train stops (excepting bridges and tunnels and a few other exceptions.) I like being on the ground, in other words.

 

[user 6862]

Compared to the UK, the US is short term.

Oh dear! Our long term is about 3 years, where's our soon to be ex neighbours in Europe are often closer to 20 years which allows proper well thought through infrastructure to be built. The UK is currently falling apart in regard to transportation, it's a very sorry sight to behold now.

 

[user 6862]

Yeah. 243 years is really not all that long...

You have the advantage of youth.

 

[jis]

You have the advantage of youth.

Feeling a bit creaky of late though

 

[user 6862]

Feeling a bit creaky of late though

I couldn't possibly comment

 

[CelticWhisper]

The prime motivator behind my riding Amtrak is the TSA. I despise everything about the TSA - I despise the agency, I detest its employees, and I have nothing but the deepest, blackest, most venomous loathing for its practices. As long as it's in our airports, I won't be, and I don't care if I never fly again. I hate security and I hate forced safety - I will keep *myself* safe, to a degree that I deem appropriate for myself, by measures that I deem appropriate for myself. I refuse to give up my privacy, dignity or rights for safety and, thanks to TSA, have come to regard "safety and security" as the worst reason to require anyone to do anything.

Incidental but not inconsiderable contributing factors are comfort, quiet, scenery, food (yeah...we'll see how that one persists), and a feeling of adventure. Take all of those away, however, and I'd happily ride on the floor in the baggage car if it meant there was still no security screening.

 

[adamj023]

With the expansion of Frontier Airlines, the price of flying has come down to more areas of the country. They have a promo of 75% off.

Amtrak requires federal and even state subsidies on some routes to stay afloat while Frontier Airlines is a private company as are all other airlines after government deregulated the industry.

The TSA is the biggest hassle to flying which makes Amtrak more viable for the Northeastern Corridor for instance which is a shorter haul route.

If I went from NYC to Chicago, IL, plane ticket costs are lower than Amtrak and even with the TSA, travel time is faster.

 

[Ryan]

I refuse to give up my privacy, dignity or rights for safety

Strangely, I fly without giving any of that up.

Amtrak requires federal and even state subsidies on some routes to stay afloat while Frontier Airlines is a private company as are all other airlines after government deregulated the industry.

They (like every other airline) are private companies that are (occasionally) profitable while being kept safe by an ATC system partially funded by taxpayers and landing and taking off from airports paid for by taxpayers.

 

[adamj023]

Strangely, I fly without giving any of that up.

They (like every other airline) are private companies that are (occasionally) profitable while being kept safe by an ATC system partially funded by taxpayers and landing and taking off from airports paid for by taxpayers.

There are many people who want that changed which includes the current executive branch of government. In a modern new system, all airport based towers would be obsolete and automation would take over and reduce the number of personnel needed which would save on costs and be privately funded.

 

[daybeers]

I refuse to give up my privacy, dignity or rights for safety

Strangely, I fly without giving any of that up.

You think you don't give up any privacy to be allowed to fly commercially, meaning passing through TSA checkpoints?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

You think you don't give up any privacy to be allowed to fly commercially, meaning passing through TSA checkpoints?

If you can use one of the paid access lanes they tend to back off a lot. You can keep your clothes on, including shoes and belts, and only have to pass through a much less sensitive metal detector. You can often leave your electronics packed and they tend to treat you nicer and hassle you less about obeying all the rules. It's also rare to get secondary screening if you have frequent traveler status and an approved citizen number. Some folks see paid dignity lanes as a solution while others see them as a symptom of a greater problem.

 

[Anderson]

Strangely, I fly without giving any of that up.

They (like every other airline) are private companies that are (occasionally) profitable while being kept safe by an ATC system partially funded by taxpayers and landing and taking off from airports paid for by taxpayers.

(1) With respect to DA's comment above, I view those paid lanes as both a hotfix and a symptom of a greater problem. I'd be interested, conceptually, to know what could lead to a "normal" person being denied access to said systems (incidental de-selection notwithstanding) and, depending on how that is determined, have to wonder why a substantial portion of the population isn't just given said access? To be fair, I find the "Precheck Family" (PreCheck, Global Entry, and Nexus) to be less inherently offensive than Clear (which is, IMO, blatant racketeering off of the rest of this mess).
(2) It is also worth noting that even with said subsidies (and sometimes with federal, state, and/or local government support...my local airport authority got into a big mess with a failed startup and folks are in the process of going to jail, and there's always the EAS) quite a few places either lack significant service or lack service at all.

 

[user 6862]

If you can use one of the paid access lanes they tend to back off a lot. You can keep your clothes on, including shoes and belts, and only have to pass through a much less sensitive metal detector. You can often leave your electronics packed and they tend to treat you nicer and hassle you less about obeying all the rules. It's also rare to get secondary screening if you have frequent traveler status and an approved citizen number. Some narrow minded folks see paid dignity lanes as a solution while others see them as a symptom of a greater problem.

Never heard of paid access lanes, how does that facilitate security if you can buy an easier search?

BTW, are they only for internal flights or international too?

Thanks

 

[Way2Kewl]

When you sign up for TSA-Pre "https://www.tsa.gov/precheck" (about $17 a year) you agree to fingerprinting and a background check and this places you in a lower rick category and allows you to pass thru a more streamlined security check where you don't have to pull the belt, shoes or laptop.

Its a bit funny when I go thru DFW security to fly to LAX or SFO to catch the Chief or Zephyr... my bag is loaded with GPS, radio, surge protector, ton of power cords and even a memory foam tush pillow for the chair. I almost always get a second check for this bag if I try to go thru the standard TSA lines. I pass thru TSA-Pre without ever being stopped.

<corrected> Global Entry provides expedited US customs screening for international air travelers when entering the United States


If you fly a lot it's well worth it if only for time savings.

 

[jis]

You don’t get expedited Customs and Immigration with TSA-Pre. For that you have to sign up for Global Entry, which incidentally also gives you TSA-Pre.

 

[Way2Kewl]

You don’t get expedited Customs and Immigration with TSA-Pre. For that you have to sign up for Global Entry, which incidentally also gives you TSA-Pre.

Corrected...
Thanks jis.
"TSA Pre✓® provides expedited security screening benefits for flights departing from U.S. Airports. Global Entry provides the TSA Pre✓® benefit plus expedited US customs screening for international air travelers when entering the United States. TSA Pre✓® costs $85 and Global Entry costs $100 for a five year membership."

 

[crescent-zephyr]

It's also rare to get secondary screening if you have frequent traveler status and an approved citizen number

At least for a time.... Nashville’s pre check line gave a full pat down to a certain number of random travelers. So like every 15th person (or whatever the number was) got the full or down.

I don’t have pre-check but for some reason I used to get it in Nashville when flying southwest. I can’t tell you why, it would just appear on my ticket. That was when I was flying a lot for work.

 

[Way2Kewl]

True. I often see the TSA license checker give a “random” card to the TSA-Pre traveler for a standard check.
I’m a million miler on AA and had TSA-Pre since launch and I’ve never been selected for the deeper search…
I’ve wondered many times as I pass thru the line just how random, random is and asked a bored TSA agent a year or so ago if they profile when randomly selecting TSA-Pre for the deeper check. He smiled and said it was random.

Ever loose your Drivers License while traveling? I did in KC. and had to get home… Boy was that a personal pat down… TSA-Pre no help here.

On the flip side, over 30 years of Amtrak travel I’ve never been asked for an ID when boarding Amtrak, only the ticket. And never had my bags checked. Amtrak has always been simple boarding.

 

[jis]

I once inadvertently packed my driver’s license in my checked baggage in San Francisco. They just asked for a bunch of other identifying documents (Credit Card, Medical Insurance Card and such) and then just let me through. Just had to wait for a supervisor to process the id verification. But no additional pat down or anything.

Since then I keep a second acceptable Id in my wallet - either the Global Entry Card or the Passport Card.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Never heard of paid access lanes, how does that facilitate security if you can buy an easier search?

You’ve never heard of TSA pre Check?

It does eliminate my biggest problem with tsa.... I don’t think a citizen with no record should be required to partially undress, and stand spread eagle with arms up for a very... personal scan, simply for wanting to travel within his own country.

At least with precheck you leave your shoes and belt on and simply walk through a metal detector.

 

[I like rolling hotels]

Now that the scanners with naked images are gone, and with my aging father generating occasional emergencies, I've flown again. Flying remains a second choice because Amtrak is just a better experience every other way.