transit54
Conductor
As of late, I've been on a lot less trains than I'd like. The reason is that I took a job in the airline industry and can subsequently fly for free. But lately, I've been longing to get back out on the rails. I finish college in December, and will be leaving my airline position for better opportunities elsewhere.
My reasoning for riding Amtrak is multi-fold - it is relaxing, (generally) stress-free, it is the only mode that allows one to actively move around the vehicle while one is in transit, it is environmentally friendly, and in general, it is just one of the most fulfilling ways to get around. Traveling by air is about getting to your destination, traveling by rail is about the trip as much as the destination.
However, working in an airport five days a week has really given me tremendous perspective on how far superior train travel is. I work for what I consider to be one of the best airlines around (think 'Blue') and we really do a lot to make air travel less of a hassle. But the reality is that air travel involves getting to the airport early for security, the hassle of security (which I tend to bypass by using employee security lines), constant delays due to airports being pushed beyond their capacity, and is highly variable due to weather.
Train travel has its faults and its delays, but one of the largest benefits of a train is that I can get up and walk around. On a plane, I'm crammed in a small seat where I'm pretty much forced to sit for the duration of the flight. Not exactly a fun experience. Train travel may take longer, but on trips that would normally be completed by short haul flight (ESX-BRP, my usual route, but there are hundreds of city pairs), I can get far more done. On a train, I get ample space to work and a power outlet. I usually have internet through my Blackberry, which I connect to my laptop. On an eight hour train ride, I can get immense amounts done. Just last weekend, a friend of mine took the Vermonter from NHV to ESX specifically because he had an essay to write, and the train would given him time to work on it.
On longer distance services, the train simply adds to the trip. It may take longer, but if I can find the time, I'll look forward to the trip as much as the destination. Trains provide an opportunity to be social and meet other passengers, to see the country in a way that can never be seen from a highway, and to provide an opportunity to rest and relax. In the last two years (all before my airline employment), I've probably taken 15-20 Amtrak trips. I remember every one of them, even the dozen or so that were just the Vermonter. I fly with great frequency (at least 1-2 times a month) and I can't distinguish one flight from another in my mind. When I get on an airline, I just one to get where I'm going and get off.
To put this in perspective, I love flying. Not commercial air travel, but flying in general. I did some flight lessons two years ago, working to get my private pilot's license. I didn't finish, but do plan to at some point - the time that I spent in the air was absolutely incredible. I understand that some people ride trains because they're not comfortable flying - I definitely don't fall into that category. It's just that commercial air travel is just a terrible way to get anywhere, unless you just need to go a long distance and get there very quickly.
I don't always have the luxury of time to take the train. Part of that is a reflection on the rail system in this country (if we built true high speed rail between, say, New York and Chicago, the trip could be made in 6.5 hours - marginally more than what it takes to fly, considering a 2.5 hour flight time and the time needed to get to the airport, go through security, etc). But when I do, Amtrak is my first and foremost choice. I don't really even consider driving, which is stressful, tiring, and (compared to other modes) dangerous. I'll consider driving on trips less than 200 miles, beyond that I'd rather take a train, and actually get something done or relax while I get to where I'm going.
There's been a few times where I've been flying and have massive delays and cancelations due to weather. It's amazing how many times I've had conversations with flight attendants and pilots, who, unable to get home, lament that there isn't faster and more frequent rail service in this country. Even those of us who are in aviation realize it. All we need to do now is create more frequency and upgrade routes for higher speeds, so that one doesn't have to make decisions about whether to take a train for eight hours or drive the same distance in four (at least that's the Vermonter's plight), or be unable to take the train because the service is so infrequent.
My reasoning for riding Amtrak is multi-fold - it is relaxing, (generally) stress-free, it is the only mode that allows one to actively move around the vehicle while one is in transit, it is environmentally friendly, and in general, it is just one of the most fulfilling ways to get around. Traveling by air is about getting to your destination, traveling by rail is about the trip as much as the destination.
However, working in an airport five days a week has really given me tremendous perspective on how far superior train travel is. I work for what I consider to be one of the best airlines around (think 'Blue') and we really do a lot to make air travel less of a hassle. But the reality is that air travel involves getting to the airport early for security, the hassle of security (which I tend to bypass by using employee security lines), constant delays due to airports being pushed beyond their capacity, and is highly variable due to weather.
Train travel has its faults and its delays, but one of the largest benefits of a train is that I can get up and walk around. On a plane, I'm crammed in a small seat where I'm pretty much forced to sit for the duration of the flight. Not exactly a fun experience. Train travel may take longer, but on trips that would normally be completed by short haul flight (ESX-BRP, my usual route, but there are hundreds of city pairs), I can get far more done. On a train, I get ample space to work and a power outlet. I usually have internet through my Blackberry, which I connect to my laptop. On an eight hour train ride, I can get immense amounts done. Just last weekend, a friend of mine took the Vermonter from NHV to ESX specifically because he had an essay to write, and the train would given him time to work on it.
On longer distance services, the train simply adds to the trip. It may take longer, but if I can find the time, I'll look forward to the trip as much as the destination. Trains provide an opportunity to be social and meet other passengers, to see the country in a way that can never be seen from a highway, and to provide an opportunity to rest and relax. In the last two years (all before my airline employment), I've probably taken 15-20 Amtrak trips. I remember every one of them, even the dozen or so that were just the Vermonter. I fly with great frequency (at least 1-2 times a month) and I can't distinguish one flight from another in my mind. When I get on an airline, I just one to get where I'm going and get off.
To put this in perspective, I love flying. Not commercial air travel, but flying in general. I did some flight lessons two years ago, working to get my private pilot's license. I didn't finish, but do plan to at some point - the time that I spent in the air was absolutely incredible. I understand that some people ride trains because they're not comfortable flying - I definitely don't fall into that category. It's just that commercial air travel is just a terrible way to get anywhere, unless you just need to go a long distance and get there very quickly.
I don't always have the luxury of time to take the train. Part of that is a reflection on the rail system in this country (if we built true high speed rail between, say, New York and Chicago, the trip could be made in 6.5 hours - marginally more than what it takes to fly, considering a 2.5 hour flight time and the time needed to get to the airport, go through security, etc). But when I do, Amtrak is my first and foremost choice. I don't really even consider driving, which is stressful, tiring, and (compared to other modes) dangerous. I'll consider driving on trips less than 200 miles, beyond that I'd rather take a train, and actually get something done or relax while I get to where I'm going.
There's been a few times where I've been flying and have massive delays and cancelations due to weather. It's amazing how many times I've had conversations with flight attendants and pilots, who, unable to get home, lament that there isn't faster and more frequent rail service in this country. Even those of us who are in aviation realize it. All we need to do now is create more frequency and upgrade routes for higher speeds, so that one doesn't have to make decisions about whether to take a train for eight hours or drive the same distance in four (at least that's the Vermonter's plight), or be unable to take the train because the service is so infrequent.
