Why do you travel by train?

[keelhauled]

I'm a lifelong train enthusiast. I'll take train travel over cars and planes! The train seats are very comfortable, and I find trains to be safer than cars and planes!

Planes are safer than trains, but the difference is slight.
Both are much safer than cars.

How are planes safer than trains? I hardly ever see jet crashes with any survivors.

On a per passenger mile basis air travel is statistically safer. But if you want to use apocrypha instead, the last fatal crash in the US was Asiana in San Francisco in 2013, which killed 3, while Amtrak 188 crashed in 2015 and killed 8.

 

[CCC1007]

I'm a lifelong train enthusiast. I'll take train travel over cars and planes! The train seats are very comfortable, and I find trains to be safer than cars and planes!

Planes are safer than trains, but the difference is slight.
Both are much safer than cars.

How are planes safer than trains? I hardly ever see jet crashes with any survivors.

On a per passenger mile basis air travel is statistically safer. But if you want to use apocrypha instead, the last fatal crash in the US was Asiana in San Francisco in 2013, which killed 3, while Amtrak 188 crashed in 2015 and killed 8.

And one of the fatalities at SFO was caused by a fire truck.

 

[jis]

And in the Asiana crash one fatality was by getting run over by a fire truck as I recall.

 

[seat38a]

I'm a lifelong train enthusiast. I'll take train travel over cars and planes! The train seats are very comfortable, and I find trains to be safer than cars and planes!

Planes are safer than trains, but the difference is slight.

Both are much safer than cars.

How are planes safer than trains? I hardly ever see jet crashes with any survivors.

 

[Dakota 400]

I'm a lifelong train enthusiast. I'll take train travel over cars and planes! The train seats are very comfortable, and I find trains to be safer than cars and planes!

Planes are safer than trains, but the difference is slight.

Both are much safer than cars.

How are planes safer than trains? I hardly ever see jet crashes with any survivors.

The recent take-off issue that the charter plane that the University of Michigan's Basketball team was on when it aborted take-off, slid off a runway, went through a fence, and stopped in a ditch. Even one of their Assistant Coaches has expressed thanksgiving for such a positive end of their experience.

 

[Eric S]

I'm a lifelong train enthusiast. I'll take train travel over cars and planes! The train seats are very comfortable, and I find trains to be safer than cars and planes!

Planes are safer than trains, but the difference is slight.

Both are much safer than cars.

How are planes safer than trains? I hardly ever see jet crashes with any survivors.

Look up actual statistics. Don't just rely on what you feel to be true.

 

[jis]

I travel by train because I like to travel by train. I also fly, because I like to fly. Any questions?

To ride trains I go through incredible trials and travails of dealing with multiple hours and sometimes days of delays with unpredictable service. To fly I suffer through issues like TSA. In both cases to some extent I buy myself out of unpleasantnesses. While riding trains, when it gets stuck somewhere I tend to bail and fly on to the destination if I can. To work around the TSA lines, I become member of Global Entry and Clear, and such.

At the end of the day I figure out ways of doing what I like to do within my means of course. And I really do not need to make excuses to justify what I do not like to do, like for example watching American Football . I just don't do them. And I don't have to cast aspersions on those who like to do those things to try to justify my doing the things I like to do. Each to their own.

 

[ScouseAndy]

I travel by trains to maximise my vacation time and to avoid paying city centre hotel fees as well as avoiding wasting my valuable time away from the office sat in airport departure lounges. By grabbing an overnight train it allows me to fill my time during the days sightseeing.

Sadly I'm in the minority as more and more national rail networks are cutting over night trains due to lack of demand

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I travel by train mainly for nostalgia. They're relaxing and fun and a great way to travel green. But really it's nostalgia for my youth that is the primary factor. I grew up in a town that had (freight) trains passing through every few minutes and I found them fascinating. I started riding Amtrak at a very young age and despite the deteriorating service levels the fundamental appeal of riding a train has never really dissipated for me.

 

[ainamkartma]

I travel by train by choice because I am forced to fly more than enough for work. I find flying stressful and enervating, and I want to relax on vacation, so taking the relaxing train is a far more desirable way to spend _my_ time. All the better if my friends or family take the train with me!

Ainam "New Mexico: at least 12 hours from anywhere by plane" Kartma

 

[MARC Rider]

I commute to work by train, even though driving would be faster. The one time in the past 17 years that I drove into the office, I found the experience of driving into to downtown Washington (not to mention the 35 miles or so on I-95 from Baltimore) to be extremely stressful, even though there was one one backup and my door to door time was a half hour faster than train plus Metro. Plus, parking in downtown Washington is very expensive.

For intercity travel, I find the stress experience by modes to be as follows: <least stressful> train > bus > driving > flying <most stressful>.

In general, if I have the time and can get reasonably close to where I'm going, I'd prefer the train. I'd definitely take the Acela to Boston (or anywhere in between) over flying, even though flying is faster, even counting the time getting to the airport, security lines, etc. On the other hand, I regularly take business trips to the Akron, OH area, and the train service (to Cleveland) doesn't exactly have good calling times. It's a 6-7 drive, and it's much more economical to rent a car in Baltimore or Washington and drive out rather than fly to Cleveland or Akron and rent a car for more or less the same time period. I will take overnight train trips over flying from Baltimore to Chicago or Florida. In fact, I have a conference in Hilton Head next month, I take the Silver Meteor down the night before and arrive in Savannah with plenty of time to rent a car and get to Hilton Head. The return trip leaves at about 7:30 PM, or I can spend the night in Savannah and ride the Palmetto home. Of course, Any rides longer than that, and I will usually fly, unless the train trip is planned as part of the vacation.

My pros and cons are as follows:

Train:

Pros: More personal space than other modes

I find the rocking motion and muffled noises relaxing

Scenery

Can meet friendly interesting people to talk the miles away

Can eat delicious food while watching the scenery and enjoying comapny

Cons: Service seems less reliable (delays, cancellations, etc.)

Older equipment is sometimes not in the best mechanical condition

Can meet some real jackassess, and you're stuck with them for hours

Sometimes served disgusting food by surly waitstaff

Driving:

Pros: lot's of personal space, bu you have to stay seated when the car is moving

You can go anywhere you want at your own schedule

Can find all kinds of interesting roadside eateries serving delicious food

Cons: I have to stop at least once an hour for rest breaks

Driving can be stressful

All of the easily findable roadside eateries are disgusting chains serving prepackaged food-like substances

Jurisdictions with law enforcement who like to pay "special attention" to people from out of town

Flying:

Pros: It's fast, there's no denying it

I like looking a scenery from the air

Cons: Lack of personal space - small seats, no legroom, no room in overhead bins, takes forever to empty the plane after arrival.

I need to sit in an aisle seat because I know I'll need the use the restroom at least twice during the flight. So much for being able to look out the window at the scenery.

Turbulence freaks me out. I know the planes are designed for it, and I always keep my seat belt fastened, but my lizard brain keeps screaming silently to me that this is not natural. (To be honest, I get the same freak-out feeling if the Acela hits a bump at 130 mph or takes a curve a little too fast.)

TSA and the general police-state vibe one gets at the typical airport. (Though, to be honest, the armed police in tactical gear and dogs, etc. at Washington Union Station (and even Baltimore) provide a similar vibe. Except that they don't usually run you though the security lines before taking the train.)

Food...you mean they serve food on an airplane? I have some vague memories that such things were done during the last century, but haven't experienced such a thing recently. On my last flight from OAK to BWI (5 hours) I had to make do with a bag of salmon jerky and cheese pieces from Whole Foods. They did sell me a small bottle of a wine-like substance that appeared to contain alcohol.

Now if someone would come up with a service where they come to your house, put you in suspended animation, crate you up, ship you air freight and then revive you at your hotel, I might be interested.

 

[Don Newcomb]

Its a filthy, disgusting, dehumanizing, degrading experience that people accept like sheep. What does that tell you?

It tells me that you're a poorly educated, narrow minded person that can't think outside of your own experience and can't imagine a world where it is acceptable for people to hold differing viewpoints and have different priorities.

Perhaps you should talk less and listen more to the people around you and try and understand their viewpoint rather than insult them constantly.

I agree that air travel today is a degrading, inhumane experience. I recall a time when flying was very civilized, when even children flying were expected to be dressed as though going to church (boys in coat and tie, girls in skirts and probably white gloves). Today, you are luck if your fellow travelers on the plane have clothing on at all. The whole process of preflight screening makes one (myself) feel like cattle in line for an appointment with the arbitrator. There are ways around the experience but they are very expensive. (e.g. first class, TWIC card, etc.) And the days of having an empty seat between you and your traveling companion are a distant memory. Travel by Amtrak doesn't even come close to some of the limited express trains of the '50s but it's certainly much more civilized than flying.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Curious if the people complaining about the lines making them feel like sheep feel the same way about lines at movies, amusement parks, water parks, etc.

 

[PRR 60]

Curious if the people complaining about the lines making them feel like sheep feel the same way about lines at movies, amusement parks, water parks, etc.

Or, for that matter, lining up at BOS, NYP, PHL, WAS for the train. The boarding lines at 30th Street Philadelphia sometimes wind here, there and everywhere. The punch line at PHL is that, with the exception of the rare trains that dwell at PHL (Keystones, Pennsylvanian), everyone in line gets to platform long before the train arrives. So, the last person in line has just as good a chance at seats as the first.

 

[Maglev]

I spent most of my life in Hawaii, so most of my travel was by air. For twenty years, I had free travel privileges on United Airlines, and usually flew first class. But I have made a few cross-country trips by train, and always enjoyed train travel.

I joined this forum in anticipation of a cross-country train journey I made in January. I must admit that trip was somewhat of an ordeal. A Roomette is a pretty confined area to spend eleven days (a Bedroom was beyond my budget for just one person), and the food on Amtrak leaves a lot to be desired. I came down with the flu on the last day of my vacation--I blame that on ending my trip in the Portland sleeper on the Empire Builder and needing to walk through three coaches to get to the dining car (that's a lot of exposure to germs and drama...)

I have come to dislike air travel. The security thing is an intrusion on privacy. Planes are cramped and crowded. I don't like the idea that the air I breathe comes from the engines (on all jets except 787's).

And growing up in Hawaii, I am not accustomed to interstate automobile travel. I find limited access roadways to be somewhat terrifying, as I do not have quick reflexes or a talent for smooth lane changes.

But I love looking out the train window at this great country of which I am so proud. When I can afford it , I travel by train, or I do not travel at all.

 

[William]

I always find this topic most interesting. I think many people who don't travel by train don't understand the appeal of it. I don't like to fly, and will only do so in an emergency.

I find train travel to be a very relaxing way to go. Put away your watch, turn off your phone, put your feet up and enjoy the ride as the scenery goes by. On long distance trains there is ample time to read a book, do crossword puzzles, etc. And of course having my meals in the dining car is always fun. You can often find other travelers there to chat with and some of the food is actually good.

Also, I usually sleep very well in my roomette. I think the rocking motion of the train helps me sleep.

I always arrive at my destination relaxed.

Just my thoughts.......

William

 

[Don Newcomb]

Curious if the people complaining about the lines making them feel like sheep feel the same way about lines at movies, amusement parks, water parks, etc.

Yep. When I recently visited DC, I was appalled by the amount of time people spent in queues. I never wait in line to see a movie. If there's a line I either go to the self-service ticket dispenser or come back another day. Waiting for a cashier for more than two minutes? I'll come back later. I've been known to abandon a full cart of groceries if the check-out line was too long. Haven't been to amusement or water parks in years. Unless someone I'm with really wants to eat at a particular restaurant, 10 minutes is the longest I'll wait. I book all my doctor appointments early in the morning so he/she won't have a chance to run behind.

 

[Ryan]

Its a filthy, disgusting, dehumanizing, degrading experience that people accept like sheep. What does that tell you?

It tells me that you're a poorly educated, narrow minded person that can't think outside of your own experience and can't imagine a world where it is acceptable for people to hold differing viewpoints and have different priorities.

Perhaps you should talk less and listen more to the people around you and try and understand their viewpoint rather than insult them constantly.

I agree that air travel today is a degrading, inhumane experience. I recall a time when flying was very civilized, when even children flying were expected to be dressed as though going to church (boys in coat and tie, girls in skirts and probably white gloves). Today, you are luck if your fellow travelers on the plane have clothing on at all. The whole process of preflight screening makes one (myself) feel like cattle in line for an appointment with the arbitrator. There are ways around the experience but they are very expensive. (e.g. first class, TWIC card, etc.) And the days of having an empty seat between you and your traveling companion are a distant memory. Travel by Amtrak doesn't even come close to some of the limited express trains of the '50s but it's certainly much more civilized than flying.

That makes you just as misinformed as Dennis, then. Not sure why you'd be proud of that.

In all of my traveling on a plane, I can't say that I've seen anyone not wearing clothes. I also end up with an empty seat next to me at least 1/3 of the time. I also haven't waited for more than 5 minutes or so in a security line in 2 years of travel for work, traveling on the cheapest of government fares. I achieved Marriott Platinum from scratch last year, so I've spent considerable time on the road.

It amazes me how the "never flies" crowd is so "well informed" on how things are in airports these days. Maybe show up at an airport sometime and see for yourself, rather than continuing to trot out these tired and provably false complaints about how miserable us sheep are on the airplanes...

I've been known to abandon a full cart of groceries if the check-out line was too long.

It takes a real special kind of person to pull that sort of a stunt.

 

[user 13416]

I've been known to abandon a full cart of groceries if the check-out line was too long.

So your time is precious, but you just wasted all the time you spent filling up that grocery cart because the checkout line was moving slower than you consider acceptable?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I've been known to abandon a full cart of groceries if the check-out line was too long.

So your time is precious, but you just wasted all the time you spent filling up that grocery cart because the checkout line was moving slower than you consider acceptable?

This guy comes across like the ultimate entitled snowflake princess.

 

[SarahZ]

I've been known to abandon a full cart of groceries if the check-out line was too long.

So your time is precious, but you just wasted all the time you spent filling up that grocery cart because the checkout line was moving slower than you consider acceptable?

And then he has to drive back to the store and do it all over again. Waiting sucks, but it's better than all that wasted time.

Plus, letting frozen/refrigerated food sit in the cart while waiting for an employee to put it back is a waste of food. Also, I feel bad for the person who has to sort and reshelve it.

 

[ScouseAndy]

I've been known to abandon a full cart of groceries if the check-out line was too long.

So your time is precious, but you just wasted all the time you spent filling up that grocery cart because the checkout line was moving slower than you consider acceptable?

And then he has to drive back to the store and do it all over again. Waiting sucks, but it's better than all that wasted time.
Plus, letting frozen/refrigerated food sit in the cart while waiting for an employee to put it back is a waste of food. Also, I feel bad for the person who has to sort and reshelve it.

I've been known to cut my nose off to spite my face by doing this myself, one time I went to the bother of taking an selfie of me, the queue and my full basket of shopping (that I abandoned) and sharing it to the stores HO twitter and face book accounts, not only did I get a nice £50 voucher for my efforts but the queues did decrease for a short while with more checkouts being manned for all of a month.

Sometimes direct action and protest works but only if you shame the company on social media, however I doubt this would wash with airport security as it's not like you can go elsewhere

 

[JayPea]

I've been known to abandon a full cart of groceries if the check-out line was too long.

So your time is precious, but you just wasted all the time you spent filling up that grocery cart because the checkout line was moving slower than you consider acceptable?

And then he has to drive back to the store and do it all over again. Waiting sucks, but it's better than all that wasted time.

Plus, letting frozen/refrigerated food sit in the cart while waiting for an employee to put it back is a waste of food. Also, I feel bad for the person who has to sort and reshelve it.

I work at a grocery store and not only is it a waste of food to let the frozen and refrigerated items sit out, it also cuts into our profits. Grocery stores in general have a very low profit margin, and leaving food out to waste like this cuts into that profit. Amongst other things, I stock shelves at our store and have to restock things left behind by impatient shoppers. This cuts into the time I have to do what I have to do.

 

[JayPea]

I paid last year to get a KTN. $85 for 5 years. Best use of $85 I've had in years. Right in line and right back out. I don't travel by air that much, especially compared to Ryan, Jis, or DA, to name just three AU members, but the first time I used the KTN to bypass the lines it paid for itself as far as I'm concerned. And if $85 for 5 years is very expensive, then I'd better stay home and never go anywhere.

 

[seat38a]

I paid last year to get a KTN. $85 for 5 years. Best use of $85 I've had in years. Right in line and right back out. I don't travel by air that much, especially compared to Ryan, Jis, or DA, to name just three AU members, but the first time I used the KTN to bypass the lines it paid for itself as far as I'm concerned. And if $85 for 5 years is very expensive, then I'd better stay home and never go anywhere.

15 dollars more and you get Global Entry which I got. Best 100 dollars I've spent. Walked into immigration and walked right out after handing over the reciept from the GE machine.