CCC1007
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Not that I'm aware of, just different brandingHasn't SNCF been sort of divided up not multiple operating companies?
Not that I'm aware of, just different brandingHasn't SNCF been sort of divided up not multiple operating companies?
Yes. The 3 companies are:Hasn't SNCF been sort of divided up not multiple operating companies?
That depends...if you're traveling between biggish cities, a car may be faster but it's also more stressful; and expensive to park when you get there. I could probably get from DC to Philly or NYC faster by driving than by taking the regular (non-Acela) NEC, but the train still wins. Heck, I take Amtrak to Pittsburgh (7.5 hours) instead of driving in 5.Someone once said trains don't have to beat planes, they have to beat cars. I would guess they also would have to beat buses. But if they are the fastest land transportation option they should be fine.
SNCF *operates* the equivalent of these train services (but SNCF is much more than that, they even have a subsidiary operating intercity bus in competition with its own train services now...)So basically, SNCF is equivalent to Amtrak plus Metro North plus LIRR plus NJT plus SEPTA plus MARC Plus Tri-Rail plus Sun Rail plus Tri Rail plus Metra plus Denver RTD plus Coaster plus Metrolink plus Caltrain plus Sounder plus any other commuter lines I left out.
I'm not so sure. Baltimore to New York is at least 4 hours by car (unless you're driving in the middle of the night and disregard speed limits), and the regional from BAL-NYP is something like 2:40. OK, so it takes me about 15 minutes to get to BAL from home, and I would get to the station at least 10 minutes before train time , maybe 20 minutes if I don't have a ticket. You're right about the hassle of traffic and parking, though.I could probably get from DC to Philly or NYC faster by driving than by taking the regular (non-Acela) NEC, but the train still wins.Someone once said trains don't have to beat planes, they have to beat cars. I would guess they also would have to beat buses. But if they are the fastest land transportation option they should be fine.
but riding Amtrak BAL-NYP isn't free... On a weekday, it's about $100 each way, no? (not sure about BAL... I'm basing it on WAS-NYP) More $ on the Acela, of course.I'm not so sure. Baltimore to New York is at least 4 hours by car (unless you're driving in the middle of the night and disregard speed limits), and the regional from BAL-NYP is something like 2:40. OK, so it takes me about 15 minutes to get to BAL from home, and I would get to the station at least 10 minutes before train time , maybe 20 minutes if I don't have a ticket. You're right about the hassle of traffic and parking, though.
Of course, a suburb to suburb ride might be ma bit faster by car.
Well more myths than factors...Here are some more factors:The price of fuel is just one factor. The governments of Euro countries make car ownership VERY expensive from purchase, daily use and taxes. Many places require a permit to drive in cities alone......can you see having to purchase a permit every time you wanted to drive in DC or NYC?? This is above tolls and taxes.....all this along with rail subsidies make rail more attractive.but gas is dirt cheap, compared to France and Germany. that's why most people in the US drive between cities.
Country History: European countries suffered severe damage in two world wars, particularly the second. For years before that, there were big differences in class with the lower classes unable to afford private cars or horses resulting in more use of transit. The wars destroyed track and infrastructure resulting in a population impoverished and with little working transport allowing the countries to rebuild state run rail from ground zero both with new money and a clean slate as well as a population wanting or needing to travel in a world full of new track going everywhere and old roads as well as few airlines with no competition.
Individual History: People continue ways of doing things like they always have. By the time Europe developed decent highways and sold cheap cars, people got used to the cheap rail and lack of need to drive themselves. Like so many New Yorkers in years past, few had drivers' licenses with fewer buying cars so they got used transit. Cheapie airlines and competition even between state owned monopoly airlines is a relatively new phenomena as is the idea of driving oneself everywhere. It is only in the last 20-30 years that the middle class has considered rail to be passe and driving one's own car as being "cool" and it will take years (we started in the '30s) for them to change because of the built-in rail infrastructure and mind-set.
In the early years of WWII, the U.S. was the only fully mechanized war machine (trucks). Even the vaunted German tanks were accompanied by an army often traveling using horses pulling artillery and supplies. Roads were poor when compared to rail so people used rail to get around whereas Americans traveling between cities even in the '20s and '30s got used to a fast-improving exurban road system but a rail system not as quickly modernized.
what about being semi-crammed into a stainless steel tube (Amfleet), with decent legroom, breathable air, and a nice sturdy bridge to keep you crashing into a lake?I fly quite a bit.... probably 8 TPAC flights, 4 TATL flights and 12 domestic roundtrips per year.Plenty of people are afraid of flying. And maybe the 500 mile trip isn't competitive with flying but if the 500 mile trip has a number of popular 200-300 mile trips for which the train is competitive with the plane and car it is worthwhile.
Unfortunately, I am scared on every single flight. I don't freak out or anything. I just keep my mind busy on my Macbook or iPad or book or whatever.(a couple of strong drink help as well ) I don't think I am afraid of the giant aluminum tube doing 450 knots at 37000 feet. No. I'm afraid of the part where it crashes into a mountain or terrain or large bodies of water. Yes, I know I have a better chance getting bitten by an alligator walking in my sister-in-law's backyard near Naples, Florida.
IMHO, flying from DCA directly into LGA is the only way to avoid the stench of Newark. Driving on the NJ Tpke, there's this weird smell starts from 5 to 10 minutes just south of EWR airport. Same thing when riding Amtrak trains(NER and Acela).... the smell starts when the trains come near Newark. It's a foul smell that's half chemical and half organic matters.... Does anybody know why that smell is always there and where does it come from?what about being semi-crammed into a stainless steel tube (Amfleet), with decent legroom, breathable air, and a nice sturdy bridge to keep you crashing into a lake?
Exactly. That is what I thought I had read in a French Rail magazine...Yes. The 3 companies are:Hasn't SNCF been sort of divided up not multiple operating companies?
- SNCF, acting as a "holding", and including SNCF Immobilier (real estate)
- SNCF Réseau, formerly Réseau Ferré de France, in charge of almost all the rail network in France
- SNCF Mobilités, which includes SNCF Voyageurs (passenger trains in France), Keolis, SNCF Logistics (freight operations, mainly Geodis, not only by rail but also by trucks), Gares & Connexions (the entity in charge of the train stations), etc.
It's a *very long list*. Obvious ones: Maine, both Vermont corridors, everything within Massachusetts, the whole Empire Corridor, NYC-Scranton-Binghamton-Cortland-Syracuse, Philaelphia-Harrisburg-State College-Pittsburgh, Allentown/Bethelehem to Philly and to NYC, and I haven't gotten out of the Northeast yet.It would be an interesting exercise to come up with a list of city pairs outside of the WAS-NYP northeast corridor in which a train journey has the potential to be more convenient and possibly shorter time overall than flying. Baltimore/Washington to Charleston/Savannah is one to start with. It would also be interesting to see which of these corridors could go into service quickly with minimal track upgrades, etc. But then, I'm a bit of an incrementalist when it comes to making changes.
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