Barack Obama annouces high-speed rail plan for 10 busiest US routes

[daftlad]

just had a quick glance at wiki and the American railroad network is a complete shambles, only good for freight (which is slow) but the network does exist so if upgraded would do the job....well
there is stuff about the conspiracy you refer to.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_transport_in_the_United_States

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_American_Streetcar_Scandal

laters

[Amy]

There was always a history of railroad companies doing what they wanted when buying up land.
Thats how the jesse james gang got started. Union pacific land agents shot old Ma james and jesse got his posse together to avenge, but got seduced into bank robbing along the way, just for fun.

On the final raid, Cole Younger was shot 23 times and lived. He spent many years in clink and was eventually released and died in 1930 ish.

How fantastic

[langstroth2]

In the mid 90's I crossed the US by train from East to West (California Zephyr). There were three main routes that crossed the continental US if I remember correctly - one across the northern states, one central and one along the south. One train a day, each train taking about 4 days start to finish - as a tourist it was very enjoyably, with double decker carriages for a good view on top. Freight traffic definitely took priority. Apart from some of the East coast lines leaving Washington I don't recall seeing any obvious commuter/business types - it just takes too long on most routes.

[Amy]

The trans Canadian railroad starts in Halifax harbour, Nova Scotia and ran right behind my Aunty Pams back yard when she lived in Sackville. Shes Nr Peggys Cove now. Its stunning there.

The containers were double stacked for the journey all the way to vancover. 3 engines up front and 2 behind plus the caboose.
We measured one train and it was over a mile long

I love the sound of the airhorns

[Ted]

Does America have a rail link that would allow you to go corner-to-corner?

You could do the journey but it would take forever. The Amtrak passenger service from say, Portland Oregon to Miami would be the best part of 5 days.

http://tickets.amtrak.com/itd/amtrak/FareFinder?_tripType=OneWay&_origin=Portland%2C+OR+(PDX)&_depmonthyear=2009-04&_depday=18&_dephourmin=&_destination=Miami%2C+FL+(MIA)&_retmonthyear=&_retday=&_rethourmin=&_adults=1&_children=0&_infants=0&_searchBy=schedule&x=27&y=5