Comments on: More Engineers, Fewer Pilots

By: Carl

Carl — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 20:58:38 +0000

I use the Acela between Boston/Providence and NYC all the time, and it’s great! It actually takes much less time and is cheaper than flying, door-to-door, and is more reliable (given traffic) and convenient than driving. Even the regionals aren’t bad if you have a little more time, and for a few bucks you can spring for Business Class. Sit down, plug in, fire up the Verizon card, and it’s a couple of hours in a remote office. Don’t be late, though. Nothing runs on time like the trains!

By: Ari

Ari — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 19:35:53 +0000

What about rail to the airport? At LAX you have to switch to a bus because light rail doesn’t go all the way to the terminals.

Although both services are heavily subsidized in one way or another, there is much more political noise about rail. Maybe some hope could come if there is less regulation and if AMTRAK is privatized and competition allowed in with the rail lines themselves being in public hands. Yet right now we have exactly the opposite: AMTRAK is public whereas the rail lines are in the hands of the cargo rail carriers who determine priority. Imagine an air transportation system running like that.

By: SD

SD — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 20:28:09 +0000

One of the problems with trains operating on time is the fact (and I was told this by an AMTRAK Conductor) was the freight trains have priority over passenger ones! So they have to pull to the side and let freights pass. Given that there are so few passenger trains, it would make sense that we reverse this. Trains are a joy for shorter distances. Recently I kept fumbling for the seat belt, only to realize there wasn’t one and I could get up and go to the bathroom immediately after departure. When everyone is criticizing Americans for using so much fuel, just compare a European’s access to rail (local and distance) with ours.

By: Benet

Benet — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 19:58:24 +0000

Our company headquarters is in New York, right on top of Penn Station. We get deals to use Acela and the US Airways Shuttle. I am a BIG Acela fan, and it is beyond my comprehension why people choose the Shuttle over Acela.

For me, DC’s Union station is a 5-minute subway ride or a 10-minute drive from my home to Baltimore’s Penn Station. I get a nice comfy seat with a power outlet to do work. And bonus — I can sit in the Quiet Car, which doesn’t allow cell phones. Best of all, once I get to NYC, all I have to do is take 2 escalators and an elevator up to the 25th floor to our offices. No cabs, no security checks, all the liquids I can carry and plenty of room for luggage. What’s not to like, kids??

By: Felix

Felix — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 17:51:24 +0000

Continental’s EWR hub is perfect for train connections as it is one of the few airports with a good Amtrack connecting station.