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President Barack Obama announced an $8 billion package for high-speed rail this week.
Too bad nobody rides trains anymore.
I mean, maybe they will when it doesn’t take three days to get from Cincinnati to Columbus, Ohio, but they really don’t seem to ride them now.
Of course, it might not be the time delay for arrival. The exorbitant prices could also be having an impact.
The last time I checked on taking a train down to Florida it was $700. And a five day trip, one-way. I could have flown back and forth to Paris for less money and in less time.
Want to take a train from Florida through the Smokey Mountains? Better save up and be prepared to take a circuitous route: From Deland, Fla. to Washington D.C., forced overnight stay, then back down to Miami. You can wave at the mountains as you go past, however.
Obama’s initiative to expand high-speed rail lines and improve passenger service is a great start. Assuming we’re not just adding lines similar to what we’ve had so far.
I once rode the train from New York down the eastern seaboard to Jacksonville, Florida.
It took nearly a week and featured such delightful views as abandoned apartment buildings covered in graffiti, heavy industrial complex waste sites and hobos. Yes, actual hobos.
Ok, I admit, the hobos hanging around at the stations were kinda cool once you got past the smell, but still. Not the kind of ride one looks back on fondly.
Once you are on the train, by the way, it’s worth mentioning that despite what you see in the movies there is not much more room than you get on an airplane. Oh sure, you can get up and walk around, but where are you going to go?
And let’s talk about the swaying.
Riding a train has all the comforts of air travel, including non-reclining reclining seats and lousy food; and all the potential for motion sickness of a cruise ship without the free buffet.
Not that I am suggesting we don’t invest in improving our national transportation system, creating jobs and making it easier to move about the country.
I just wish we could find a way to do it that didn’t rely so much on 19th century technology that involves hobos.
And besides, if they aren’t going to have a stop in Bluffton, when will I ever ride one?
by JERRY BATTISTE
jerryb@news-banner.com
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