The problem with traveling by train

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President Obama wants to spend taxpayer money (to the tune of $8,000,000,000) on Amtrak to improve and expand the American passenger rail system.  I hope the money is spent well, because right now there are seious problems with traveling by train.

Suppose I wanted to travel from Denver to Salt Lake City.  There is a route, the California Zephyr, that travels once a day between these two cities.  I would have to leave Denver at 8am, to arrive in Salt Lake City 15 hours later at 11pm.  I would also have to pay $65 dollars to do so.

In comparison, I can drive at 25 mpg and at $2.50/gallon gas from Denver to Salt Lake City, 545 miles, for $55 and only take about 8 hours to drive that.

Even better, I can find a $49 flight on Southwest that will get me to Salt Lake in only an hour and a half.

Why would I want to spend more money and more time traveling by train, when I can travel faster and cheaper by both car and plane?

(image credit)

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