The trains on the East Coast are efficient, fast and affordable, and mostly electric. Why doesn't this exist between more cities in the central states?
2007-02-20 04:21:47 · 6 answers · asked by Year of the Monkey 5 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Commuting
Unfortunately, the failure of rail transport in the US is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Ever since we abandoned the railroads (Amtrak's continued existence barely counts) after WWII, the public mind in general has concluded that Americans have definitively chosen the automobile as the primary means of transportation, and that nobody would ride the train if it existed. If lawmakers don't expect anyone to ride the train, the rail system won't get built, so nobody can ride the train.
2007-02-20 04:31:32 · answer #1 · answered by djcartwright 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mainly because distances are longer, and population density is less, in the rest of the country, than the east coast (particularly Boston to Washington corridor). But increased rail service is at least being talked about in a few corridors in the rest of the country. If we were to tax gasoline the way they do in Europe, it would not be long before we had high speed, efficient train service the way they do in Europe.
2007-02-20 13:39:14 · answer #2 · answered by rollo_tomassi423 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
To have a public funded rail system the stops must be over 100 miles apart. This puts a "stop" to commuter rails if the city wants government funding.
2007-02-21 09:03:12 · answer #3 · answered by Diane A 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In 2006 Albuquerque and Nashville began commuter rail service, Chicago's Metra also had a major service expansion on three of their routes.
A new commuter service is under construction on that will link Salt Lake City and Ogden, UT.
2007-02-20 13:11:53 · answer #4 · answered by mike_630 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The infrastructure costs are extremely high even if tracks exist. People do love their cars and are also traveling in many more directions which makes it hard to craft routes that would appeal to enough people to make them worthwhile.
2007-02-22 22:51:34 · answer #5 · answered by alcoh71 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
MONEY ! Who wants to pay more taxes? have the roads tore up for a couple of years to make way for it, and sometimes the lower elements of civilization will use the trolleys to get in to better neighbor hoods to steal. And don't we just LOVE our cars. I guess we will eventually wise-up and start going in that direction when gas hits $10 a gallon. I will surrender my cars when they pry my cold dead hands off my steering wheel
2007-02-20 12:48:18 · answer #6 · answered by spitfirepilot01 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋