Why does America's rail network suck for passengers?

[apathy]

Freight you got Europe beat, heck probably the whole world.

But seeing how vast and mostly flat America is... why tf isn't there a High Speed railroad from East to West coast? Am I missing something?

[King of Games]

American public transportation is absolute garbage. They'd rather have clogged up roadways than try to offer any other solution

[Grendalcat]

Public transportation, ew.

[JD]

Because we can afford cars.

[apathy]

Originally posted by Old Grumpy American:

Because we can afford cars.

You mean you can afford plane tickets. Which is hypocritical if USA seriously believes it can tackle climate change by 2040, 2050, 2085 etc.

No one in their right sane mind drives across all the routes, gas stations, toll booths, of America.

https://youtu.be/EuDUIJxq1bA?si=YrVu1oPPLuSwS7JB

[Heitor Villa-Lobos]

Mainly because the continent is not interconnected and open borders like the EU.

[GunsForBucks]

Going 3000 miles you would rather fly and not spend all that time getting there.

You would probably rent a car after that either way. A flight from NYC to LA is about 1000$

Not sure what it would cost in gas and wear and tear on a car.

Train runs about half the price of plane. But a high speed line would probably be closer to the plane price I would guess. And still take longer.

[Stingray_tm]

Because car manufacturers successfully lobbied against creating an efficient public transport sector in the US. The same applies to the fact how US cities are designed. Automobile dependency is not a result of American infrastructure. American infrastructure is the result of a desire to be dependent on cars.

Just look at how the car industry managed to demonize the concept of "15 minute cities" by promoting weird conspiracy theories.

[Stingray_tm]

Originally posted by GunsForBucks:

Train runs about half the price of plane. But a high speed line would probably be closer to the plane price I would guess. And still take longer.

East coast to West coast, sure. I would take a plane there, too. But there is a lot of stuff in between. Why not take a train from say, New York to Cleveland. Or a train from Chicago to Denver.

[GunsForBucks]

Originally posted by Stingray_tm:

Originally posted by GunsForBucks:

Train runs about half the price of plane. But a high speed line would probably be closer to the plane price I would guess. And still take longer.

East coast to West coast, sure. I would take a plane there, too. But there is a lot of stuff in between. Why not take a train from say, New York to Cleveland. Or a train from Chicago to Denver.

Well op was specifically about the E to W coast thing.

Actually the way to go to Florida from up north is to drive down to a point you can put your car on a train like a car ferry. Take the train for the southern portion. Depends. You would get a lot of traffic going south for winter as the Canadian "snow birds" head south.

[Grendalcat]

Originally posted by Stingray_tm:

American infrastructure is the result of a desire to be dependent on cars.

I'd rather depend on my car, than on public transport.

[Stingray_tm]

Originally posted by Grendalcat:

Originally posted by Stingray_tm:

American infrastructure is the result of a desire to be dependent on cars.

I'd rather depend on my car, than on public transport.

Because your public transport sucks. Because it was designed to suck.

People in huge Japanese cities barely need cars.

When I was in Florida, my European mind was blown, when I found out, that I needed a car to get to the diner directly opposite of my motel! There was just no way for me as a pedestrian to cross that street. I had to take my rental car, take a couple of turns to get to the diner.
This is insane!

[Plaid]

Originally posted by Heitor Villa-Lobos:

Mainly because the continent is not interconnected and open borders like the EU.

We can freely travel from state to state. No papers please checkpoints (yet)

I see you are talking about America the continent and not Murica.

Anyway, I think train rides are fun. You can walk around, stretch your legs, get food in the restaurant car (even get served if you pay extra), use a restroom, have some drinks, take a nap on an actual bed.

But yeah, driving cross country in a cramped car with the kids complaining in the backseat is also a good time.... I guess? Get that AAA service and you might not have to worry about breaking down in the middle of a desert (if AAA provides service in the desert)

[Duck Twacy]

Originally posted by apathy:

Freight you got Europe beat, heck probably the whole world.

But seeing how vast and mostly flat America is... why tf isn't there a High Speed railroad from East to West coast? Am I missing something?

During the Cold War there was a decision made by the US Federal government to build highways instead of rail, as rail was mostly there and serving industry, not the private individual nor his family.

High speed rail might serve the US in specific areas, but the airlines mostly have closed the gap, and the highway system connects the nation for those not wanting to pay higher airline ticket prices.

The Soviet Union emphasized railways for whatever reason, lost the Cold War in part due to the US's decision to build a network of highways, which allowed a freer flow of people and goods between cities.

Back in the 80s Lufthansa proposed building a high speed rail from Sacramento to LA, and it's still under construction, and it is not perceived as being a wise investment, since the demand for travel between the two hubs, though significant, is not that great.

[Ulfrinn]

Originally posted by Stingray_tm:

Originally posted by Grendalcat:

I'd rather depend on my car, than on public transport.

Because your public transport sucks. Because it was designed to suck.

People in huge Japanese cities barely need cars.

When I was in Florida, my European mind was blown, when I found out, that I needed a car to get to the diner directly opposite of my motel! There was just no way for me as a pedestrian to cross that street. I had to take my rental car, take a couple of turns to get to the diner.
This is insane!

One of our states is bigger than your whole country. One of our cities has as many people as all of Scandinavia. There's a bit more scale to it here than you may realize.

[Q-T_3.14.exe]

I like trains. I got back home via train after I left the military.