Taking the Train

I was trying to think of a blog post for today and drawing a blank. Naturally, the perfect solution was to procrastinate even more by playing a game on the computer. I’m old and prefer board games over modern video games.

The modern advantage is the ability to find on opponent online instead of bribing someone in the house to play a game they really don’t want to play. So, I tell myself, “one game and then time to write”; it usually is a lie and the next thing you know 90 minutes have passed. But this time, my choice of game (Ticket to Ride, a board game involving trains) suggested the topic for today, trains.

I love trains. Now, my level of enthusiasm doesn’t reach the level of radio scanners, taking videos of trains, or memorizing engine numbers (Google ‘railfan’). But the train is my preferred method of travel. If I’m going anywhere in California by myself, I will look at the Amtrak schedule and try to plan around it.

 San Francisco and Sacramento are two of my most common trips and the San Joaquin route from Fresno offers great options. There is a certain distance in which the passenger train can be competitive with the airplane and even the personal car.

Commuter trains are still viable with high employment densities, such as New York and DC. In fact, those areas often have the density to support an independent intra-city light rail in additional to larger commuter trains to the burbs. But inter-city trains for non-commuter purposes and be successful, too.

With a higher train speed, the competitive radius can include air travel. In California, LA and SF are the perfect distance for a high speed train to directly compete with the airlines. Limited landing/takeoff slots, operational issues, and congested terminals add to the actual time needed for air travel and increase the distance in which the slower moving passenger train trips end up taking a similar amount of time.

What about comfort? Unless you are suckering your company for business class or selling a kidney for first class, there is absolutely no comparison between the cattle class of the airline and a standard seat on a passenger train. On a train, you can actually get up from the window seat and stand in the aisle without feeling that you and your seatmate are part of a circus contortionist act like on a plane.

The train is more relaxing. This is bonus for rail passengers. When an airplane passenger gets off the plane, there is stress to be out of that damn tinned can and get a breath of fresh air. As they approach the station, rail passengers are not anxious about escaping, but excited about arriving.

Now, the passenger train in the United States faces some problems. No question. Sharing tracks with freight trains, city planning that encourages automobile ownership, lack of governmental support given to other forms of transportation. Sometimes there are delays on the train, but cars do break down and flights also do get cancelled.

I will stay a train supporter. The San Joaquin is a good choice out of Fresno and tomorrow I will write of a great day trip that is doable on the train.