Today, I'm pleased to share with you a report about American passenger rail from the television news magazine, "Need to Know." I think it does a great job of showing why investing in passenger rail is good for American jobs and good for American mobility.
The report is called "Off The Rails," and was produced by WNET in conjunction with PBS and Blueprint America.
In the opening segment, correspondent Rick Karr rides an Amtrak train from Normal, Illinois, to Chicago with commuter John Thomas. Discussing his commute--100 miles and two and a half hours--Thomas says, "I don't do it every day. But, if there are more trains, if the reliability is higher, if the speed is faster, it would allow me to do it every day."
That is exactly the kind of service President Obama's passenger rail initiative envisions.
Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, Karr interviews biotech executive Kevin Conroy, who says his drive from Madison to Milwaukee several times a week, "Kills a whole day because it's an hour and a half each way. But with the train, you'd jump on the train and get a ton of work done."
Add to those benefits the good jobs created to transform this vision into reality, the economic development an American passenger rail network would generate, and the environmental benefits of rail, and we are talking about a real game-changer.
But, if you're a regular reader of this blog, then you've heard me make the argument for passenger rail before. So, I invite you to sit back and watch this terrific television report.
I hope you find it informative.
Watch the full episode. See more Need To Know.
Great video!
Posted by: WS | January 20, 2011 at 09:49 AM
Just last week I took a train trip where I boarded the City of New Orleans 17.5 miles from my home in rural West Tennessee and traveled to Chicago area for a two day business meeting.
My overall experience was wonderful, cost was very reasonable and I saved on hotel cost, meal expense by taking a Sleeper Pullman. I also didn't need to travel anywhere from 90 to 240 miles to an airport saving both time, fuel costs and parking expense and lodging.
Pluses included:
1. Great food in the dining car
2. Ability to use the cell phone and laptop connected to the internet while traveling.
3. The ability to charge both cell phone and laptop while traveling.
4. Loved being able to socialize with other passengers.
5. Being able to work in the privacy of a sleeper compartment (This helped to extend my work day and I completed a number of projects which other wise would have waited until I returned to my office.)
The only down sides of the entire trip:
1. There is only one train each day so I arrived back at my departure point at 5am in the morning. (Still with under a 25-minute drive to the house with zero traffic.)
2. The sleeper car is near the engine so you constantly hear the horn blast at every grade crossing. Not overly loud but takes some getting used to Earplugs will be something I carry next time.
Improvements I would like.
1. Better train scheduling particularly for the return trip.
2. More trains departures to more locations.
3. It would be great to have the ability to take the train to Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Louisville, and St Louis for meetings or to catch a plane.
Overall, I was more relaxed and not as stressed as when I travel by air. I'm looking forward to my next excursion by train.
Posted by: Timothy Brady | January 20, 2011 at 11:23 AM
This would mediate countless environmental problems, not to mention the lives not being lost as a result of drunk and distracted driving.
Posted by: Jacy Good | January 20, 2011 at 10:11 PM
For too long the United States has been the land of asphalt. It is time that a network of high-speed passenger trains be developed. Even China is ahead of us in joining the ranks of Europe and Japan. Many of us are reluctant and not well enough to drive with all its perils. And we want to avoid the indignity and hassle of flying.
Posted by: Paul Everett Vinson | January 21, 2011 at 02:53 AM
Good to hear other people who agree with the concept of high speed rail. there are many people who do not agree with the concept, it could be for political reasons or just personal reasons. But if it is political, let it go, I mean anti rail and or anti OBAMA, like Mr. Walker Governor of the great state of Wisconsin who appears to be both do not care if were practically the only wealthy country in the world who do not have high speed rail and other countries that are not as advanced as we are have high speed rail. Either Mr. Walker and other people don't care about America competing in the 21 Century or thier so deeply ingrained in politics and this anti OBAMA madness that they just don't care.
Posted by: Jonathan K. Green | March 18, 2011 at 03:06 AM