re: #102 klys (maker of Silmarils)

I don’t think it will surprise you guys that mr. klys and I are fans of rail travel. We did Amtrak from Atlanta to DC last month and it was really pleasant - a great chance to decompress between meeting family and time with friends at the wedding we were heading to. We’ve also done it from Denver to SFO, which is a fantastic trip and I highly recommend.

Closer to home, we occasionally just do a loop around the Bay on trains. Or to Sacramento, or Paso Robles. Doing to Coast Starlight to Seattle is on the to do list.

And this isn’t even counting what we’ve done overseas. (If you travel to Japan, the rail pass is one of the best things you can do for your trip. Trust me.)

I wish rail wasn’t as much of an afterthought here in the States as it is. It’s such a world of difference, and a huge part of that is the differing attitudes towards cars here (with our heavily subsidized gas prices) and overseas. Some of it is the sprawl that’s been encouraged by cars, and the desire for a McMansion on an acre of land. A lot of the old railway right of ways have disappeared, which complicates any chance to rebuild. You used to be able to take the train from SFO to Santa Cruz. Not anymore. (It’s a shame, would be a hell of a lot better than sitting in beach traffic.)

Passenger rail is being ignored possibly. Not freight. Though the interstate highway system made inroads and really butchered a bunch of the short-line and commuter rail.