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Opinions on trains and planes.
Hello All!
Given the current cattle-car, skinflint conditions, two hour check-ins and waits including security, etc. I wonder how long a journey people would undertake by train if fast European or Japanese style trains were available (say, 400 kph)? I would think that Washington DC to San Francisco might be a bit far. The journey would take about 10 hours as the unstopping crow flies but more likely 15 with a few stops and as the track is laid. I don't like to get up early in the morning but, allowing time to drive to the airport, get thro' security, fly on a plane leaving at noon and drive a rental car to my hotel or other destination, I have to allocate most of a day (certainly at least 12 hours) to get to San Francisco. I've never been able to sleep on planes so "red eyes" are really that! -- James Silverton Potomac, Maryland Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not |
#2
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Opinions on trains and planes.
On Aug 18, 7:57*am, "James Silverton"
wrote: Hello All! Given the current cattle-car, skinflint conditions, two hour check-ins and waits including security, etc. I wonder how long a journey people would undertake by train if fast European or Japanese style trains were available (say, 400 kph)? I would think that Washington DC to San Francisco might be a bit far. The journey would take about 10 hours as the unstopping crow flies but more likely 15 with a few stops and as the track is laid. I don't like to get up early in the morning but, allowing time to drive to the airport, get thro' security, fly on a plane leaving at noon *and drive a rental car to my hotel or other destination, I have to allocate most of a day (certainly at least 12 hours) to get to San Francisco. I've never been able to sleep on planes so "red eyes" are really that! -- James Silverton Potomac, Maryland Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not I just ask Scotty to beam me there. Even if there were 400k/h trains, it would take more than 10 hrs from DC to SF. There'll be stops along the way and huge mountain ranges to go over. |
#3
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Opinions on trains and planes.
"PeterL" schrieb
There'll be stops along the way and huge mountain ranges to go over. Or tunnels to go right through the mountains. The fast trains in Europe don't bother to climb up the Alps - ok, the Rockies would need longer tunnels, but when you can build one 60 km long, you can just as well dig twice as far while you're at it. Big advantage over planes: You can take your car with you on many trains (I just found one auto train in the US: From Lorton, VA to Sanford, FL): No need to rent one at your destination. Jochen |
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Opinions on trains and planes.
On Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:58:44 +0200, "Jochen Kriegerowski"
wrote: "PeterL" schrieb There'll be stops along the way and huge mountain ranges to go over. Or tunnels to go right through the mountains. The fast trains in Europe don't bother to climb up the Alps - ok, the Rockies would need longer tunnels, but when you can build one 60 km long, you can just as well dig twice as far while you're at it. Big advantage over planes: You can take your car with you on many trains (I just found one auto train in the US: From Lorton, VA to Sanford, FL): No need to rent one at your destination. At $191 and up each way for the car, I think it might be cheaper and more convenient to rent a car at the other end. Thre's also the cost of getting your car to Lorton to put it on the train when you could have just taken the train all the way from wherever. -- ************* DAVE HATUNEN ) ************* * Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow * * My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps * |
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Opinions on trains and planes.
James Silverton wrote:
Hello All! Given the current cattle-car, skinflint conditions, two hour check-ins and waits including security, etc. I wonder how long a journey people would undertake by train if fast European or Japanese style trains were available (say, 400 kph)? I would think that Washington DC to San Francisco might be a bit far. The journey would take about 10 hours as the unstopping crow flies but more likely 15 with a few stops and as the track is laid. I don't like to get up early in the morning but, allowing time to drive to the airport, get thro' security, fly on a plane leaving at noon and drive a rental car to my hotel or other destination, I have to allocate most of a day (certainly at least 12 hours) to get to San Francisco. I've never been able to sleep on planes so "red eyes" are really that! The real question is how much it costs. Amtrak charges about the same to take you from Boston to DC on their cut-down TGV that the cheap airlines charge. -- -- --John to email, dial "usenet" and validate (was jclarke at eye bee em dot net) |
#6
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Opinions on trains and planes.
James Silverton wrote:
Hello All! Given the current cattle-car, skinflint conditions, two hour check-ins and waits including security, etc. I wonder how long a journey people would undertake by train if fast European or Japanese style trains were available (say, 400 kph)? I would think that Washington DC to San Francisco might be a bit far. The journey would take about 10 hours as the unstopping crow flies but more likely 15 with a few stops and as the track is laid. I don't like to get up early in the morning but, allowing time to drive to the airport, get thro' security, fly on a plane leaving at noon and drive a rental car to my hotel or other destination, I have to allocate most of a day (certainly at least 12 hours) to get to San Francisco. I've never been able to sleep on planes so "red eyes" are really that! Fifteen years ago I traveled around Europe on rail pass and had a great time. The TGV from Nice to Paris was about 8 hours, going the top speed for only part of the trip. There are a lot of advantages to train over there. It is a very popular mode of transport because they have more frequent service and the passenger trains service so many more towns, unlike train travel here in Canada which is infrequent and services only the main corridors. Most European train stations are located downtown and there are lots of good hotels and restaurants close to the station. You don't have to be there for hours before your departure, and even if you have to wait there are usually good and affordable restaurants in the station Airports OTOH, are generally way out of city so you have spend the extra money and time to get there and to be there at least an hour before departure time to check in and go through security. When I went to Europe back in June I was advised to be there three hours before departure. |
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Opinions on trains and planes.
"James Silverton" wrote in message news:j5gqk.169$482.96@trnddc06... Hello All! Given the current cattle-car, skinflint conditions, two hour check-ins and waits including security, etc. I wonder how long a journey people would undertake by train if fast European or Japanese style trains were available (say, 400 kph)? I would think that Washington DC to San Francisco might be a bit far. The journey would take about 10 hours as the unstopping crow flies but more likely 15 with a few stops and as the track is laid. I don't like to get up early in the morning but, allowing time to drive to the airport, get thro' security, fly on a plane leaving at noon and drive a rental car to my hotel or other destination, I have to allocate most of a day (certainly at least 12 hours) to get to San Francisco. I've never been able to sleep on planes so "red eyes" are really that! I would have thought that 5 hours is going to be the absolute max. If you really can manage 400kph, Boston-NY-Phili-Washington-Richmond-Raleigh/Durham-Columbia-Savannah-Jacksonville-Orlando-Miami looks achievable. Whether it is affordable is another matter tim |
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Opinions on trains and planes.
On Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:57:19 +0000, James Silverton wrote:
Given the current cattle-car, skinflint conditions, two hour check-ins and waits including security, etc. I wonder how long a journey people would undertake by train if fast European or Japanese style trains were available (say, 400 kph)? I would think that Washington DC to San Francisco might be a bit far. The journey would take about 10 hours as the unstopping crow flies but more likely 15 with a few stops and as the track is laid. Well, if the train has a club car, dining car, and you have a private compartment-bath, so, you can lie down and sleep or refresh yourself, probably, quite a long time. I doubt if we'll ever see "bullet" trains (other than for commuting) in the US. The rail system here, which is 60+ years old, just can't handle really high speed trains. Also, Americans have a different mindset than Europeans with regards to travel: Americans are too much in a hurry to enjoy the trip. As far a maglev trains: The technology just isn't there. A US company using a German company's maglev system has been trying for about 20 years to build an elevated train from Las Vegas to Anaheim, CA--about a 300 mile trip. Total travel time, including two intermediate stops, would be about 1.5 hours. Top speed of train is projected to be 350 miles per hour. It's still on the drawing board. I don't like to get up early in the morning but, allowing time to drive to the airport, get thro' security, fly on a plane leaving at noon and drive a rental car to my hotel or other destination, I have to allocate most of a day (certainly at least 12 hours) to get to San Francisco. I've never been able to sleep on planes so "red eyes" are really that! You could always charter a small private jet. No security check, no waiting in line, leaves when you're ready, can land at smaller, non-major airports, probably even have a limo pick you up. About $5000, one way. What a deal! ;-) Stef |
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Opinions on trains and planes.
Eugene wrote on 18 Aug 2008 10:14:25 -0800:
In article j5gqk.169$482.96@trnddc06, James Silverton not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not wrote: Given the current cattle-car, skinflint conditions, two hour check-ins cattle cars ARE train cars. and waits including security, etc. I wonder how long a journey people would undertake by train if fast European or Japanese style trains were available (say, 400 kph)? I would think that Washington DC to San Francisco might be a bit far. The journey would take about 10 hours as the unstopping crow flies but more likely 15 with a few stops and as the track is laid. Who has a 400 kph train? A 300 KPH train with stops is not a 300 KPH train. The Japanese Shinkansen initially ran in 1964 at 210 km/h. Running speeds of up to 300 km/h (188 mph) have been recorded and test run speeds have been 443 km/h (275 mph) for conventional rail in 1996, and a world record of 581 km/h for maglev, in 2003. A French TGV reached 575 kph last year. Not regular scheduled runs but it shows what is possi9ble. -- James Silverton Potomac, Maryland Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not |
#10
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Opinions on trains and planes.
J. wrote on Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:00:26 -0400:
James Silverton wrote: Hello All! Given the current cattle-car, skinflint conditions, two hour check-ins and waits including security, etc. I wonder how long a journey people would undertake by train if fast European or Japanese style trains were available (say, 400 kph)? I would think that Washington DC to San Francisco might be a bit far. The journey would take about 10 hours as the unstopping crow flies but more likely 15 with a few stops and as the track is laid. I don't like to get up early in the morning but, allowing time to drive to the airport, get thro' security, fly on a plane leaving at noon and drive a rental car to my hotel or other destination, I have to allocate most of a day (certainly at least 12 hours) to get to San Francisco. I've never been able to sleep on planes so "red eyes" are really that! The real question is how much it costs. Amtrak charges about the same to take you from Boston to DC on their cut-down TGV that the cheap airlines charge. Amtrak's seats are more comfortable than cheap airlines and can you tell me how long it would take from DC to Boston in comparison with wasted time getting to and from airports, including all check-in times etc. -- James Silverton Potomac, Maryland Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not |
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