Re: (erielack) Bus vs Train

[William Shultz <wshultz1_@_twcny.rr.com>]

George,

Please understand I am in no way trying to be critical of your 
observations about buses versus trains, but just about anyone on this 
list is going to have a biased perspective. In reality, here in upstate 
New York many people depend on the bus as their only means of local AND 
long distance transportation just as they once relied on trains. To them 
they don't much care if it is a bus, train, taxi cab or whatever, all 
they are concerned about is going from point A to point B.

How many of us (please save the "I do!" replies since you are almost 
assuredly a minority) have to depend on public or private transportation 
as our only means of travel? Exclusive of private vehicles of course. 
Sure some people can afford to rent a car when they need to, but there 
are a whole lot of people out there who can't. We tend to loose sight of 
how people less fortunate than us or unable to own or operate a private 
vehicle have to depend on other modes of transportation or the kindness 
of a relative or friend. Many of these people do use trains, look in the 
coach section next time you're on a long distance Amtrak train.

I wonder too, unless gasoline goes to $5.00 a gallon, how many of us who 
say we would use the trains if only they went somewhere would actually 
do so. I have a feeling after a couple of trips and dealing with the 
"inconveniences" which we are unaccustomed to and the "freedom" of a 
personal vehicle, most would stop or severely curtail usage. I know I've 
said I'd use it if it were there. Would I really? The old complaint of 
"well it doesn't go where or when I need to" would surely be heard, but 
it would never go there until a reasonable core was supported first. 
That would mean suffering through, but still using the service even 
during the inconvenient phase.

Remember the oft heard retort from conductors during last runs in 
response to all the railfans and last trip people...to paraphrase, 
"where were you when we needed you to keep the train on!" It's going to 
take a systemic cultural shift before we have anything better than what 
Amtrak provides today (we'll leave the politics out of the routes it 
serves for the sake of this discussion). from what I see traveling the 
highways, people haven't changed their wasteful driving habits much as 
yet. Maybe $5.00 a gallon gasoline will impact them, maybe it will take 
more.

If you've ever traveled in Europe, train travel really is second nature. 
Sure it has been said many times, but it is true. In fact when I've been 
in Italy I was VERY happy to have the train available because even to 
someone who learned to drive in New Jersey, the Italians drive like nuts! :)

Regards,

Will Shultz

secbyte_@_ptd.net wrote:
> One does not compare to the other.  I would not ever set foot on a 
> greyhound bus to make a trip from NY to Buffalo.  (Or for that matter 
> anywhere else) but I would on a train, especially with fuel prices what 
> they are.  A bus in not a train and never will be.  If it is looseing 
> patronage it is because it is a poor way to travel.  It has all of the 
> drawbacks to a train and none of the perks.
> 
> I can't be the only one who thinks that way.
> 
> George mason
> 

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