NaBloPoMo Day #9 - High Speed Rail

by Nathan on Nov.09, 2009, under Politics, Travel

I always have trouble coming up with Christmas gift ideas for myself. What can I say? I have everything I need. Well, at least I thought I did, until I came across this Facebook fan page. This year for Christmas, I want high speed rail service between St. Louis and Chicago. By high speed, I mean 220 mph with a two hour trip time. No need to wrap it. You can find more information at the Midwest High Speed Rail Association page.

I’ve be a fan of all forms of rail transportation for a long time. I love big cities where you can take the subway/metro/L/tube anywhere. Few things would make me happier than being able to take the Metrolink to work. I also recently took a train from London to Paris. You might have read about it here. It was awesome. So much better than an airplane for regional travel.

A great annoyance of mine is that Chicago is so close, yet so far away. It’s a 5 hour drive, which is just a little too long, plus traffic and parking in Chicago is hell. Chicago is only a 1 hour flight, but you have to leave for the airport 2 hours ahead of time, then fly in a cramped airplane, then wait for your luggage, and then take a 45 minute taxi or L ride downtown. Door to door, traveling from St. Louis to Chicago by air takes about 4 hours. Boooooo!

A train to Chicago would be perfect. You would only have to leave for the train station 1 hour (at most) before the departure time, the trip would take 2 hours, and since your luggage stays with you and the train takes you right downtown, once you are there, you are there. A three hour trip. Okay, so I might have idealized the situation a little bit, but even if the train isn’t that fast, the experience of riding a train is so much better. You can get up and walk around, the food is better, the food selection is better, the view is better. Dude, the train is awesome.

Okay, so now you know what I want for Christmas. I don’t ask much of you, so please just get me what I want this year, okay? Also, I’ll be needing a gift idea from you. I’m not psychic you know.

3 Comments for this entry

Jeannette
November 9th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
Buckle your seatbelt for an uneducated, I-just-drank-the-bigger-half-of-a-half-of-a-bottle-of-wine rambling….

I just moved to Springfield, IL this summer. One of the big issues here is the possibility of a high-speed rail. Many people seem to be against it because the tracks would use run through the middle of downtown. Because of all the traffic it’s going to cause, everyone is not happy.

But what I don’t get - if the train doesn’t go through Springfield, it’ll go through someplace else and that other place will get all the benefits.

Also, when I’m sitting at JP Kelly’s having Bloody Marys on a Saturday morning, I’m sitting next to the tracks and a block over from where folks get on and off Amtrak. Traffic isn’t tied up for too long (mind you, I grew up in a town with coal trains, make that, fucking COAL TRAINS) so it doesn’t seem like a big inconvenience. And, in the near vicinity of downtown, there really isn’t too much to offer on the other side of the tracks. Yes, there are businesses and stuff, but it won’t be the end of the world.

So put out or get out, err, something like that.
KBO
November 10th, 2009 at 7:41 am
I wholeheartedly agree. The train is awesome, except when it runs late, which is pretty much always. This is why we need expansion of passenger rail, period, because if it continues to suck, timewise, no one will use it. High speed to the rescue.

Plus, how boss would it be to look out the train window going 220MPH on the ground. It feels like I’m running at an incredible pace.
Obi
November 11th, 2009 at 1:04 am
Who *doesn’t* want this train? Show me that person, and I’ll punch ‘em in the face.

By the way, I just took the Amtrak to Chicago this past month. It’s not bad at all, but 5.5 hours is kinda long. At least I didn’t have to stay awake, like I would if I had driven. And on the train they give you regular outlets so you can charge your gadgets. So basically, if you took that whole experience and made it 2 hours, it would be pretty awesome.

Thanks for sharing the link. I didn’t know this organization existed.