tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12974737.post2320106515294479395..comments2024-01-04T07:10:10.122-06:00Comments on The Muckraker: "TxDOT is doing a little better job working some legislators."Sal Costellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480127461297425532noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12974737.post-72955749964903740582008-07-02T08:50:00.000-05:002008-07-02T08:50:00.000-05:00the only infrastructure the Europeans should own o...the only infrastructure the Europeans should own over here are our trains. Amtrak is downright embarrassing except in the Northeast. It's slow, stinky, costs more than planes, and is slower than taking a horse and buggy between many regions, no kidding. Passenger trains go everywhere in Europe- the beaches of the French Riviera, walking distance to the ski resorts in Switzerland and Austria (yeah, no paying $100 a day to rent a 4WD like we do in the US), every small and big party town in Spain, the oom pa pa drunk and fun city center of Munich, and also, directly to many major airports like Amsterdam Schipol. The SLOW (well, conventional) ones go 80 mph and the fast go 120-160mph. It's so easy and cheap to travel around Europe by train and I wish we had this here. No airport delays due to bad weather either. No roundtrip requirements, no advance purchase. Just decide and go. Change your mind if you want- no $100 change fee, $50 baggage fee either. The only problem- people smoke too damn much on the french NON smoking train cars! I'd be happy to have a European owned and operated passenger rail here in the US to compete with some of our inefficient airlines and give Americans more options to travel. But I don't ever see this happening- just like SH 130 in Austin, the Train portion never has to be built. This is all going to be f_ing toll roads and FREIGHT rail not passenger rail.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com