Good points from both.

I see so little passenger train travel and our rail freight carriers are always complaining about the few that are out here messing up their direct routes to get product containers from port to DCs or stores. A law has now been passed to make passenger trains ``pull over`` to let high speed freight trains get past -- when it`s Wal-Mart & Target vs. Mom & Grandpa, guess who wins!

The west coast UPS Grand Poupa told us they get kicked on both ends. They pay a special tax to assist Amtrak and they pay penalties to Big Box retailers when they deliver late, due to the Amtrek mess. Note: I know all about those penalties. They are not just for the big UPS kind-o-supplier, can you say short hairs?

It seems there are lots of people with the time to travel by train. One day I`ll try to see what the real train thing is all about -- never been on a train in the US other than NYC subways and that was once and NEVER again -- a smelly, bring your own gun, uncomfortable for a 6`2`` frame, kinda place.

I hope those that ride the rails are also willing to cough up $10 for a rental. It sounds like most of the mentioned potential riders would not be the cheap arses of the world -- they just like to take it a little slower than others.

Hmmm...wine country....

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Route/Vertical_Route_Page&c=am2Route&cid=1081256322013&ssid=132

John