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Speed is not the only deciding factor on profitability. The vast majority of passenger service in the USA is not ACELA standard service; it's the rattlers that run from Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut and northern New York into New York City. The Long Island Rail Road ran at a profit for years hauling passengers. Are those trains fast? Not really- you stop at every station and EVERYBODY changes trains in Jamaica. The railroad IS faster than a drive on the Long Island Parking Lot, oops, Expressway. It's also cheaper to take a train, too; you can get a monthly pass on Metro Transit for less than the cost of a decent parking slot in New York City. You end up in the middle of the city, as compared to being stuck out on the outskirts (as you would if you flew in to New York... or Atlanta... or BWI). The real competition against railroads, when it comes to passenger service, isn't airlines; it's automobiles. This is true even for longer range intercity rail travel, even for vacations. It's easier, more convenient, less time consuming and cheaper for me to drive my truck (a gas guzzling Ford Ranger type) from Atlanta to Washington on vacation than to take the train. I can carry everything I need to be comfortable in the bed of the truck. I can stop when I want to. Even with gas prices as high as they are, it's cheaper to take the truck on vacation than it is to take a train. The habitual long range train rider- generally middle aged to older people- are vastly outnumbered by the RV owning retired couples who make the semi annual commute between New York and Florida. Or, anywhere and Arizona. No one will ever accuse old folks in RV's of being high speed drivers. They sure are comfortable, though. Erik
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