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Instead of running the Texas Eagle all the way from Chicago why not leave the Chicago to Dallas/Ft Worth to the airlines and put on a series of daily trains such as Dallas-Houston, Dallas-Atlanta, Dallas-Kansas City ( extend the Heartland Flyer) and Dallas-San Antonio. Even though these trains are relatively long distance they cover mileages that should be capable of being done in a day at almost any speed. The schedules can be designed to be much more user friendly. Adherence to the schedule becomes much easier than with a longer distance train. Passengers travelling long distances are inconvenienced but that is traffic that should probably go by air anyhow. The thorny question is how all this is funded. Unlike some previous speakers, I feel there is a place for passenger rail transport in the north american context. Just as we do not have airports in every town or interstates in every town one cannot have passenger rail service in every town. I think the key is to focus on corridors between major metropolitan centres that have rail access and are located appropriate distances apart to support rail service. I think one has to look at rail passenger service as a long term project and it is important to get the building blocks right. Start with daily return service between selected points and then gradually increase frequencies to 2-4 trains a day before starting service on another corridor radiating out from the same city. There is some truth to the adage "build it and they will come". I am not suggesting building white elephants but a gradual incremental approach leading eventually to higher speeds and increased frequencies.
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