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Whether traveling by car or train is a better financial deal depends on how many are traveling and the type of car that they drive.  It also depends on whether a rent car will be needed at the destination.    Outlined below are car vs. train examples for a trip from San Antonio, Texas to Little Rock, Arkansas and return.  It is 1,186 road miles and 1,342 train miles from San Antonio to Little Rock and return.  The estimated driving time, which would be all interstate highway, according to MapQuest, would be nine hours and one minute.   Another two hours probably would be required for pit stops and meal breaks, thereby bringing the car trip time to 11 hours.  The scheduled train time is 16 hours and 34 minutes.      The car trip assumes a typical car that costs 34.81cents per mile to operate.  This is the full cost, i.e. consumables, maintenance, depreciation, etc.  It also assumes that the driver obeys the speed limit, and it includes an extra ten per cent to account for driving around Little Rock.  If the car cost twice what I paid for my typical car, or is not driven as long as I estimate, or requires extraordinary repairs over its life, then the numbers could change significantly.  The train travel assumes coach class.The cost to drive solo would be $454, plus estimated meals costs of $36, which assumes the meals are consumed in fast food restaurants, i.e. McDonalds, Burger King, etc., for a total outlay of $490.  The solo train fare would be $170.  If six meals are eaten in the dinning car or the lounge car (the dinning car on Number 22 is not open leaving San Antonio), with eggs and coffee for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and pasta for dinner, it would cost another $115 for a total tab of $$285.  The cost to drive with a partner and two children between 2 and 15 would be $454 or perhaps a bit more because of the additional weight.  Meals taken at the same fast food restaurants would add another $144 to the cost, which would bring the tab to $598.  The cost to take the train with a partner and two children, as per above, would be $636, plus the cost of the meals in the dining car, which would add another $228 to the tab.  The total cost would be $864.  Meal expenses could be reduced by packing meals and drinks to be consumed at one of the many roadside picnic areas in Texas and Arkansas or in the coach or lounge car.Depending upon the destination in the Little Rock area, or whether someone might meet the train travelers at the station in the middle of the night, the train rider(s) may need to rent a car.  Depending on the dates of travel, i.e. weekdays vs. weekends, this could add another $49 to $21 per day in rent car fees for a compact car.      In summary, the train is a better deal than driving for a solo traveler.  Advantage train:  $205.  But driving is a better deal for the family.  Advantage car: $266.  The figures would change if a rental car is required for the train passenger(s).Even if gasoline hits $5.00 a gallon, which it will eventually, the advantage would likely remain with the car for a family of four in situations similar to the one outlined above.  This is what killed the long distance passenger train; together will the preference of the business traveler for air travel.  Moreover, unless there is a dramatic change in the cost of operating the family buggy, attracting families to corridor rail or any form of commercial travel will remain a challenge.  A Squadron of Marine Corps V-22 Ospreys has deployed to the Iraq War Zone and is performing the mission for which they were designed.  In addition, Bell Textron is designing a civilian version of the aircraft, which means that they have received enough interest from potential civilian operators to proceed with the development of a civilian prototype.
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