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[quote user="Connecticut Dave"] Everyone I know who has traveled in Europe feels that HSR should be built in the USA.  It is comfortable, fast, and efficient. [/quote] Over the years, as I have traveled extensively on Amtrak's long distance trains, I have met people from many parts of America, not to mention the world, in the dinning car or lounge car, which are good places to strike up a conversation.  Frequently, with those who have ridden the trains in Europe or Japan, the conversation turned to a comparison of passenger trains in Europe or Japan with the trains in America.  And frequently my fellow passengers pose the question, "why can't we have trains in America similar to the trains in France?"   We can!  All we need to do is raise the effective tax rate in the U.S. by approximately 10 per cent and hike the gasoline tax by approximately $2.50 to $3.00 a gallon.  When I explain that the European and Asian rail systems are funded by massive infusions of government funds, which come from comparatively much higher taxes, many of my fellow passengers seemed to lose their enthusiasm for European style passenger trains in the U.S. They are equally shocked when I tell them about the subsidies required to support Amtrak's long distance passenger trains.  I have yet to meet anyone outside of a few people who post to these forums who have a clue about the federal, state, and local subsidies required to cover the deficits incurred by passenger rail.
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