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[quote user="Phoebe Vet"] Sam: Airlines make a profit only because they only serve the most profitable routes, which is probably how it should be.  But that serves the transportation needs of only those in the big cities. I can take an airline flight from Charlotte to DC, or NYC, or Dallas, etc.  I cannot take an airline flight from Charlotte to Rocky Mount, NC, or Danville, Va. but I can go there by train. Flight times look great when you can fly direct, but if you fly from one small city to another small city it is going to be an all day trip.  Plan a trip from Petersburg, Va to Salisbury, NC via air and via train.  Compare the time and cost, DOOR TO DOOR.  Don't forget to add the hour to deal with the paranoid security at the airport, and the 30 minutes waiting for them to properly age your luggage.  Don't forget to add the checked bag fees.  The round trip fare on Amtrak is $64  the round trip far from Charlotte to Richmond on USAirways is $138 then you still have to get transportation to and from Petersburg and Salisbury. It is feasable for a train to make frequent stops, it is not for an airplane. No one in here is advocating replacing any form of transportation, each has it's advantages and disadvantages.  However, high speed, and short haul rail should both be part of the integrated transportation system. [/quote] I was addressing the assertion in a previous post that airlines and intercity bus companies don't make money.  The assertion is incorrect.  Neither is the view that airlines only service the most profitable routes.  In some instances, they fly feeder routes that lose money, but they operate them to get passengers to a hub, where they can connect to a long distance flight that contributes to the bottom line.  Practically every city in Texas with a population above 50,000 has viable commercial air service.  Included amongst these are Abilene, Beaumont, Bryan, Del Rio, Longview, McAllen, San Angelo, and Tyler.  More importantly, however, every city in Texas, with the exception of Sanderson, is within 2.5 hours driving time of an airport with commercial air service.  Most are within an hour drive of a point with commercial air service. I have yet to encounter a paranoid TSA person.  In Austin and Dallas, for example, the amount of time to clear security, with the exception of a few busy periods around the holidays, is a about 10 to 15 minutes.  It is true, however, that you should be at the airport at least an hour in advance of flight time.  Part of this is due to the fact that most airlines begin boarding 20 to 30 minutes before the scheduled departure.  The reason Amtrak's fares are competitive with airfares is because it receives a massive taxpayer subsidy.  If it realized the same average subsidy per passenger mile as the airlines, it would have to raise its fares to a level far in excess of airfares.  In a previous post I compared the cost of driving vs. taking Amtrak from Georgetown, Texas to Dallas.  Amtrak is currently offering a special fare of $24.  It is only able to do so because of the subsidy. The driving time from Charlotte to Rocky Mount, according to MapQuest, is 3 hours, 42 minutes.  This would be the best option for many people.  Doing so would give them a car at their destination.  Otherwise, they might have to rent one, which can be a major expense for people traveling by a commercial carrier, i.e. air, bus, rail, etc.  This is the major reason why 88 per cent of all intercity trips in the U.S. are made by car.  I support rapid rail - trains averaging 80 to 85 mph - in relatively short, high density corridors, i.e. Dallas to Fort Worth, Austin to San Antonio, etc.  I don't support long distance trains although I ride them since I am paying part of the tab irrespective of whether I use them.  High speed rail may be good for bragging rights, but the results do not justify the costs.  I have yet to see a serious proposal for a nation awash in debt to fund it.  Those who point to California should note the state's budget problems.  The tax increases required to close the budget shortfall are mind boggling.
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