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[quote user="daveklepper"] The problems Amtrak corrdor intercity trains solve are hihgway and airport congestion and the  inability to expand highways and airports without very disruptive landtaking that would result in continiued expense much greater than the rail subsidies. The problems the long distance trains solve are access to most of the USA for hadicapped, wounded , and elderly, tieing th ecorridors into a national system, standby and emergency operation for disasters and airline shutdowns, providing for internal and overseas tourists. [/quote] There are a few areas in the United States where the cost of expanding the airways and highways is cost prohibitive. This is where passenger trains make sense.   Speaking of airports, many people assume that the only way to increase air capacity is to build more airports. Not necessarily!  One can increase the size of the airplanes.  For example, there is no reason why a Boeing 747-400 could not be used on the shuttle between New York and Washington. It would greatly increase the lift capability without requiring an increase in airport and air traffic capability, other than to increase the gate capacity in New York and Washington as well as ops separations during bad weather. This is what the Australians did between Sydney and Melbourne. Qantas uses Boeing 767s and 747s on this run, although the 747s are run throughs. If the justification for the long distances trains is as you state, then every community in the United States with a population of more than 25,00, which is admittedly an arbitrary number, should have long distance passenger trains.  Or having equipment standing by in case of an emergency or shutdown of the air system. Of course, given the cost constraints, this is out of the question.
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