AsiaPaul Loc: Vietnam

As a rail enthusiast one of the more enjoyable aspects of living abroad is the ability to travel on high speed trains.

I bought my friend and myself a first class ticket for less than four dollars on a short trip we took to a nearby mountain. The distance was about 30 miles and the trip took less than 15 minutes. With the nice seats we wished the trip took a little bit longer.

It is a national disgrace America does not have a high speed rail network. Just another infrastructure casualty of misplaced national priorities and politicians corrupted by defense corporations and using over priced weapons systems like the F-35 as a jobs program.

GTinSoCal Loc: Palmdale, CA

Now that looks like the way to travel!!!
:-D

GT

banjonut Loc: Southern Michigan

Very impressive. I would do it.

Georgie Loc: England

I am very impressed -Thankyou for sharing - Good photo's.

LaurenT Loc: Northern California

Beautiful train. California is suppose to be building one to connect the northern and southern parts of the state. There is some concern due to the fact that it is not going through any of California's major cities on it's route, making it difficult to use for many. Overruns will probably make the cost of building it astronomical. Not to mention, has anyone ever ridden on the Bay Area Rapid Transit system? (BART) The only time a train like you have shown in your pictures, would look like that, is the day it comes off the showroom floor. Within a week, it would be filled with graffiti, windows scratched, and the seats torn.

cucharared Loc: Texas, Colorado

That looks fantastic! I can't believe the room around the seats. And the seats look like something from the den of a well equipped home.

Thanks for sharing.
ron

Bobbee

Yes, and China is squeaky clean and without any problems. A model country we should follow after. (NOT!!!)

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Nice! And nice photos. Thanks for sharing. You are correct - we have been so preoccupied with regime change, meddling in other nation's affairs, and drone strikes that we have neglected our own infrastructure, which those trillions of dollars could have not only developed into something the world would envy, but would have also kept many Americans working. What a wasted opportunity.

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

I rode the Bullet Train in Japan, also very nice.

I'm not so sure it's the government here but tastes of our people who'd much rather fly that take a train. I agree it's a great way to travel but, as you know, here it's all about time. If a business guy has a meeting in another city he can probably catch a morning flight, do his meeting and be home that same night... you couldn't do that by train - even the fastest ones. I'd say it's more that than the government.

AsiaPaul Loc: Vietnam

I have lived in Italy, China and Japan and have thought of this issue a lot.

High speed rail is competitive and more convenient than air travel in distances less than 250 miles. Distances between cities like Houston and Dallas, Tampa-Miami, New York - Boston, Phoenix-Tuscon, LA- San Diego.

Considering the time needed to screen for security at an airport, high speed rail is easier to use in Japan, Italy and China for cities in the aforementioned example.

High speed rail systems provides thousands of jobs like ticket agents, stewardesses on the trains and other support personal. Not to mention an entire industry related to building, making and supplying parts for the trains. Government bought weapons systems is corporate welfare. At least in Europe and China where high speed is subsidized, the citizens actually get to use the machines the government buys with the money. Americans will never fly on a F-35, F-18, aircraft carrier, or see the inside of one of the 16 intelligence agencies spying on them. And reading this message!

Trixsy Pixsy Loc: WELLS SOMERSET UK

Glad you enjoyed your 15mins of luxury. What a great idea!