why is it so much cheaper to fly long distances than to take the train (in the US)?

Question

why is it so much cheaper to fly long distances than to take the train (in the US)?

In: 7

Answer 1

Rail right-of-way (train tracks) are owned almost exclusively by freight transportation companies in the US that have no interest in passenger transport. The US passenger train service (Amtrak) is a government administrated corporation that must pay private corporations for the right to use their tracks. Neither the government nor the private corporations really gives a shit about Amtrak, so it pretty constantly gets minimal help from the government, and high prices from the private corps. Which makes service expensive and low quality outside of a few places where the government cares enough to actually pay.