John McCain would kill the train

Interesting discussion on Gristmill:
Derailed: McCain just not that into Amtrak

Someone mentioned Greyhound's fares being consistently cheaper than Amtrak's, but that seems like an apples-oranges comparison to me. I think passenger rail's competition is more with regional jets (you know, the ones that are disappearing) than with intercity buses. If I may be a grossly politically incorrect uber-snob for a moment (what, me?), intercity buses are for poor and/or desperate people and suck incredibly huge donkey balls. I would gladly pay whatever extra simply to avoid taking Greyhound anywhere ever again. (I would also pay extra to kick the Megabus riders far, far away from Canal St., but that's another matter.)

In addition, buses are subject to the very same problems that plague automobiles (fuel prices, traffic congestion, etc.). Their biggest (if not only) advantage over private autos is that someone else does the driving---but I already don't drive, so for me it's moot. Besides, trains are romantic and sexy. Maybe that's just more snob appeal, but seriously: when's the last time you daydreamed about taking a cross-country journey on a bus?

Finally, those Greyhound ads that show a bus driving into the sunset along a sweeping interstate on-ramp are an arrogant mockery of classic railroad promotional posters, and I hate them.

(Hmm, that was more than I intended to write. Oh well.)