Trains of thought...

Tired of indifferent employees, stale, recirculated air, late arriving luggage, and cramped seats? Weary of long security checkpoint lines, rising fares, and empty customer service counters? If you have a moment, try taking the train. No, rail travel isn’t as speedy as air travel, but when you arrive at your destination feeling rested and relaxed, it just might be worth the extra time.
Being able to stretch out, plug in electronic devices, and stroll leisurely between cars has its advantages, but the best thing about taking the train is feeling human again, being treated like a valued customer. From the cheery young lady at the ticket counter smiling at me at 5:15 in the morning to the snappily dressed fellow collecting tickets, the staff on my recent Amtrak trip made me feel welcome and like they actually appreciated my business. Ah, what a refreshing change.
Personally, one of the only potential drawbacks of rail service is the ability to make cell phone calls. I neither want nor need to hear the personal and intimate (and often banal) details of anyone’s life at 5:30 in the morning. However, if this annoyance is the trade-off for physical comfort, I’ll take rail travel over air travel, thank you very much. According to an Amtrak employee, wireless internet access may also be available on some routes in the next year or so. If I have access to the internet, I just might be willing to forgive the fellow next to me jabbering incessantly into his cell phone about a sweater he bought in 1986.
Granted, my experience with train service is quite limited. For example, I have never ridden the rails in the UK, Europe, Asia or other countries. I haven’t even ridden commuter express trains on the East Coast of my own country. But if my recent journey on Amtrak’s Coast Starlight is any indicator of the state of rail travel in the US, I’ll be taking the train more often.