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Arab Nights (imported) wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2009 10:59 pm At Williams the steam engines hauling passenger trains to the Grand Canyon give the town a whole different feeling when they are arriving or leaving. You can feel it.

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Unfortunately, the steam engines have been retired for several years now. Last I heard the Grand Canyon train was on life support and may end at any moment.

Speed

Of the Interstates around these parts, probably I-81 north from Roanoke toward Harper's Ferry/Martinsville area is very nice. No spectacular scenery, just pleasant rolling countryside.

Speed

Yes, I-81 in Virginia is nice, but unfortunately horribly clogged with congestion any time I've driven it. *shrugs* I seem to remember the commonwealth is considering a major upgrade of the road, but would that hurt the scenic portions? I hope not.

speedvogel (imported) wrote: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:39 am Of the Interstates around these parts, probably I-81 north from Roanoke toward Harper's Ferry/Martinsville area is very nice. No spectacular scenery, just pleasant rolling countryside.

Speed

Try A1A, from Jacksonville to Key West Florida. Don't forget to stop occasionally and look at the scenery...

I've drove I-40 from Nevada to Tennessee a few years back. Going through Arizona and New Mexico is very pretty - for an hour or two. After that, I was ready to look at anything but desert.

Losethem (imported) wrote: Wed Jul 15, 2009 11:46 am Yes, I-81 in Virginia is nice, but unfortunately horribly clogged with congestion any time I've driven it. *shrugs* I seem to remember the commonwealth is considering a major upgrade of the road, but would that hurt the scenic portions? I hope not.

The most serious proposal is to ban trucks and force them on the rails. I think it is a great idea, but the colossus of roads has other ideas.

Speed

speedvogel (imported) wrote: Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:21 pm The most serious proposal is to ban trucks and force them on the rails. I think it is a great idea, but the colossus of roads has other ideas.

Speed

There is great merit in sending a great deal of truck freight to the railroads - more and more of it is being sent that way, with local container or trailer delivery from the rail yard. Unfortunately, there is a LOT of freight that can't be sent that way, such as produce. The railroad takes too long, it is too slow. That is why it is sent overnight or next day... it has to be. And of course, it makes little sense to slow down regional freight by intervening with a railroad - it wouldn't be economical, timely, or sensible. Of course, local and regional freight is significant; who knew?

kristoff wrote: Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:43 pm There is great merit in sending a great deal of truck freight to the railroads - more and more of it is being sent that way, with local container or trailer delivery from the rail yard. Unfortunately, there is a LOT of freight that can't be sent that way, such as produce. The railroad takes too long, it is too slow. That is why it is sent overnight or next day... it has to be. And of course, it makes little sense to slow down regional freight by intervening with a railroad - it wouldn't be economical, timely, or sensible. Of course, local and regional freight is significant; who knew?

Take it a step further.

All new cars / trucks sold in America should be required to have adaptations that would allow them to use a light rail system. Once on the light rail system, control would be taken over by the system until it was time to exit and transition to road surface travel.

The benefits are self evident in energy savings as well as mass transit.

Toot - Toot

( no train among 'Smiles')

Toot - Toot

( no train among 'Smiles')

mooning amtrak

_______-____



I like the 84 in Oregon. Its not an interstate but its nice. It features a run alongside the Columbia River(a Lewis and Clark trail), a damn, waterfalls, and Mount Hood.

I also heard a memorable quote driving on this road.

As got closer to Mount Hood my coworker says to me, "Is that Mount Everest?.......it has to be."

I didn't even respond.