No, we are not acquainted. I use trains, not just because I am a railfan, but because for trips N and S from the Bay Area (to SLO, Ojai, PDX/Eugene) they are convenient, pleasant, and no TSA BS. Oak to Pdx is more like 700 miles and similar times to the Capitol Ltd between Chicago and DC for instance, but quite manegeable. As to ATK or anyone else regurgitating Al Perlman's agit-prop about corridor travel, the US is a large place and not everyone either lives in the big metros nor only travels to them. Fact is people live, travel to and from many different places, and if they don't want to (or can't) drive, trains are often a convenient option. (Especially as the hound continues to shrink)