BOB2,

I appreciate your comments, reminds me of my discussions with the late Byron Nordberg. (Please take that as a compliment.)

My take on freight or passenger/commuter is that we need a functioning system of transportation, which includes varies modes working in concert. But unfortunately private companies have investors and managers making unreasonable financial demands, and public projects have far too many political and outside interests steering the projects. If common sense, good engineering and a valid operating/financial plan were the primary considerations, we would have a far better transportation system.

Way back when transit companies were mostly private endeavors, the suburbs existed because there was a system of transportation whether by horsecar, trolley, subway, elevated rail, interurban, heavy rail commuter, bus or ferry that got them from their home to place of work. The "freedom" the automobile offered to individuals has become a fallacy as the government can't fund/build/maintain the road system that allows the masses reasonable travel lanes between their residence and employment site. Not sure how you force or encourage resetting the ability and attitude that you need to either live fairly close to your job or have public transit available.

Once everyone realizes the government can't keep borrowing to spend money we don't have on these bloated projects, things might change for the better. Of course, $8 a gallon gasoline will do it much sooner ...

Thanks