The train: A missed opportunity

I was experiencing train withdrawal there for awhile; after having finished Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged over Spring Break and thoroughly enjoying the one thousand plus pages dedicated to trains and railways, my system was in need of a pick-me-up.

I've always liked George Will; he and I share a lot of similar views when it comes to the issues, but I was disappointed with his opinion on trains.  I get it; now is not the time to be throwing money at such an undertaking, and the governor of my home state of Wisconsin, Scott Walker (you may have heard of him,) was right in killing plans for a train that was illogical to invest in at this point in our economic history.  However, that does not mean that it is not a good idea for the future.

We screwed up.  Trains should have been kept around.  Can you imagine the accessibility to the United States we would have now if trains were still a viable form of transportation?  Also, with grumblings of how gas prices are getting high, wouldn't it be nice to keep the gas guzzler in the garage and take an efficient, greener way to work?

I see a lot of promise in trains.  Not now, when the country is struggling to get out of the mess that was the recession, but sometime in the future.  Obama's current slogan is "Winning the future."  It's cute and optimistic, but has little substance to it now.  I would love to see some mention of greener transportation, specifically trains, become a part of it.

Back in the day, greener pastures could be reached by trains.  Who says they can't be in the future?