The Biden administration announced Monday that it has awarded more than $1.4 billion to projects that improve railway safety and boost capacity, with much of the money coming from the 2021 infrastructure law.
“These projects will make American rail safer, more reliable, and more resilient, delivering tangible benefits to dozens of communities where railroads are located, and strengthening supply chains for the entire country,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.
The money is funding 70 projects in 35 states and Washington, D.C. Railroad safety has become a key concern nationwide ever since a train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed and caught fire in East Palestine, Ohio, in February. President Joe Biden has ordered federal agencies to hold the train’s operator Norfolk Southern accountable for the crash, but a package of proposed rail safety reforms has stalled in the Senate where the bill is still awaiting a vote. The White House is also saying that a possible government shutdown because of House Republicans would undermine railway safety.
The projects include track upgrades and bridge repairs, in addition to improving the connectivity among railways and making routes less vulnerable to extreme weather.
I did it from NYC to LA. It’s not fun. I highly recommend not doing it.
What’s not fun about it? I admit most of my idea of the romance of crossing the country on a train is from 1930s and 1940s movies, so I’m sure things are quite different.
The beds are too short if you’re 6’ or above. The food is not good. And there’s really nothing to see when you’re passing through the never ending nothingness of Middle America. It’s not like you get to hop out and walk around any of the cool looking towns you may come across. You don’t really experience anything except a mediocre, slow ass train ride.
Believe it or not, none of that bothers me. I’ve crossed America by car 3 times, so the Middle America part is fine with me and I’m under 5’10", so the bed would be okay, and I’ve had train food before on Amtrak trips from southern Illinois to Chicago and yeah, it’s not great, but it’s not terrible to me either. I guess after being raised on 12 years of school-made lunches, I can eat anything. I could also bring my own food.
Now I don’t know that I could convince my wife or daughter to come along, but you haven’t actually deterred me from the idea. I guess your mileage may vary.