Comment from Jim Webster

I recently traveled by passenger train from Birmingham, AL to Washington, DC to Chicago, IL to Los Angeles to New Orleans to Birmingham. I observed various train stations on the trip as well as travelers preparing for trips and onboard the same trains that I rode. People choose train travel for many different reasons, but in this year there are even more reasons than usual Higher fuel costs for cars and planes; delays at airports because of weather and TSA checkpoints; traffic congestion; etc. I observed many members of the Amish community traveling by train because it kept the mode of travel consistent with their practice of not traveling in motorized vehicles; many of them were traveling to a border crossing with Mexico to seek less-expensive medical and/or dental care. Students were traveling as a matter of budgeting their dollars well. Many older travelers preferred to see the country in comfort and safety without the hurried confusion of airport check-ins and plane boardings. Some of the safety concerns should include adequate parking and lighting close to stations and police presence in and around those areas, particular at times before train arrivals and departures.