Where Are America’s Trains?
We actually have good trains, they’re just not for you.
Sources & Citations
Citations reference first appearance, without repeating for subsequent usage:
Council on Foreign Relations: How the U.S. Rail System Works (2023)
National Archives Foundation: America on Track: Passenger Rail in U.S. History (accessed 2026)
Interstate Commerce Commission: Investigation of Costs of Intercity Rail Passenger Service (1969)
Christian Wolmar: The Great Railroad Revolution: The History of Trains in America (2012)
91st U.S. Congress: Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970 (1970)
Richard Saunders, Jr.: Main Lines: Rebirth of the North American Railroads, 1970-2002 (2003)
The New York Times: Amtrak Pressing 'Corridor' Work; Amtrak Pressing Work on 'Corridor' (1980)
Reuters: US passenger railroad Amtrak sets ridership record, cuts losses (2025)
The New York Times: Railroads’ Strategy Thrilled Wall Street, but Not Customers and Workers (2022)
U.S. Government Accountability Office: Rail Safety: Freight Trains Are Getting Longer (2019)
Frontier Group: Accidents Waiting to Happen: Hazardous Materials by Rail (2024)
Freight Waves: Railroads want feds to scrap 2-person train crew rule (2025)
Trains PRO: Justice Department, Norfolk Southern settle lawsuit over Amtrak’s Crescent (2025)
USA Today: Amtrak unveils new ‘Trak Suit’. Can you still buy one? (2026)
The New York Times: Trains Are Cleaner Than Planes, Right? (2024)
Episode Credits
Creator/Host: Rollie Williams
Writers: Rollie Williams, Matt Nelsen & Irene Plagianos
Director: Matt Nelsen
Editors: Rollie Williams & Paul Ramsdell
Executive Producers: Rollie Williams, Matt Nelsen & Daniella Philipson
Cinematography: Matt Nelsen
Producer: Daniella Philipson
Assistant Editors: Ryan Martin Brown & Laura Conte
Other Rollie: Evan Samuels
Colorist: Nicholas Lareau
America as a Horse Art: Daniel Spenser
Desk Production Design: Caity Birmingham ( http://caitybirmingham.com )
Intro Animator: Ian MK Cessna ( https://ianhasawebsite.com/ )
Theme music by: Gratis ( https://www.youtube.com/@gratis3241 )
Special thanks to the Civil Liberties Defense Center ( https://cldc.org/ ) for their continued support.
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