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)

• Report To The Congress of the United States: Amtrak’s Economic Impact On The Intercity Bus Industry (1979)

• 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)

• Amtrak: Amtrak and Freight Railroads: The Public Bargain

• U.S. Public Law 93-146 (1973)

• U.S. Public Law 95-421 (1978)

• United States Census Bureau: Megalopolis (2021)

• 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)

• Washington Monthly: Train Drain (2024)

• U.S. Government Accountability Office: Rail Safety: Freight Trains Are Getting Longer (2019)

• Frontier Group: Accidents Waiting to Happen: Hazardous Materials by Rail (2024)

• U.S. Federal Railroad Administration: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Final Rule on Train Crew Size Safety Requirements to Improve Rail Safety (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)

• Amtrak: A Year of Records (2025)

• USA Today: Amtrak unveils new ‘Trak Suit’. Can you still buy one? (2026)

• PIRG: Who Pays for Roads? (2015)

• 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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