What Happened to Railroads in America?

(Advanced English level)

www.threads.net/@amazingmap/post/C2m0HZSPqhf/

This is an amazing map that compares the train routes available in America, and in Europe in 2024. What you will notice is that there are only a handful of train routes running in America, while Europe has an abundant supply of tracks running throughout its territory. For anyone who has traveled in Europe, you are probably familiar with a Europass, and also you know how great it is to travel around from country to country there. But in the US, what happened? It's a big country with an amazing amount of land, it's perfect for the railroad. 

For those people who wonder why this is so, and why is there such a striking difference - and why is it, that traveling by train, which was progressing around the world around the 1900's in the industrial age, with the iron and steel booms, and railroad tracks being constructed everywhere, even in America, but suddenly it came to a standstill in the US? I wonder why?

Do you remember the big deal that was made with the Railroad Barons of America bringing the East and West coasts together by train in the late 1800's? It was such a great idea, and suddenly made access to goods and services from either coast more accessible. People could travel much easier from coast to coast; much better than by horse and buggy. 

It seemed wonderful. What happened then? (Don't say, there were wild Indians attacking and robbing the trains-that was a Hollywood-created 'Cowboy and Indian' movie myth).

Well, let's think. 

Aha! I remember now. There was a World War going on in Europe, and army tanks were being manufactured in America for the cause, and it seems that the likes of men like Henry Ford were involved in producing those tanks, which naturally led them to their next profitable venture - to create the first automobiles - to be soon made available to the general public (wealthy folks first, as usual), and the seeds of America's romance with the automobile were planted - our world would never be the same. 

What about the trains?

 Then one car after another being sold, led to the destruction of the railroad infrastructure in all the major cities of the US from New York to Chicago, St. Louis to San Francisco, and even Los Angeles-a city known for its motor vehicle traffic congestion, was once a mecca for train transportation and cable cars, and trolleys. 

All of this infrastructure was destroyed, and the trains were left to rot and rust in abandoned rail yards across the country. 

The next thing that happened were massive road and highway projects, and neglect to the railroads-this is the sad tale of the train in America. 

The lone Rail Company in America is Amtrak, which is pretty pathetic, and it's not an attractive option for long distance travelers. The trains are old, and the service is poor, and the stations are not used to their maximum capability.
 

There is plenty written about this topic of the rise and fall of the railroad in America, and I hope you will look into these sources for more information. 

I think this map says a lot. It's shocking. It's sad too, what has happened to the train in America. 

Meanwhile, in Europe, in Japan, all over Asia, South America, India, the trains are thriving and have been a big part of peoples' lives for a long time. America seems to have lost its way with trains.

Imagine, all this from just one glance at a map.