Why are there no railways in America?

[Narwhalosh Whalescream]

Such an enormous country and yet they do not transport stuff by rail.
[Infraction]

[enigma77]

I think you answered your own question.

[s_bushido]

...what? I live like 15 minutes from a railroad that's pretty much guaranteed to make you stop and wait on your way home in the evening.

I mean...

[PC2]

Such an enormous country and yet they do not transport stuff by rail.

Maybe not as much as Europe for human transport but there's a pretty good amount of rail transport in the US. I hear trains in the distance on a daily basis, most of them are carrying materials, some of them people.

[pathora44]

Such an enormous country and yet they do not transport stuff by rail.

Well for one America has a very expansive train system it is just used almost primarily for the transportation of goods not people. For another America has built up our entire infrastructure around the car for decades. Since the end of WWII and the rise of the suburbs public transportation was generally forgotten in the U.S. in lieu of the car and highways/freeways connecting all the towns and cities together. Finally with how independently minded Americans are being forced to get crowded in a train with others versus being alone in a car is a huge reason why people drive cars even with our crumbling infrastructure and ever growing traffic issues around the country.

[Calfredd]

Such an enormous country and yet they do not transport stuff by rail.

Why does it feel like you and Deathknightish intentionally make these threads as though you were feigning ignorant? Admittedly Deathknightish's feigned ignorance comes off reading in a backhanded compliment kind of way.

[Katchii]

Such an enormous country and yet they do not transport stuff by rail.

You're not paying attention then, they transport stuff by rail all the time.....

Where are you getting your information that says America doesn't use railways?

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

Such an enormous country and yet they do not transport stuff by rail.

There are railways in America and they do transport stuff by rail.

Where did you get the idea that they don't have railways?

[zealo]

It's a huge misconception that there are no railways in the US.

The US has absolute first class logistics capability via rail for cargo of various sorts, it's just that cars/trucks and the advent of flying did a number on the viability of rail services for transporting people through more rural areas of north America.

[postman1782]

Such an enormous country and yet they do not transport stuff by rail.

I dunno, there are railways in my area. Is there passenger trains? Not that I know of. But we have things like coal and grains go through, mainly for General Mills(cereal company).

Most of the towns that were made as rail towns, don't have them anymore though since they rerouted the trains.

[Polyxo]

Growing up, my backyard (the woods part) was filled with old discarded railroad ties.

[Fencers]

This a joke? There are tons of railways in the US.

[Low Hanging Fruit]

More railways in the US than anywhere in the world. They just are very spread out due to the vast area and are mostly freight. Although passenger does exsist too. Where it lacks is its use in city mass transportation lines besides a few big cities in the East and a couple Midwestern ones. Pretty much the cities that were large and industrialized during that era.

[ghotihook]

Such an enormous country and yet they do not transport stuff by rail.

You can't honestly be so stupid that you can't google. How do you get dressed in the morning?

[Shadowferal]

If it rarely makes the news then I guess it doesn't exist. (Conrail, Amtrak)

[Felya]

Because US had a major problem with barons tying damsels to railroad tracks... can’t do it if none exist!

- - - Updated - - -

You can't honestly be so stupid that you can't google. How do you get dressed in the morning?

Just like everyone else... one tendril at a time...

[Themius]

The us has railways. It doesn’t use them to transport people though. And it doesn’t invest in rails or high speed cars... right now the us is busy pumping money into fantasy monorails with musk.

[Ave07]

There are plenty of railroads here.

[HeliArc]

The US has an extremely large and expensive rail network. I believe it has the longest network. If not its second. It's incredible for freight which is its main use. The US does not have a real strong commuter line. We have commuter trains for sure but its almost feels like an afterthought. Its mostly due to the US being so large and vast that commuter trains are not widely popular.

[Rustedsaint]

Such an enormous country and yet they do not transport stuff by rail.

....stop trolling.