Letter: Amtrak plans don't sound so hot

The train speed was interesting: "Amtrak's Talgos are hoping to offer speeds of 80 mph ..." This is "high speed" service? I don't think so! I certainly wouldn't want to spend so much to go so slowly and take so long. My car trip to Los Angeles takes me four hours and costs me $25 for gas, round trip.

As a contrast, during a recent trip to England I traveled all over, by trains which averaged 125 mph, while the cost was much more realistic -- i.e. for a 2 1/2-hour trip to Leeds from London, it cost me $50 round trip. That's competitive.

Someone at Amtrak needs to research the offering more carefully. It is no bargain, as I suspect many others will deduce.

GEOFFREY B. MARSH

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