A long-distance Amtrak journey departs without fanfare from Moynihan Train Hall, contrasting sharply with the 1830 inaugural steam locomotive celebration in Charleston. The 1830 run involved cannons, flowers, bands, and delighted crowds as the Best Friend reached 25 miles per hour. The current Pennsylvanian is fully booked despite the absence of spectacle and press. Airlines typically provide faster, cheaper coast-to-coast travel, while Amtrak's strength remains regional Northeast corridors. Ridership data from 2024 show far higher passenger volume between Washington, DC, and New York City on rail than by airlines, prompting questions about the appeal of cross-country trains.
When America's first steam locomotive with regular passenger service set out in 1830, it was cause for celebration. The engine, nicknamed the Best Friend, traveled six miles along the Charleston-Hamburg Railroad in South Carolina and back again on Christmas Day. "We flew on the wings of the wind," the Charleston Daily Courier remarked in its account of the trip, "before any of us had time to determine whether or not it was prudent to be scared."
No one is cheering for Amtrak's 43 Pennsylvanian. I'm waiting for the train at Moynihan Train Hall in New York City, and the trip is beginning without ceremony. No cannons are fired inside Moynihan Hall. No flowers descend on Track 13. No newspapers document the Pennsylvanian 's journey (though there's at least one magazine reporter). But like that first passenger service, this train is fully booked. "Scoot over. Make a friend," the conductor urges. "You might meet your future ex-spouse."
If you want to travel from New York City to Los Angeles, flying is usually a no-brainer: The trip is only six hours long, and the price is often half that of the train. Amtrak, on the other hand, is known mostly for short trips in the Northeast-in 2024, it carried three times more passengers between Washington, DC, and New York City than every airline combined. So why take a cross-country train? One reason is the
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