WHY TAKE A TRAIN? - All Aboard: The Complete North American Train Travel Guide - page 3

But how exciting is it when the captain says, “That city off to
the left of us is Wichita, Kansas”? Assuming you have a window
seat on the left side, Wichita looks a lot like Topeka . . . or Boise,
Duluth, or Portland (Oregon or Maine, take your pick). The fact
is, you really can't see much of America from a plane.
Finally, the technology of modern aviation is incomprehensi-
ble to most people. Instead of entering through that long Jetway,
have you ever boarded a Boeing 747 from ground level? It's an
unnerving experience. You stand there on the tarmac, looking up
at that monstrous machine. You just know it will not—cannot
possibly—fly! Only blind faith gets you aboard. I know just one
thing for certain about a plane trip: the sooner we land, the bet-
ter I like it.
A Simple Attitude Adjustment
Long-distance train travel isn't the best choice for everyone on
every occasion. If you have to get somewhere fast, an airplane is
admittedly the only practical answer. And some people just can't
Passengers traveling overnight on Amtrak's northbound Coast Starlight wake up to this
stunning view of Mount Shasta near Dunsmuir, California. Photo courtesy of Amtrak