Amtrak’s Empire Builder: The Train That Deserves Better
People born in the last 50 years have no idea of the anger and resentment that Americans had towards railroad companies,  immortalized by the use of the word &quot;railroaded&quot; in slang.<p>Back in the day the railroad would go right past your town,  refuse to build a stop,  buy the land along the tracks a few miles away,  build a stop,  and then start a new town there.<p>Cher had a monologue in the 1990 movie &quot;Mermaids&quot; where she talked about the feeling of freedom she had from getting in her car and that feeling can be best appreciated by understanding the way that pre-WWII Americans felt about taking the train.  Today a car payment,  insurance and all that feel like a millstone at your neck,  but back then you could get in a new car and smell the freedom.  That generation knew what it was like for somebody who could care less what you think to decide when and where you go.