Trains, at least here in the US, are not a widely used method of travel beyond intra-urban subways, light rail, and commuter lines out to the suburbs. With all national train travel consolidated under Amtrak, which is beset by problems of its own, traveling by train is often not the first choice in the US.

Slowly, Amtrak is working to change this, catching up with its European and Asian counterparts. Tracks are being updated to accommodate faster service when possible, and on-board systems like Wi-Fi have been added to East Coast lines that service the densely populated Northeast Corridor.

Entertainment systems, like those found on airlines, are also being added to trains, particularly outside of the US, where rail travel is used much more.

Sadly, as long as fuel costs remain low and Amtrak is hampered by the constraints of having to share tracks with freight operators, US rail travel will not be growing any time soon. The application of better train technology, such as dedicated high-speed lines and faster signal and switching systems, may help rescue trains from their current doldrums, but for now, passenger train technology seems stuck in the station.