| Don't forget that "cost" is not just financial. I estimate a day tripper who wants to ski in the Lincoln or North Conway areas from Boston Metro would need to leave home at least two hours earlier and get home two hours later to account for driving to/from the train station, waiting for the train, the train making stops, the training going slower than an automobile on the highway, and getting to/from the mountain (small bus, I would assume) which includes waiting for the bus, loading the bus with other skiers, and travel time. Two hours additional my be a low estimate. Suffice to say that day trippers would not be able to ski open to close using ski trains so the other "cost" would also be less time on the hill in addition to travel logistics. I am a logistics person and I like efficiency and timeliness so everything about ski trains just screams "will not work en mass". The logistics involved are just so amazingly cumbersome and the costs are more than just financial, but would certainly at least double travel costs even with the high price per gallon (depending on number of people versus car pool options). Car pool and buses win, IMO. They eliminate all the "costs" of trains while increasing efficiency and decreasing, instead of increasing, travel costs. Trains have the environmental benefits. But c'mon, this is skiing and boarding we are talking about. Not exactly an eco-friendly sport by any means. |