You're over-selling how much people are committed to driving and not taking trains... it ain't the '60's anymore... driving is more of a pain than ever, and it's less fun than ever... people take trains like crazy now when they're reasonably available... and that's even with slow crappy trains. If/when we have fast, comfortable trains that give you a pleasant space to be in, people will flock to them... especially because both airports and driving have become much more of a pain than they used to be...
It's the chicken-or-egg argument: are people taking the train like crazy because they are reasonably available, or are they reasonably available because they are in areas where people like taking the train?
Again, people like taking the train when it is the best alternative. That's the case in the NEC, because of the relative density throughout the region, the closeness of the cities, and the importance of multiple cities to the government and the economy of the nation. But, even with the availability of rail service, think of how many people use I-95 every day, even with the traffic problems and the hassle of driving.
I'd just like to make clear that I actually do support the idea of expanding and upgrading rail service. I just think it needs to be done differently than it currently is and in a way that is economically feasible.
