Take The Slow-Speed Train To Philly!
Jason Laughlin writes for Philly.com about the state of things Amtrak -- how it's faster to drive to Pittsburgh from Philly than take the train:

It's nearly 7½ hours on 350 miles of rail from Philadelphia to Pennsylvania's big city in the west. It's slower than an hour-and-15-minute flight or five-hour drive, and, at $47, comparable to the cost of tolls and gas on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Amtrak's Pennsylvanian, which connects Pittsburgh with New York City for about 230,000 passengers a year, also leaves little room for flexibility.

One train a day leaves 30th Street Station for Pittsburgh, at 12:42 p.m. There's only one return trip, at 7:30 a.m.

...Geography and track rights are the obstacles to better rail service in Pennsylvania. As far back as the 19th century, industrialists were frustrated by the current rail route. The trip's most famous stretch is Horseshoe Curve, a scenic bend around a picturesque valley near Lake Altoona, but it also illustrates the problem posed by the Allegheny Mountains. In the mid-19th century, the Pennsylvania Railroad used a route that ribboned between the mountains, rather than tunneling through them. Amtrak trains typically travel close to 80 mph, but many of those sharp turns require the train to slow. The average speed on the line is 45 mph.

The 250 miles of tracks between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh belong to the freight carrier Norfolk Southern. About 60 freight trains a day use the route, said Dave Pidgeon, a spokesman for the rail company. Passenger trains stop to make way for freight behemoths up to 130 cars long carrying products from the Great Lakes region to the East Coast, he said. And Norfolk Southern charges Amtrak to use the tracks. Amtrak didn't disclose the fees but said the cost varied based on miles traveled and incentive payments for on-time performance. Each additional train would cost more in usage fees, officials said. As for track improvements that would allow faster travel, Norfolk Southern officials said it wasn't a priority for them.

Meanwhile, the Megabus is $26 (or thereabouts). And check out cross-country ride-sharing with Skedaddle electric buses! Jonathan Schieber writes at TechCrunch:

Users can think of Skedaddle as a Lyft line or Uber pool for either a public or private weekend getaway.

Initially someone planning a public trip can post their route on the app (in a bid to encourage user adoption, the person who plans the trip rides for free), and then enlists at least 9 other people to come along (at a discounted rate). Once a group of 10 is booked, the ride will happen and anyone else can come along. The chartered rides max out at 54 seats per trip.

Private trips can be scheduled for any number of people, and Nestler says the bulk of the company's business is coming from public trips.

"As we grow density and users in each city... this becomes as reliable as a schedule without a schedule," Nestler said.

Personally, because I get motion-sick in cars over any sort of distance, I'd rather take the train than a bus to Philly -- in the morning run, that is -- but train travel has to be subsidized and doesn't ever seem to pay for itself.

Here in California, we have what I call the Traindoggle.

via @Mark_J_Perry