02-26-2019, 06:27 PM
Paul,
Key difference for driving from NJ to north of NYC is Long Island. The moment Long island is a factor, the entire dynamic of the drive changes dramatically. My wife commutes from our area of Long Island to Greenwich, CT. It can take from 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on traffic and road conditions. That’s an easy drive.
Our part of LI to Boston can take 4 to 5 hours to _much_ longer, depending on issues with the bridges, traffic and road conditions. I’ve done the drive many times. Next time, we’re taking a train and renting a car.
It once took my wife and I eleven hours to get from Long Island, NY to Centreville, VA. It should’ve been a 5 or 6 hour drive. Next time, we’re taking the train to DC and renting a car. The drive just isn’t worth the agita anymore.
Why would I choose the train over a plane? Airport agita. It’s annoying enough for just my wife and I. With Little M in tow? It takes the annoyance and agita and steps it up multiple notches and that’s despite having TSA Precheck.
Robert
> Robert;
> Being on different coasts, I think we have vastly different views
> on the efficiency and utility of train travel. I am a good four
> hour (well, three and change, four if I stop for a couple
> stretch/pee/gas/snacks breaks) drive from the nearest train
> station, or even working train tracks.
>
> To me, the driving distance from New Jersey to north of NYC seems
> trivial - but I know that given vastly different traffic
> conditions there vs here in the far-west, it's far from it.
> As I said, there ARE "corridors" where trains make sense... then
> there's the other 95% of the United States.
Key difference for driving from NJ to north of NYC is Long Island. The moment Long island is a factor, the entire dynamic of the drive changes dramatically. My wife commutes from our area of Long Island to Greenwich, CT. It can take from 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on traffic and road conditions. That’s an easy drive.
Our part of LI to Boston can take 4 to 5 hours to _much_ longer, depending on issues with the bridges, traffic and road conditions. I’ve done the drive many times. Next time, we’re taking a train and renting a car.
It once took my wife and I eleven hours to get from Long Island, NY to Centreville, VA. It should’ve been a 5 or 6 hour drive. Next time, we’re taking the train to DC and renting a car. The drive just isn’t worth the agita anymore.
Why would I choose the train over a plane? Airport agita. It’s annoying enough for just my wife and I. With Little M in tow? It takes the annoyance and agita and steps it up multiple notches and that’s despite having TSA Precheck.
Robert
> Robert;
> Being on different coasts, I think we have vastly different views
> on the efficiency and utility of train travel. I am a good four
> hour (well, three and change, four if I stop for a couple
> stretch/pee/gas/snacks breaks) drive from the nearest train
> station, or even working train tracks.
>
> To me, the driving distance from New Jersey to north of NYC seems
> trivial - but I know that given vastly different traffic
> conditions there vs here in the far-west, it's far from it.
> As I said, there ARE "corridors" where trains make sense... then
> there's the other 95% of the United States.