Matt Barrow writes:

If you think the unions helped crap out the airlines, you should dig into
how they absolutely trashed the railroads.

But high-speed rail is a reality in Europe.

When France put its first high-speed trains into service--more than a
quarter-century ago--air traffic between Paris and Lyons (the cities served by
the first line) almost instantly diminished by half. The air traffic never
recovered. Today, for trips of 1000 km or less, high-speed trains are faster
than air travel, and they are cheaper, more efficient, and more
environmentally friendly as well.