Does the United States still have a good rail system? Can you easily travel from one state to the other on one train, or are there a lot of changes involved?

The US has perhaps the worst rail system in the industrialized world.

From what I know even many large cities have no train station there . That's why they all drive around with huge cars .

Alas, the US has only Amtrak for nationwide travel, and they've got a really bad reputation from the many accidents they've had, both recently and in the past. In fact, they recently wiggled their way out of bankruptcy.

There are other trains, but they have little more than local access. You can get alternative service between San Diego and Los Angeles, for instance.

In the US, we fly or drive (or we rent a car and do both).

It depends on which state you want to go to. For example, there's excellent service between Seattle and LA, and two routes going east, one the northern route through the Rockies, and the other going through the southwest. About the east I don't know.

I recently rode to Chicago and back on the train. In the dining car I met a couple from England who come over here every year just to ride the train.

A word about food - it's awful. There are 4 entrees (one vegetarian) and all arrive cold. Be sure to turn the menu over, there are 4 more on the other side, as I discovered when I was almost home. The food on the Coast Starlight from Seattle to LA is excellent.

Catty (chugga, chugga, choo, CHOO!)