NPR.

This is the indicator from Planet Money.

I'm Whalen Wong.

And I'm Stephen Besaha.

And this is one of my favorite sounds.

Juga, jugga, chugga, chugga, chug, chug, choo-choo.

That sounds specifically, Waylon.

That specific train sound is the new Amtrak line between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama.

I got to be on that first train ride this summer, and looking out the window, you know, at the sparkling Gulf water, the marshlands, I couldn't stop thinking about this nagging question so many Americans have.

Why can't we have more trains like this?

In other words, why can't the U.S. be like Europe?

And it's not just Europe, but also countries like Japan and India.

They all have extensive passenger train systems to get from city to city.

On today's show, why the U.S. chose not to have the same.

And we learn why U.S. railroads could still be worth bragging about.

This message comes from Freakonomics Radio.

Freakonomics co-author Stephen J. Dubner discovers the hidden side of everything.

From the quirks of human behavior to pollution and bananas, Freakonomics uncovers the things

you never knew you wanted to know.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Our conductor into the world of railroads today is Alan Zeramski.

He teaches classes on railroad engineering at the University of Delaware.

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