The Peak Oil Debate is finally bubbling up in mainstream media.

The Age of Oil is coming to an end. Maybe in your lifetime.

The brave messengers who’ll risk getting shot for bringing this message to the American people won’t be found in the Democratic Party. But at least, wherever the ground of public opinion is already prepared, Democrats should be willing to step out front.

When people are actually begging for something that’s inevitable, for God’s sake, give ‘em what they want!

Fellow Democrats: People want trains.

Something There Is that Loves a Train Consider a Harris Poll conducted this February. 1,961 people were asked which kinds of transportation the country should favor. The answers from this automobile-obsessed culture will surprise you:

For long-distance trips, Americans choose trains over cars by better than 3 to 1--35% to 10%.

And they chose trains over airplanes by 3 to 2--35% to 23%.

For local trips and commuter trips, Americans choose trains 4 to 1 over cars--44% to 11%. (Something there is that doesn’t love a wall of traffic?) And they choose trains 2 to 1 over buses--44% to 23%.

Walking--8%--is an also-ran (so to speak.) Bicycles--11%--tie with cars for short trips.

The same strong preference—railway over roadway for moving people--was expressed for moving freight.

So the problem isn’t the electorate. The problem is Congress, which, ironically, has a train in its basement. Congress should stop nit-picking Amtrak’s miserly budget of $1.8 billion and make a major budgetary commitment to trains. It would be welcomed by most voters.

Faster than a Speeding Plane At 180 miles an hour—achievable with existing trains—Chicago is less than two hours from Cleveland. Philadelphia is less than two hours from Pittsburgh. Dallas is less than three hours from New Orleans. Omaha is three hours from Denver.

On all of these journeys, once you factor in the drives to-and-from airports, and the hellish security ritual, a train is as fast or faster than a plane and, from a global warming and energy-use perspective, vastly more benign.

And what a lovely vision—a train whistling through the Texas afternoon powered by solar panels aligned along the right-of-way…a train zipping across Kansas powered by windmills mounted overhead on towers straddling the tracks!