SNL's James Austin Johnson makes the case for Amtrak as America's great equalizer
By
Chris Kobiella
12d ago· 3 min readenOpinion
80/100
Golden Brown
Bagelometer↗
A five-star bake. Worth schmearing, sharing, saving.
Score80TypeopinionSentimentpositive
Summary
SNL cast member James Austin Johnson shares a personal, humorous tribute to Amtrak train travel, recounting his experience taking the train from New York to Nashville after his SNL audition — including the memorable call from Lorne Michaels while onboard. He argues that train travel is a "great equalizer" that brings people together across class and background, and advocates for expanded Amtrak lines and service upgrades in the United States.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledAmtrak is a funny word that all too often is used as a punchline. The redheaded stepchild of American transportation.
I love an underdog, and Amtrak is the true underdog of getting around.
Don't do that. Get a private room on overnights. I can't stress that enough.
'SNL' star James Austin Johnson pens a tribute to train travel as the great equalizer — and makes a case for more lines and service upgrades.
