Hi McGrath:
I don't think it is raw numbers that makes news here. It is a greater human tragidy, that the train has crashed. Yet, if the space program is slowed by this tragidy, then we loose the huge advances in medicine and comunications, and everything esle that the space program has brought us. I think the space program has been missused and still the entire world has benifited from the program and there is a great hope of peaceful progress when in the days of the USSR we were able to cooperate in space. Train travel will continue, sadly, I think train travel in the third world will not be made more safe, but, we have to hope that in replacing the shuttle, we will put the funding there, rather than war, and reach out into space and accross national lines. Remember when we thought a huge asteroid was going to hit in 17 years or so? Well, lets hope the loss of these brave folks pushes the US to build a better ship so when the next asteroid finds us, we are ready for it.
All the best to all,
and pray for the families of the train passengers as well
Larry