B.C. by Mastroianni and Hart for May 23, 2013

Surprisingly, the Chicago-New York train will get there first. It would take that train only 3.75 hours to get there at 80 mph, whereas the Pittsburgh-New York train has to cover 371 miles at 90 mph, which would take it 4.12 hours to complete — and by the time it leaves Pittsburgh, the Chicago train is only 45 minutes from arriving in New York City in any event!

I don’t know about that. New York is way more than 300 miles from Chicago..

you forgot about bridge washouts, which will force detours…

711 miles from Chicago to New York, not that either of these places existed back then :)

Now if these were Australian trains they would never be late as it’s easier to cancel the train…ergo it’s not late.

I’ve taken the New York-Chicago train a few times. It’s more than 700 miles and takes 20 hours. So far, I’ve never had a breakdown, and one winter, during a blizzard, it was the only transportation system that kept going. In general, I love the train, and I’m not particularly bugged if it takes longer. When you count all the time and hassle you spend getting to the airport, standing in security, etc, it’s not even all that much longer than flying.

Remember that old song:

You leave the Pennsylvania station‘Bout a quarter to four,You read War and PeaceAnd then you’re in Baltimore.Dinner in the diner,Nothing could be finerThan to have your next six meals in Carolina.When you hear the whistle blowin’ eight to the barThen you know the goods ahead has derailed a car.Perhaps if they shoveled coal inThey could get the bloody thing rollin’.Boo! Hoo! I think we’re staying right where we are…

BUT, where is the train from Pitts going?its not said..

I always STUNK at word-math problems…and now my 4th grader is doing them. Now I get to hate looking over her homework (I can usually just assume that she’s right, as she usually is, but I still have to check at least one).

I hate to point it out, but there are two considerations that haven’t been addressed:

1. In the strip, the distance between Pittsburgh and New York is never specified, so the problem is unsolvable as stated. Since dinosaurs appear regularly in the strip, we can assume any amount of geologic change we happen to think is appropriate between the unspecified fictional “then” and the non-fictional “now.”

2. We do not have any information on the definition of “mile” in the vaguely prehistoric world of B. C. The Old English mile, for example was considerably longer than the modern mile.

How long’s a battleship? True or False?

Unless Pittsburgh is less than 60 miles from New York City, the train from Chicago arrives first.

The last frame brought me back to Bill Cosby’s Noah’s Ark routine. “Noah, I want you to build an ark.” “What’s an ark?” “It’s a big boat…” “Right.” LOL!!

Just plain… Planes, Trains, & Automobiles.

The one from Pittsburgh would be the only train to get to New York because the Yinzers would kick the other train’s butt off the track. Math, Pittsburgh-style.

Sometimes I think BC is a fake place, and the people there are really living in modern times. They have props and other fake things to make you think they are cave men. Maybe inflatable dinosaurs, etc. They could be living in the Outback of Australia.

The one from Pittsburh will get there first because it is in front of the one from Chicaggo and there is no passing track.

He should have also asked what’s Chicago, New York and Pittsburgh since none of those cities existed at BC’s time

I think the point being missed is – there is no Chicago, no New York City, and no such thing as a train yet, so doing the math was a moot point.

I think the last one there is the caboose.

None will if they are on the same track… ;)

in this swamp…we don’t measure speed…we say " as the crow flys"……

What’s a Pittsburgh, or a New York or a Chicago.

Hearing Pittsburgh reminds me of a joke. A man applies for a job as a caretaker at a church and after checking his references the Reverend offers him employment providing he can answer one question. He asks the man where was Jesus born. The man answers Philadelphia and the Rev. is so outraged he withdraws the offer.

The man next applies at a Catholic church, and same scenario. This time he answers Pittsburgh, and again the offer is withdrawn. Finally he applies at a synagogue and after checking his references the Rabbi agrees to hire him.

The man then asks if he has to answer any questions and is told no. He asks the Rabbi if he can tell him where Jesus was born. The Rabbi answers Bethlehem. The man then replies, I knew it was somewhere in Pennsylvania.

If a hen and a half can lay an egg and a half in a day and a half, how long does it take two hens to lay two eggs?

As the crow flies, Chicago and New York are 714 miles apart. Pittsburgh and New York are 315 miles. The train from Chicago, at 80 mph, takes 8.9 hours. The train from Pittsburgh, at 90 mph, takes 3.5 hours. Even with a 3 hour head start, the Chicago train will come in 2.4 hours after the one from Pittsburgh.

Of course, as he states Chicago is 300 miles away from New York, he must be talking about a different Chicago. Either that or things have changed, as someone else mentioned, in which case we don’t know where Pittsburgh is.

Now, if a brontasaurus left Grand Canyon…..

I agree with ECAsh. AND how far is it?

I THINK THEY ARRIVE AT THE SAME INSTANT.CRASH—BOOM—BANG!!!

The only question that matters is is it Amtrak.

But back in B.C., the dinosaurs would have mashed the rails and bridges beyond recognition before you left the station.

if there are no trains in make the problem really simple

What’s a train?: I’m going to hope that this is a metaphorical apology for recently drawing a golf cart into the world of B.C. While I don’t mind certain extensions to the Strip, politics and religion social topics abound and have always dominated without introducing specific technology beyond the wheel, the weapon and women (war of the genders). Really, a golf cart? Nope, losing it there.

Most people look at trains as antiquated, but trains can move more passenger miles/ ton miles per gallon of fuel than any other mode of transportation except by boat.. And as a general rule, following rivers adds so many more miles that the savings are nullified (Example: Chicago to Twin Cities by boat would be via Alton/St. Louis)(By rail used to be 400 minutes)