In a Jan. 1 letter published in the Gazette (“Train travel not so great”), the writer complains of the cost in time and money of train travel compared to driving in his own car. He does not mention that a round trip from his home in Sunderland to New York City in a mid-size car puts about 250 pounds of carbon dioxide into the air.

The marginal increase in carbon emissions produced when the writer and his family ride an Amtrak train will be trivial, especially for the portion of the trip between New Haven and New York City, where the line is electrified. At a time of climate crisis, the decisions that individuals make for their own convenience affect the whole world.

Henry W. Rosenberg

Northampton