I have owned a touring bike before, and loved it. I went from NYC to Roanoke, VA on it, and kept it as my daily commuter. It was not light, but it was solid. I have since sold it.
I am now thinking about taking a sabbatical in Europe, and after having traveled with a sweet, sweet ride with S&S couplers, I have come to the conclusion that is not the ideal setup. From my reading, I have seen that people are riding Bromptons as touring bikes. Sure, foldables are not as fast as a regular tourer, but I like the idea of being able to hop on a train or plane without much fuss.
Alas, those things are EXPENSIVE!!! I'll start poking around craigslist and the like, but I thought I would ask here too. What alternatives (if any) would you suggest?