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Home Front: Politix
U.S. bullet trains: Are they worth it?
2010-12-16
An Obama administration initiative that aims to create jobs and economic growth has been derailed in some states while it speeds along in others.
He's making a list, he's checking it twice ...
The loss of a total of $1.2 billion in high-speed rail funds in Wisconsin and Ohio means the promise of thousands of new jobs in those states will not be realized, according to proponents of the fast passenger trains.
Of course California, an economic black hole, is getting more than their share. Do you find yourself wondering how that ever happened?
I find myself wondering how otherwise intelligent people think high-speed rail is going to survive in the US, let alone how it's going to create jobs (other than the kickbacks to the pols, their former staffers and the lobbyists).
Posted by:gorb

#11  Amtrak is such a cluster...
Unless they fire all the workers and mgmt and start over.... forget bullet trains.
Posted by: Water Modem   2010-12-16 23:27  

#10  I might be talked into a public works black hole of a sea level canal between Brownsville TX and San Diego CA. Those illegals caught here could be used to help dig it, shovel ready of course.
Only if you fill it with starving sharks P2Kontheroad.
Posted by: CrazyFool   2010-12-16 22:58  

#9  the railroads got a lot of grandfathering when the laws were written - they were here first, and they are a PAIN IN THE ASS to deal with, because they know it
Posted by: Frank G   2010-12-16 22:54  

#8  BT utility at present is for "niche" or selec market use - MASS-SCALE CONSUMER, INDUSTRIAL USE OF SAME WON'T BE WORTH THE COSTS WIDOUT NAU + RELATED NAFTAS

D *** NG IT, SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL NORTH AMERIKAN OWG = GLOBAL LLC! Its for the OWG Mighty USSA = OWG Weak USRA Global SSR, + BTW also for the Children.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2010-12-16 21:16  

#7  Have the government buy the existing rail right of way and maintain it just like we do highway right of way. Allow any company to use the tracks. Manage traffic with a central rail traffic management system much as we do with air traffic.

Bullet trains would then happen on their own as more companies could compete in the rail transportation business if they don't have to own the trackage. The railroads would take off.

What stifles natural development in the railroad industry is that nobody can compete against the railroad that owns the track without buying their own right of way and building a completely separate road. That's stupid.
Posted by: crosspatch   2010-12-16 20:49  

#6  I might be talked into a public works black hole of a sea level canal between Brownsville TX and San Diego CA. Those illegals caught here could be used to help dig it, shovel ready of course.
Posted by: P2Kontheroad   2010-12-16 20:23  

#5  Here in Florida the fare for a one way trip Orlando to Tampa was quoted as $30 so that would make a round trip to $60. The time of the trip was one hour for the around 70 mile trip. So the trip would take about as long as me to drive on I-4 and would cost twice what I would spend on gas. Add in the fact that I don't have to worry about getting around once I get to Tampa. I don't see this working.
Posted by: Guillibaldo Unusing2147   2010-12-16 19:45  

#4  Although they only have a peak speed of 150 mph (it averages about 75 mph between DC and NYC including stops, acceleration and deacceleration), the Acela Express trains are something of a success.

They have steadily increasing ridership, increasing revenue, etc.

The existence and operation of the Acela gives the DC to NYC traveler another choice (they can drive, take a plane, take a bus or take the regular Amtrak).
Posted by: Lord Garth   2010-12-16 16:34  

#3  kickbacks to the pols, their former staffers and the lobbyists

And don't forget the soon-to-be "Train Workers' Union". And the surveillance opportunities.
Posted by: gorb   2010-12-16 16:18  

#2  Try building a high speed rail network and avoid Ohio. Look at a map - cannot be done. Amtrak hasn't figured out how to include Ohio in its routes, so why should these proposals be any more successful.

Deregulate the rails (i.e. scale back the unions, modernize safety rules, etc..) and their would be plenty of investors. Then again, why not optimize long haul rail for what it's best at - freight, and leave the passengers to road and air.

Finally, if we ever get serious about energy policy, we electrify the rail network since most of the engineering is already there, the demand is relatively predictable, and it could act as a portion of the grid itself.

All of the above is way too much for the gubmint in any event.
Posted by: Halliburton - Mysterious Conspiracy Division   2010-12-16 15:02  

#1  they have already admitted that the unsubsidized cost of a ticket from LA to SF or Sacramento will likely exceed the cost of airfare (Southwest) by a factor of 2. So aside from the unemployed illegals in Fresno wanting to go see the unemployed illegals in Modesto, or do a daily commute from Fresno to the Bay area for $75 bucks each way, whats the point?
Posted by: NoMoreBS   2010-12-16 15:01  

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