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deemery
Fireman
USA
3700 Posts |
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nhguy
Fireman
USA
3665 Posts |
 Posted - 06/22/2012 : 6:11:07 PM
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| That is pretty good. Which begs the question, Why are WE so far behind? Money and a government that doesn't want to transport its residents around the country by rail. |
Bill Shanaman
Superintendent, New Haven RR in the 1948 to 1952 era
PMRA President 2013-14, OpSIG Member
NCE User Since 1999
Sugar City, Colorado |
Edited by - nhguy on 06/22/2012 6:11:39 PM |
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deemery
Fireman
USA
3700 Posts |
Posted - 06/22/2012 : 6:14:23 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by nhguy
That is pretty good. Which begs the question, Why are WE so far behind? Money and a government that doesn't want to transport its residents around the country by rail.
But in fairness, except for the Northeast Corridor and a couple other places in the country, we don't have the population density over the several hundred mile runs that make trains feasible. Anything less than 100 miles, and you drive. More than 250 miles and you fly. (Right?)
dave |
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k9wrangler
Fireman
USA
5887 Posts |
Posted - 06/22/2012 : 9:41:14 PM
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| Much easier to accomplish in countries that are smaller than many of our states than on the scale it would be here in the US. |
Karl Scribner
H.M.F.W.B.I.C.
Kentucky Southern Rwy & Associated Lines
Sunfield Twp. Michigan
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brakie
Moderator
USA
6940 Posts |
Posted - 06/23/2012 : 05:42:34 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by nhguy
That is pretty good. Which begs the question, Why are WE so far behind? Money and a government that doesn't want to transport its residents around the country by rail.
The why part is easy starting with class action lawsuits from our our friendly NIMBYs,naturalists,conservationists,various animal rights groups including PETA,tree huggers,various save the(fill the blank)groups,various environmental groups and then throw Federal,State and local politicians into the fray and then add big oil interest to that mess..
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Larry
Engineman
Slate Creek Rail.
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jbvb
Fireman
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 06/25/2012 : 10:09:07 PM
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How you value high-speed trains vs. driving depends on four things: Whether you consider driving work (I do). Whether you have a better use for your time than piloting yourself down the Interstate (I usually do). What the parking situation is at your endpoints. What the public transportation situation is at your endpoints. Maine's 114 mile Downeaster route between Boston and Portland is doing pretty well at 79 MPH top speed and an overall trip time you can beat with a car, at least when it's not rush hour or a summer weekend. Likewise, the Acelas I ride are usually quite full of both business and recreational travelers. There are quite a few cities with decent urban transit, either a legacy from before WWII or built in the past 30 years. Each of them is a viable destination. The development I'm most pleased with these days is VA and NC working on effectively extending the Northeast Corridor to serve their largest cities.
One big obstacle is that our transport network is thoroughly balkanized - we're terribly bad at schedule cooperation and through bookings from one carrier to another, let alone one mode to another (e.g. air-rail, or rail-bus). We're also terribly bad about doing public things across state lines. And while the rest of the world has been building high-speed rail, we've conducted a number of very expensive wars. I'm thinking that the next 10 years will see a shift, as people start to vote today's reality instead of childhood memories of a new, uncrowded Interstate system (I have them too).
It won't be fast; the Japanese committed to the Shinkansen in 1958 and the first line opened in 1964. While it cost twice the budgeted amount, I doubt there are any Japanese outside the airline and automobile industries who regret the expenditure. |
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Italy's new "Ferrari Train"
