In Vienna, where I used to live, their integrated system of buses, trams, subways, and trains, makes it much easier and cheaper to get around the city in public transportation than owning a car. Moving from town to town is easy and comfortable on a train, and fair cheap, too. In small towns and in the country cars are useful. Our trains are crowded and slow, and a visitor from Calcutta of all places said that the buses here (see took greyhound) we dirtier and less pleasant than the buses she was used to in India. We can do better. And with a constantly growing demand, and yes, a slowing diminishing supply, there is NOT an infinite supply of CHEAP oil, especially if you consider the total cost to all of us of extracting and using it. The private automobile is not going away anytime soon. But we can do better. We may not be able to make a dollar buy more gas, but we can make a dollar buy more miles. And yet Virginia, regressive as she often is, wants to put an extra tax on fuel-efficient vehicles (while requiring state institutions to buy them) because their owners don’t pay enough in gas taxes at present. And now doesn’t THAT make sense in this world? (For the hard of hearing, the last sentence is sarcasm.)
It’s a question of location. The Northeast Corridor would benefit hugely from high-speed trains. If there were a REAL high-speed train between Boston, New York, and Washington, the (air) shuttle would damn near disappear. Put something like the French TGV on dedicated tracks, and the trip from Boston to NYC would take just over an hour. Right now, the trip by air takes roughly three hours: 30-45 minutes to get to Logan, 60 minutes required for security, 20 minutes boarding, 35 minutes in the air, 45 minutes to get into Manhattan from LaGuardia. And you could run them every hour or two and have them filled.Not so much in other areas, but on the other hand I’ve seen a proposal for a track down the Mississippi picking up Minneapolis, Chicago, and St. Louis which would be pretty nice, too.
@ Nightgaunt – good point.@ michael wme – This link shows the proposed routs for highspeed rail. Your comment is generally correct. Had rail not sold off so much of its assets over the decades, there would be more room for more rail, but the pop. density you rightfully indicate will require condemnations, legal challenges, and other problems to what would be a very good mass transportation solution… especially if people were able to take their cars with them like the Auto Train from New York to Florida. Some of the routes indicated will be going across expanses of open land tho. http://blogs.kqed.org/newsfix/2013/02/07/san-francisco-to-las-vegas-in-5-hours-by-train-a-map-for-a-national-high-speed-rail-system/@ motivemagus – great reply to michael. With the conditions you mention, along with layovers and connection flights, it used to take my daughter 11+ hours to go from our home in Va. to her college in Michigan by air. It took me 15 hours to make the same drive – with nice restaurant stops, and I had a car when I arrived. The route you mention is listed in the link I supplied, tho the color chart doesn’t give it high priority.@ Doughfoot – thank you for being witness to where rail works. My own visit to Germany showed me a working system that mismanagement, abuse, and waste within the US rail industry has lost. Making passenger rail wait while freight rail gets priority just makes rail look worse to riders.@ olfart – totally agree with your comment about oil and truck lobbies and would only add the trucker unions as another obstruction to creating a working rail system.My own first impression of Mr. Toles cartoon was the sad lie it implies that either party is working on any kind of infrastructure, or that either is working at making ANY kind of connection with the other. I hope recent actions where Mr. Obama and senate Republicans have talked together will continue.Respectfully,C.
I am so glad that the road past my home with all of it’s potholes and rough pavement pays for itself. It is so safe too. I just wonder when it will repave itself, straightening out the curves, rebuilding it’s bridges and eliminating the snow that accumulates on it during a snowstorm.
I would rather travel by hig speed rail any day. It is often faster than air in getting from one point to another and you are not stuck in a tight, cramped seat for hours. I liked the European trains I rode on and liked the interaction of fellow passengers. It was a great experience.
As stupid as Republican trying to remake the world at end of a gun and impoverish our elderly with medical care and fostering ignorance by starving our public education of funds.
Somebody sent me pictures of the Chinese bullet train that goes from Beijing to Shanghai at 190 mph. I couln’t find the exact pictures but found some other pictures on a travel site.http://www.jaunted.com/story/2012/12/2/62735/1156/travel/Beijing+to+Shanghai+the+Fast+Way%3A+Bullet+Train+Adventures+in+China
@motivemagus:So you imagine train tracks to/from every building? And it’s only a matter of time before rail security matches air security; with an inspection train traveling in front of the “bullet” train. The valid time comparison would be terminal to terminal.
And how much TAXPAYER money is being wasted on the still not ready for combat F-35, which has less capability than the aging F-16s and -18s? And the F-22 sitting on the tarmac while the older planes are the ones doing the work? And the F-35 was just revealed to have another structural problem last week!
Doughfoot about 11 years ago
In Vienna, where I used to live, their integrated system of buses, trams, subways, and trains, makes it much easier and cheaper to get around the city in public transportation than owning a car. Moving from town to town is easy and comfortable on a train, and fair cheap, too. In small towns and in the country cars are useful. Our trains are crowded and slow, and a visitor from Calcutta of all places said that the buses here (see took greyhound) we dirtier and less pleasant than the buses she was used to in India. We can do better. And with a constantly growing demand, and yes, a slowing diminishing supply, there is NOT an infinite supply of CHEAP oil, especially if you consider the total cost to all of us of extracting and using it. The private automobile is not going away anytime soon. But we can do better. We may not be able to make a dollar buy more gas, but we can make a dollar buy more miles. And yet Virginia, regressive as she often is, wants to put an extra tax on fuel-efficient vehicles (while requiring state institutions to buy them) because their owners don’t pay enough in gas taxes at present. And now doesn’t THAT make sense in this world? (For the hard of hearing, the last sentence is sarcasm.)
Odon Premium Member about 11 years ago
Not too many freeways “turn a profit” either, much less regular roads. Anyone care to explain the various airport subsidies?
Dapperdan61 Premium Member about 11 years ago
With apologies to Cool Hand Luke, what we have here is a failure to communicate.
Simon_Jester about 11 years ago
Source?
Motivemagus about 11 years ago
It’s a question of location. The Northeast Corridor would benefit hugely from high-speed trains. If there were a REAL high-speed train between Boston, New York, and Washington, the (air) shuttle would damn near disappear. Put something like the French TGV on dedicated tracks, and the trip from Boston to NYC would take just over an hour. Right now, the trip by air takes roughly three hours: 30-45 minutes to get to Logan, 60 minutes required for security, 20 minutes boarding, 35 minutes in the air, 45 minutes to get into Manhattan from LaGuardia. And you could run them every hour or two and have them filled.Not so much in other areas, but on the other hand I’ve seen a proposal for a track down the Mississippi picking up Minneapolis, Chicago, and St. Louis which would be pretty nice, too.
chazandru about 11 years ago
@ Nightgaunt – good point.@ michael wme – This link shows the proposed routs for highspeed rail. Your comment is generally correct. Had rail not sold off so much of its assets over the decades, there would be more room for more rail, but the pop. density you rightfully indicate will require condemnations, legal challenges, and other problems to what would be a very good mass transportation solution… especially if people were able to take their cars with them like the Auto Train from New York to Florida. Some of the routes indicated will be going across expanses of open land tho. http://blogs.kqed.org/newsfix/2013/02/07/san-francisco-to-las-vegas-in-5-hours-by-train-a-map-for-a-national-high-speed-rail-system/@ motivemagus – great reply to michael. With the conditions you mention, along with layovers and connection flights, it used to take my daughter 11+ hours to go from our home in Va. to her college in Michigan by air. It took me 15 hours to make the same drive – with nice restaurant stops, and I had a car when I arrived. The route you mention is listed in the link I supplied, tho the color chart doesn’t give it high priority.@ Doughfoot – thank you for being witness to where rail works. My own visit to Germany showed me a working system that mismanagement, abuse, and waste within the US rail industry has lost. Making passenger rail wait while freight rail gets priority just makes rail look worse to riders.@ olfart – totally agree with your comment about oil and truck lobbies and would only add the trucker unions as another obstruction to creating a working rail system.My own first impression of Mr. Toles cartoon was the sad lie it implies that either party is working on any kind of infrastructure, or that either is working at making ANY kind of connection with the other. I hope recent actions where Mr. Obama and senate Republicans have talked together will continue.Respectfully,C.
Alexander the Good Enough about 11 years ago
I have to agree. The elephants don’t seem to be much inclined to build or do anything at all positive these days.
dannysixpack about 11 years ago
raycity2 said, about 5 hours ago
“BHO own head of the DOT said there is not a passenger train in the world that turns a profit.So the fools wants more high speed losers.z”
and the only private auto that turns a profit is a taxi cab. what a specious argument.
Justice22 about 11 years ago
I am so glad that the road past my home with all of it’s potholes and rough pavement pays for itself. It is so safe too. I just wonder when it will repave itself, straightening out the curves, rebuilding it’s bridges and eliminating the snow that accumulates on it during a snowstorm.
Justice22 about 11 years ago
I would rather travel by hig speed rail any day. It is often faster than air in getting from one point to another and you are not stuck in a tight, cramped seat for hours. I liked the European trains I rode on and liked the interaction of fellow passengers. It was a great experience.
Darsan54 Premium Member about 11 years ago
As stupid as Republican trying to remake the world at end of a gun and impoverish our elderly with medical care and fostering ignorance by starving our public education of funds.
Bilword about 11 years ago
Good one Toles !
rockngolfer about 11 years ago
Somebody sent me pictures of the Chinese bullet train that goes from Beijing to Shanghai at 190 mph. I couln’t find the exact pictures but found some other pictures on a travel site.http://www.jaunted.com/story/2012/12/2/62735/1156/travel/Beijing+to+Shanghai+the+Fast+Way%3A+Bullet+Train+Adventures+in+China
rockngolfer about 11 years ago
Remember tonight is the night that comet PANSTARRS will be brightest if you can see it at all in the West after sunset.
lafayetteann about 11 years ago
read this:http://www.trainweb.org/moksrail/advocacy/resources/essays/coston.htm
And it doesn’t say that trains are a fail. It says train system profitability should be judged fairly.
H P Hundt Premium Member about 11 years ago
@motivemagus:So you imagine train tracks to/from every building? And it’s only a matter of time before rail security matches air security; with an inspection train traveling in front of the “bullet” train. The valid time comparison would be terminal to terminal.
Rickapolis about 11 years ago
Ah, here comes the GOP to steamroll everything.
josefw about 11 years ago
Have you ever been in Illinois? I think, NOT!
edward thomas Premium Member about 11 years ago
And how much TAXPAYER money is being wasted on the still not ready for combat F-35, which has less capability than the aging F-16s and -18s? And the F-22 sitting on the tarmac while the older planes are the ones doing the work? And the F-35 was just revealed to have another structural problem last week!