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I think we should have a HSR system carrying passengers and light priority freight on a completely separate set of tracks of very high speed guide ways. The system should be owned and operated at cost by the Federal Government as a public utility. This system would compete with the semi socialized airline and package delivery industries.
I can assure you, Greg, that the scenario you're hoping for ain't gonna happen; far too costly for a nation that has to compete in a globalizing economy and, whether we agree with it or not, is expected to assume the role of leader and policeman among the world's politically-mature nations.
But, from the point of view of the HSR advocacy (whom, I must point out, have plenty of prejudices and blind spots), a major corner has been turned, an obstacle removed. The West Coast will get a rail-based system, something it hasn't taken seriously since the end of World War II, and it will evolve, subject mostly to further technological progress and either driven, or tempered, by fuel-price concerns.
The road (or rail?) block was broken within the Central Valley for reasons which are obvious to someone with a background in Transport Econ; the Valley is flat, the markets (cities) which would generate demand form a straight line and, unlike on the East Coast, the relatively thin density of population will inveigh for improvements in speeds earlier in the process. And as previously cited, co-operation from the private sector can likely be enticed by the prospect of breaking the bottleneck between Bakersfield and Mojave, which both impedes access to the L. A. basin and limits rail freight development as well.
But the HSR envisioned by some of the more fervent advocates here is like the high-end Lionel set in the store window -- beyond the budget of most of us. There will be continuous progress, but it's not going to fit the dreams of the would-be czars in their ivory tower.
Just the way things work on this side of the Atlantic.
Last edited by 2nd trick op; 01-17-2015 at 09:16 PM..
Only in the big cities. They are not profitable for passengers in rural areas. They are still great for cargo, but they work in Europe and Japan because they are much smaller and more densely packed. France is the size Texas, for instance.
Only in the big cities. They are not profitable for passengers in rural areas. They are still great for cargo, but they work in Europe and Japan because they are much smaller and more densely packed. France is the size Texas, for instance.
That isn't true, France is the size of Texas, but there are a number of countries in Europe. Land wise, Europe is slightly larger than the US. 3.9million sq miles for Europe, and 3.8million sq miles for the US. You could however argue that Europe is three times as populated as the US. Though I would say that is a good reason to start building high speed rail so that we can continue to handle the growth in this country.
The points that stuck out with the issues France is dealing with when it comes to HSR are...
"restricting the number of stops on high-speed lines and reducing the number of services operating over conventional lines"
"few conclusions of the audit supported by FNAUT which criticises "the aberrant positioning of TGV stations with no connection to local transport, which is imposed by local officials more concerned about prestige than the interest of travellers." FNAUT argues the state and RFF [now SNCF Network] have been complicit in the poor location of TGV stations and the failure to integrate these facilities into local transport networks."
Worrying about profitability is pointless for a public concern. The Federal government is not a corporation.
But when the Federal government, or any public-sector "enterprise" consistently operates at a loss, the bill eventually winds up with the taxpayer; this is what happened when the American railroads which hauled commuters saw their equipment wear out in the Fifties and Sixties.
Worrying about profitability is pointless for a public concern. The Federal government is not a corporation.
but it not just about operation profitability
you also have the start up cost, right of way cost, construction cost
then maintenance cost
HSR will be a money pit in any metro area, on the coasts.....
the only areas hsr will work is in the boonies, where the population of land is not crowded...maybe st Louis to dallas....just going through farm land
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