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Agreed...high-speed rail is probably DOA. The reason is that we expect railroads to be self-sufficient in terms of revenue (i.e. it shouldn't require any government subsidies), whereas we don't even consider how much money is used to subsidize automobile travel. There's a double-standard in perception, and I don't see that changing any time soon.
What bugs me is that despite the technological advances that have been made, we only ever consider two options for ground travel: automobiles (invented 100 years ago), and trains (invented 500 years ago).
It amazes me that no one ever tries to invent a completely new type of transportation system that uses recent technological advances. It should be feasible to design a completely automated transportation system. You simply punch in where you want to go, and your 'car' takes you there. Or you can request a 'shared car' and the closest available one automatically comes to your door. Or you can carpool to save costs...you simply tell the system where you want to go, and it automatically picks up other people on the way who are going to the same place. You wouldn't even need to stop for gasoline...the car could automatically fill itself up. Think of the advantages...
- No more accidents.
- No more traffic congestion (since computers would do a much better job at coordinating the movement of large numbers of cars...people are horrible at this).
- Since there wouldn't be any accidents, cars could be built to weigh much less, making them much more fuel efficient. And that makes stuff like electric/hydrogen fuel much more feasible.
- Commuting wouldn't be wasted time anymore. You could actually do something productive while driving.
Nice idea but it same reason we dont have alternative fuels it would kill the oil companies, and kill the auto insurance industry and those lobbyist will not allow that to happen.
Plus look at all these threads of people moving to Apex, Fuquay Varina, Clayton, etc. People are choosing to live away from metro areas preventing any population density and strenghtening the reliance of using automobiles to commute.
As mention above without federal dollars Triangle residents will have to consider is spending $44 million dollars for each mile of track worth for only 2 percent of population mobility.
Again nice idea, and the technology of most of what is mention above is here, but the lobbyists will do their best to hamper America moving to much in future.
What bugs me is that despite the technological advances that have been made, we only ever consider two options for ground travel: automobiles (invented 100 years ago), and trains (invented 500 years ago).
It amazes me that no one ever tries to invent a completely new type of transportation system that uses recent technological advances. It should be feasible to design a completely automated transportation system. You simply punch in where you want to go, and your 'car' takes you there. Or you can request a 'shared car' and the closest available one automatically comes to your door. Or you can carpool to save costs...you simply tell the system where you want to go, and it automatically picks up other people on the way who are going to the same place. You wouldn't even need to stop for gasoline...the car could automatically fill itself up. Think of the advantages...
- No more accidents.
- No more traffic congestion (since computers would do a much better job at coordinating the movement of large numbers of cars...people are horrible at this).
- Since there wouldn't be any accidents, cars could be built to weigh much less, making them much more fuel efficient. And that makes stuff like electric/hydrogen fuel much more feasible.
- Commuting wouldn't be wasted time anymore. You could actually do something productive while driving.
Oh well...it won't happen in my lifetime though.
I believe there have been many advances recently in distance monitoring and self-steering devices in automobiles, so I think things are moving in this direction slowly but surely. Consider the retrofit required for such a system within our current transportation network (c'mon...we're not starting over and we all know that) and I'd say you're probably right in that it won't happen in our lifetime.
I believe there have been many advances recently in distance monitoring and self-steering devices in automobiles, so I think things are moving in this direction slowly but surely. Consider the retrofit required for such a system within our current transportation network (c'mon...we're not starting over and we all know that) and I'd say you're probably right in that it won't happen in our lifetime.
That is indeed the big problem...how do you design an automated system that can be retrofitted and coexist with the current transportation network. I don't think it's feasible. I think it really does need to be a separate transportation network (like perhaps it uses monorails that run along-side and above existing roads and highways, and once all the cars are gone, you can get rid of the roads and replace them with open space. Think Fahrenheit 411...except for the book burning stuff )
If the SEHSR does get approval then it looks like travel time between Raleigh and Washington DC would be 4 hours. That would be a major improvement. I like Amtrak but it takes around 6 hours currently to reach the Capital by train. Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor > Frequently Asked Questions
If the SEHSR does get approval then it looks like travel time between Raleigh and Washington DC would be 4 hours. That would be a major improvement. I like Amtrak but it takes around 6 hours currently to reach the Capital by train. Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor > Frequently Asked Questions
6 hours IF YOUR LUCKY!!! Usually, you're stopped dead on the tracks for sometimes hours at a time in the middle of Virginia as you wait for freight traffic to pass.
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