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Texas should start an initiative to get high speed rail(HSR) running between it's major cities. HSR trains usually ride at least around a minimum of 125 mph, with a maximum of near 200mph in many European countries, 268 mph in China.
Routes would be
DFW-Houston
DFW-Austin-San Antonio
Houston-San Antonio
Not only would the initial development phase create jobs, but it would also bolster the economy of all these cities later on, as well as improve tourism for all these cities, even just from instate residents alone.
Another important reason to get HSR now, is that it'll create an "all roads lead to Texas" effect.
Eventually one day other states will begin to get HSR and look at making out of state connections. For example, let's say Colorado and Tennessee want an HSR connection between Denver and Memphis. If there was no HSR in Texas, the new route would probably be a direct route and pass through Tulsa . However if Texas already has HSR, the new route would probably end up running through DFW even though it's out of the way, just b/c it would offer the people in Denver and Memphis more possibilities
some eventual extensions if routes between the major texas cities were implemented, could include
Dallas-Oklahoma City-Denver
Dallas-Oklahoma City-St Louis-Chicago-Milwaukee
Dallas-Oklahoma City-Kansas City-Minneapolis
Dallas-Lubbock-Albuquerque-Flagstaff-Los Angeles
Houston-Lake Charles-Baton Rouge-New Orleans
Houston-Lake Charles-Baton Rouge-Mobile-Tallahassee-Jacksonville-Orlando
Houston-Jackson-Birmingham/Montgomery-Atlanta-Jacksonville-Orlando
Houston-Jackson-Birmingham/Montgomery-Atlanta-Charlotte-Richmond-DC*( can connect to existing HSR to Boston and NYC)
*All the routes from Dallas could start with Houston, San Antonio, or Austin, and all the routes from Houston could start in Dallas, San Antonion, or Austin.
I don't really think this is a good idea. HSR is near obsolete already. High speed trains can only compete with cars and planes in a few very specific niche markets. The train from Dallas to Houston might do ok but the rest would almost certainly just be money pits.
In addition to that, we are on the verge of a transportation revolution that will make HSR even more obsolete than it is now. I am talking about autonomous cars. They will be able to improve the speed and safety of automobile transportation to a great degree. A conservative estimate is that they will double the speed at which cars can travel safely now. If that happens, it will destroy any niche for fast trains that is still left.
Fast trains are cool and all, but by the time you could get a high speed rail line built, robocars will have destroyed any demand for it.
People are so much against trains especially Republicans that I dont think I will ever see HSR in next 100 years. The way economy is going, only addition in Texas I will see in next couple of years will be of Megabus.
Idk, all I know is that where it exists in Europe and Asia, it seems to be doing fine. Even if it's not the most suitable mode of transportation for citizens, it could still be good for the transport of goods.
I also don't know about autonomous cars, it would take a long time for most people to get comfortable with the idea of a car being in control of itself. Also they would never reach the speeds of HSR trains, i forgot to mention in the original post, that Japan's JR-Maglev MLX01 travels at speeds of up to 361mph.
Idk, all I know is that where it exists in Europe and Asia, it seems to be doing fine. Even if it's not the most suitable mode of transportation for citizens, it could still be good for the transport of goods.
I also don't know about autonomous cars, it would take a long time for most people to get comfortable with the idea of a car being in control of itself. Also they would never reach the speeds of HSR trains, i forgot to mention in the original post, that Japan's JR-Maglev MLX01 travels at speeds of up to 361mph.
There have been some studies about how comfortable people will be autonomous cars already. They used some cars that actually had hidden drivers but lead people to believe they were autonomous. People were actually very comfortable with letting the "computer" take control of the vehicle.
Trains will never reach the speeds of aircraft. Also, HSR trains will not be able to travel at their maximum speeds very much. The Acela express, currently America's fastest train, has an average speed of only 80 mph. Regular cars today can match that speed easily, if it was legal to do so. Autonomous cars will have no trouble beating that speed.
Another advantage of autonomous cars over HSR is that they can use existing infrastructure. HSR lines require new rail to be laid and that will be a problem. Environmental impact studies and imminent domain issues mean that even if we started today, a simple line from Dallas to Houston would not be completed for 20 years.
I also don't know about autonomous cars, it would take a long time for most people to get comfortable with the idea of a car being in control of itself.
The problem is that human drivers are at least partially responsible for 90% of car accidents. We are the only part of the vehicle system that is non-deterministic. Present 100 people with the same exact scenario and you could get 100 different outcomes. Computers are completely deterministic. Under the same set of variables, the computer will always produce the same output.
By getting rid of the driver you eliminate drunk driving, distracted driving, drowsy driving, tailgating, and rubbernecking. As an added bonus, liability insurance rates will fall to near zero which could reduce or eliminate the dreaded uninsured motorist.
I don't think it'll be in my lifetime but within the next century driverless cars will replace the need for most folks to have their own personal vehicle.
There have been some studies about how comfortable people will be autonomous cars already. They used some cars that actually had hidden drivers but lead people to believe they were autonomous. People were actually very comfortable with letting the "computer" take control of the vehicle.
A future where everyone has one of these will be a long way away. We've had the technology to have electric cars for over 100 years and we still haven't gotten a move on it. Also like with everything there will always be some problems. What happens when one of these cars gets into a wreck? Who's fault is it? just because it can predict when to break doesn't mean it'll avoid all accidents. What will its self navigation system map run on? Anyone who's used GPS, or google, yahoo, or bing maps can tell there's at least been one time where those maps were wrong.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas Liberal
Trains will never reach the speeds of aircraft.
Trains may never reach the speed of an aircraft, but millions of people still ride trains as opposed to flying or driving each year.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas Liberal
Also, HSR trains will not be able to travel at their maximum speeds very much. The Acela express, currently America's fastest train, has an average speed of only 80 mph. Regular cars today can match that speed easily, if it was legal to do so. Autonomous cars will have no trouble beating that speed.
The Acela express has to travel slow, because it deals with a route that has a lot of curves and also has so many stops; 14 cities/16 stations, which greatly defeats the purpose, because you have to slow down each time you're approaching a stop.
HSR trains are supposed to be for connecting major cities with great distances in between them, without stopping at almost any other city in between, thats what normal trains are for. So For instance if I was in Houston and wanted to get to Denton TX, and there was an HSR route from Houston, to Dallas, to Oklahoma city, the HSR would not stop in Denton even though it would directly pass through it. I would get off in Dallas and take the DART rail to Denton.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas Liberal
Another advantage of autonomous cars over HSR is that they can use existing infrastructure. HSR lines require new rail to be laid and that will be a problem. Environmental impact studies and imminent domain issues mean that even if we started today, a simple line from Dallas to Houston would not be completed for 20 years.
It all depends on marketing. If you market it well and garner public support it can be done. There's a lot of empty land between Dallas and Houston and I'm sure a lot of land owners would be willing to sell some. Even if it took 20 years it'd still be worth it, b/c there's no way in 20 years that airfare is going to become super cheap or that everyone is going to have an autonomous car.
All across Europe and Asia there are multiple examples of HSR doing just fine. There are no examples anywhere of autonomous cars being used successfully in mass and killing other modes of public transport
The problem is that human drivers are at least partially responsible for 90% of car accidents. We are the only part of the vehicle system that is non-deterministic. Present 100 people with the same exact scenario and you could get 100 different outcomes. Computers are completely deterministic. Under the same set of variables, the computer will always produce the same output.
By getting rid of the driver you eliminate drunk driving, distracted driving, drowsy driving, tailgating, and rubbernecking. As an added bonus, liability insurance rates will fall to near zero which could reduce or eliminate the dreaded uninsured motorist.
I don't think it'll be in my lifetime but within the next century driverless cars will replace the need for most folks to have their own personal vehicle.
I remember my father saying the exact same thing when I was a child, and showing me the article (I think it was in Popular Science, but it could have been Parade or something similar) that proved it. It was a very exciting idea at the time. (All the buildings in the drawings looked a lot like something out of the Jetsons, too.)
That would have been right around 1954-55 or so, based on the page I was then.
A future where everyone has one of these will be a long way away. We've had the technology to have electric cars for over 100 years and we still haven't gotten a move on it. Also like with everything there will always be some problems. What happens when one of these cars gets into a wreck? Who's fault is it? just because it can predict when to break doesn't mean it'll avoid all accidents. What will its self navigation system map run on? Anyone who's used GPS, or google, yahoo, or bing maps can tell there's at least been one time where those maps were wrong.
The prototypes use LIDAR to create a 3d model of the environment and do not rely on maps exclusively. In fact, these prototypes can operate in areas with no roads just like human drivers can.
The technology is developing very quickly and many new production model vehicles already have some of the autonomous features, like self-parking, and "super-cruise control" that not only controls your speed but keeps the car in your lane and maintains a safe distance from other cars.
Another advantage of Autonomous cars is that not everyone has to have one in order for us to start benefiting from them, but as they become more common the benefits will become even greater.
Of course no system can avoid all accidents, but robocars already have logged over 200,000 miles of driving with no accidents. That is a much better safety record than human drivers have. And that is with the early crude prototypes. Liability issues won't be any different than what we have now. Who is at fault depends on the specifics of the situation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Revilo87
Trains may never reach the speed of an aircraft, but millions of people still ride trains as opposed to flying or driving each year.
I agree, trains have their uses, but that in itself does not mean that HSR is a good idea for Texas.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Revilo87
The Acela express has to travel slow, because it deals with a route that has a lot of curves and also has so many stops; 14 cities/16 stations, which greatly defeats the purpose, because you have to slow down each time you're approaching a stop.
That is one of the problems with trains. Every town they go through will want a stop which as you stated defeats their purpose. If those towns don't get a stop they can retaliate by making the trains slow down in their jurisdiction.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Revilo87
HSR trains are supposed to be for connecting major cities with great distances in between them, without stopping at almost any other city in between, thats what normal trains are for. So For instance if I was in Houston and wanted to get to Denton TX, and there was an HSR route from Houston, to Dallas, to Oklahoma city, the HSR would not stop in Denton even though it would directly pass through it. I would get off in Dallas and take the DART rail to Denton.
What if you wanted to go from Oklahoma City to Denton? You would have to go all the way to Dallas then transfer to DART and then backtrack to Denton, so you would lose a lot of time and could probably make the trip faster by just driving it. This is another problem with HSR, it lacks flexibility because it must run on special tracks. Autonomous cars can travel on any surface that regular cars can, from rutted out dirt roads on private property to interstate highways. Sure HSR may be able to get from a train station in Houston to a train station in Dallas quickly, but what about the rest of the trip? What if someone needs to go from Pearland to Kaufman? There is a small niche in which train travel will be the best option, but in the vast majority of cases, some combination of planes and cars will be better.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Revilo87
It all depends on marketing. If you market it well and garner public support it can be done. There's a lot of empty land between Dallas and Houston and I'm sure a lot of land owners would be willing to sell some. Even if it took 20 years it'd still be worth it, b/c there's no way in 20 years that airfare is going to become super cheap or that everyone is going to have an autonomous car.
I don't think you can garner the public support for it, and you shouldn't. It would be an expensive project that would benefit only a tiny number of travelers. That money would be better spent on highways and airports. In 20 years we don't how many autonomous cars will be on the road but we do know that just about everyone in Texas will still be using the highways and airports.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Revilo87
All across Europe and Asia there are multiple examples of HSR doing just fine. There are no examples anywhere of autonomous cars being used successfully in mass and killing other modes of public transport
That depends on what you mean by "just fine". And I don't see what you mean about autonomous cars not killing other modes of public transport. Of course it hasn't, it's still a very new technology, and it is not intended to kill other modes of public transport. It might do that ,but that is not the point.
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. However if Texas already has HSR, the new route would probably end up running through DFW even though it's out of the way, just b/c it would offer the people in Denver and Memphis more possibilities 
