[Beeker2211]

Originally Posted by JayCT

For example, Bridgeport, New Haven, West Haven, and Stratford have more affordable apartments than Fairfield and Milford. Why should homeowners in Fairfield and Milford have to lose property values so a few can live in a more desirable community? Seems wrong to me.

A) That's a false choice, it's basic land economics
B) But you seem very ok with those towns setting up rules with the explicit intention of trying to price "certain" people out via overly onerous zoning regulation and need for variances... a stance which is at it's core so indefensible even the most staunch supporters of the current "home rule" zoning just ignore and hand wave away muttering something about "free market" and "choice."

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by Beeker2211

A) That's a false choice, it's basic land economics
B) But you seem very ok with those towns setting up rules with the explicit intention of trying to price "certain" people out via overly onerous zoning regulation and need for variances... a stance which is at it's core so indefensible even the most staunch supporters of the current "home rule" zoning just ignore and hand wave away muttering something about "free market" and "choice."

Why is what I stated a “false choice”. It most certainly is a choice that people can make. There’s nothing false about it. I would love to live in a waterfront home in Southport. I can’t afford it but I want it. By your logic I should still be able to have it and other people should pay for it.

And “staunch supporters” of home rule are NOT muttering anything. They proudly support their beliefs as do I. Liberals only wish they would because they know that these supporters have a very good point. That is in a true democracy, one persons opinion is as pertinent as another’s despite what you think. It’s the very core of our country’s creation and values.

That said I will again agree that more needs to be done to build affordable housing but it has to be done in a well planned way and not the horrible free-for-all that 8-30g has become.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by JayCT

They proudly support their beliefs as do I. Liberals only wish they would because they know that these supporters have a very good point. That is in a true democracy, one persons opinion is as pertinent as another’s despite what you think. It’s the very core of our country’s creation and values.

That said I will again agree that more needs to be done to build affordable housing but it has to be done in a well planned way and not the horrible free-for-all that 8-30g has become.

When I see 8-30 proponents coming up with repeal AND concurrently replace ideas to drastically increase low income housing stock, I will be pleasantly shocked.

Until then, I am delighted 8-30 is policy.

[JayCT]

Another good opinion piece by Jim Cameron, this time it’s about I-95. Like most people, he is complaining about it but he doesn’t get into why nothing is being done to bring this important highway into the 21st Century.

Until the Regional Planning Agencies and local politicians get that most people want this nightmare fixed or at least improved, nothing will get done. We will still have to deal with traffic congestion at all times of day, untold injuries and deaths and being named one of the worst highways in the country.

Is that acceptable to you? If not, start by calling out your State Legislators, your town leaders and your regional planning agencies. These are the ones making the decisions to continue to ignore the problem and just continue the bandaid approach to fixes.

https://ctmirror.org/2023/12/03/why-...-to-hate-i-95/

[BPt111]

Amtrak, CTRail report train ridership gains

Ridership on Amtrak’s New Haven-Springfield route rose 36% over the recently completed fiscal year, part of a healthy year for train travel

There were 324,342 riders in fiscal year 2022 and 442,028 in fiscal 2023, Amtrak said in recently published figures.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation said its Hartford Line service from New Haven to Springfield continues to rebound post pandemic with the 77,362 people who rode any part of that line in October 112% above pre-pandemic 2019 ridership.


https://www.northwestgeorgianews.com...35e96751f.html

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by BPt111

Amtrak, CTRail report train ridership gains

Ridership on Amtrak’s New Haven-Springfield route rose 36% over the recently completed fiscal year, part of a healthy year for train travel

There were 324,342 riders in fiscal year 2022 and 442,028 in fiscal 2023, Amtrak said in recently published figures.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation said its Hartford Line service from New Haven to Springfield continues to rebound post pandemic with the 77,362 people who rode any part of that line in October 112% above pre-pandemic 2019 ridership.


https://www.northwestgeorgianews.com...35e96751f.html

I’m curious, why does a Georgia newspaper have this article about Connecticut and Massachusetts and how did you find it?

[BugsyPal]

Originally Posted by JayCT

I’m curious, why does a Georgia newspaper have this article about Connecticut and Massachusetts and how did you find it?

As with so much else that passes for journalism nowadays likely answer is because one "newspaper" reported it online and everyone else tagged on.

https://www.masslive.com/news/2023/1...hip-gains.html

[CTartist]

'Floating train' could connect Boston and NYC in 40 minutes
New super fast train would travel at 311 MPH in Northeast corridor.
https://www.timeout.com/boston/news/...minutes-120523



This would be so awesome. I hope it happens in my lifetime.

"Imagine a superconducting Maglev train connecting East Coast cities from Baltimore up to Boston, and potentially Montreal, Canada. It might be a possibility if the proposals from Northeast Maglev come to fruition. Right now, different routes are under discussion from investors and contractors, with an initial leg connecting NYC and Washington D.C................The Baltimore Banner reports that the initial proposal for developing the levitating, lightning-speed rail dates back to 2010, but that development got started in 2022. Right now the project is in phase one of development, but if the project goes as planned, rides connecting D.C. and Baltimore could start as early as 2025."

Are these the kind of trains they have in Europe?

[robr2]

Originally Posted by CTartist

'Floating train' could connect Boston and NYC in 40 minutes
New super fast train would travel at 311 MPH in Northeast corridor.
https://www.timeout.com/boston/news/...minutes-120523



This would be so awesome. I hope it happens in my lifetime.

"Imagine a superconducting Maglev train connecting East Coast cities from Baltimore up to Boston, and potentially Montreal, Canada. It might be a possibility if the proposals from Northeast Maglev come to fruition. Right now, different routes are under discussion from investors and contractors, with an initial leg connecting NYC and Washington D.C................The Baltimore Banner reports that the initial proposal for developing the levitating, lightning-speed rail dates back to 2010, but that development got started in 2022. Right now the project is in phase one of development, but if the project goes as planned, rides connecting D.C. and Baltimore could start as early as 2025."

Are these the kind of trains they have in Europe?

I believe that the only maglev trains in operation are in Asia. Trains in Europe use standard rail but are able to reach high speeds because the turns are very long and run on dedicated rails.

[BugsyPal]

Originally Posted by robr2

I believe that the only maglev trains in operation are in Asia. Trains in Europe use standard rail but are able to reach high speeds because the turns are very long and run on dedicated rails.

True High Speed Rail (HSR) as seen in Europe and Asia (but not USA) is a combination of things.

First and foremost you need trainsets or locomotives that can reach speeds in excess of 125 mph in service (usually 150 to nearly 200 mph). That nearly always means electricity as means of motive power as diesel tops out at 120mph or so.

Next you need dedicated ROW designed and built to handle trains traveling at such speeds. This includes but not limited to in cab signaling and so forth.

Depending upon design, construction and condition of existing rail ROW it is possible to run HSR on conventional tracks (nearly all HSR world over use existing rail on approaches and departures from terminals or stations shared with slower trains) but out on open it's best to have dedicated ROW.

What HSR ROW requires is few to gentle curves but best when mostly straight. HSR trains can handle grades if they are gentle but you don't want them climbing mountains.

Finally Europe and Asia have different ideas than USA when it comes to trains and passenger safety.

For both HSR and other passenger trains in Europe idea is to avoid collisions by keeping trains well apart from each other. This usually is done via signaling (in cab) and systems that automatically will slow or even stop a train if it exceeds certain speed, does not respond to signals, is where it shouldn't be, etc.... Result of this is that HSR trainsets and other trains are lighter than what you find in USA. Obviously a lighter train can move faster using less energy.

In USA OTOH federal rail safety laws focus more on passengers surviving crashes as such trains, locomotives, etc... are vastly overbuilt and heavier than found elsewhere.

French engineers and others from France involved in contract Amtrak awarded to Alstom to build first Acela trainsets nicknamed them " "le cochon" (the pig) due to their weight. Long story short Amtrak's Acela trains are too heavy to get out of their own way. Yes, they are faster than what came before, but only just and not like HSR in Europe or Japan.

Amtrak's ROW from NYC to Boston is the old New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad mainline. That ROW was built where it was hugging coast of Connecticut for various reasons. One sad out come is that it has many twists and curves that make true HSR (or even faster standard trains) all but impossible except for certain stretches of track.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TGV

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinkansen

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acela_Express_(trainset)

For above and host of other reasons you'll never see true HSR in USA as it exists in France or elsewhere. Well not without huge federal, local and private investment along with changes in various regulations.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNrg11GHIik