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Do you really think a highspeed rail system between say Fargo ND to Great Falls Montana is going to be a money maker?
America in its early days may have been traversed by rail but today its all about the car and when prices get to $11gal were going to be paying it because for most of us theres just no viable option unless you live in one of the mega cities with a good public transit system.
Rural Rail would only work in the Northeast and it already does work. It wouldn't work outside the NE for various reasons.
Do you really think a highspeed rail system between say Fargo ND to Great Falls Montana is going to be a money maker?
America in its early days may have been traversed by rail but today its all about the car and when prices get to $11gal were going to be paying it because for most of us theres just no viable option unless you live in one of the mega cities with a good public transit system.
It seems like we should subsidize roads less, and alternate forms of transportation more, then.
Still, there needs to be something better than what the USA currently has. I am not going to lie. It angers me that places like Japan, South Korea, and Germany, come out with better mass transit and high speed rail than the USA. They have it, so good for them. We need to do that. It isn't about competition for me. It is about doing better than what we are currently doing. We could be more innovative and do more, and apply it more, but it isn't being done more. I would definitely be in favor of high speed rail throughout this nation. Actually, once I took some sheets of paper and tried to find good routes for a high speed rail system if one were ever to be built. It would certainly make me happy to be able to take a train from Atlanta to Savannah, Miami, Houston or somewhere else whenever without worrying about it.
Before anyone asks, no, I don't own a car. It's rather expensive and risky at this point for me to buy a car. Spending money on gasoline, which is getting more expensive, insurance, repairs for the car if needed, tune-up(or the materials for the tune if I could fix a car). I am actually scared of getting a used car particularly, even if it is cheaper. I use a bicycle or walk. Where I live, I am in the stark minority in that aspect.
absolutely. of course, Americans love their cars almost as much as their guns, and high speed rail reeks of 'socialism' to most
Like this post,. of course it's someone from Portland too : )
I think it'd be nice. It's strange how people assume we should have to be profitable with projects like this. Roads don't turn a profit (unless it's a toll road maybe).
Most of New England lacks commuter rail. Sure, you can rely on commuter rails if you live in the metro NYC or Boston area. But, in Hartford, Providence, Worcester, Manchester and Springfield? No freekin' way. The car is the only option. And Hartford is a major location for corporations and jobs.
Providence has commuter rail to Boston and to the RI airport (Not sure if the airport line is up and running yet).
Heres the unofficial 2040 Northeastern Rail restoration plan....the new/restored lines are in Blue.
Connecting City Services....
Future Light Rail Projects
Washington DC
Boston
Northern NJ
New Brunswick,NJ
Baltimore
Pittsburgh
Philly
Binghamton
Syracuse
Rochester
Hartford
Lehigh Valley
Wyoming Valley
Buffalo
Urban Jersey
Springfield,MA
Future Streetcar systems
Providence
Stamford
New Haven
Boston
Worcester
Baltimore
Harrisburg
Reading,PA
Lancaster
Manchester,NH
Portland,ME
Washington DC
Springfield,MA
White Plains
Bridgeport
Norwalk
Fall River
Future Heavy Rail system expansions
New York
DC
NJ Gold Coast
Philly
Boston
Northern Virgina
Future Commuter Rail system expansions / restorations
New Hampshire
Delaware
Maryland
Eastern PA
Massachusetts
Connecticut
New Jersey
Harrisburg Metro
Northern Virgina
Providence / Fall River area
Restored lines in the Hudson River Valley
Future Bus Rapid Transit lines or systems
Hartford
Boston
Newark
Lehigh Valley
Albany Metro
Baltimore
DC
Philly
NYC
White Plains
Enhanced Northeastern Megapolis Map (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42178139@N06/5364463254/ - broken link) by Nexis4Jersey09 (http://www.flickr.com/people/42178139@N06/ - broken link), on Flickr
No one is suggesting that we do that. As far as I know, the discussion of public transportation has always been about creating more transportation options.
Oh come on, no one is suggesting public rail transportation should be created at the expense of private automobile users, and everything else with rubber wheels also. Not to mention, most trains in the US run using diesel fuel.
The "force people out of their automobiles at any cost"-card gets used quite often when discussing public rail projects. And it's true, commuter rail and high-speed passenger rail systems in particular are not exactly free to build and operate. The money needs to come from somewhere.
Oh come on, no one is suggesting public rail transportation should be created at the expense of private automobile users, and everything else with rubber wheels also. Not to mention, most trains in the US run using diesel fuel.
I assume you're being sarcastic?
Quote:
The "force people out of their automobiles at any cost"-card gets used quite often when discussing public rail projects. And it's true, commuter rail and high-speed passenger rail systems in particular are not exactly free to build and operate. The money needs to come from somewhere.
I'm advocating equitable funding between different modes of transportation, and I think most pro-mass-transit people (except the extreme environmentalists) are, also.
Generally, the anti-mass-transit folks claim that everyone loves to drive, so we should spend most of our transportation dollars on roads. I believe that everyone drives becasue we spend most of our transportation dollars on roads, and people have little choice but to drive. So yes, I suppose that means improved rail funding would mean less funding for roads. A good first start would be to stop building new roads, and expanding/widening existing roads.
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