Do you support building high-speed train systems? (poll, suspect, highway)
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Of course high speed rail is cheaper than air travel it takes many many times longer to travel...On what level do you mean high speed rail is more efficient? Fuel?
Actually, air travel does not take "many" times longer than air travel. A high speed train travels at 250mph, most jets travel about 500mph, so that is twice as fast (if conditions are ideal), not many times as fast. To get all the way across the country would still take some time, but the high speed rail would more likely replace "commuter" type flights, where the time difference (especially when you consider all the other things that take up your time, like waiting to take off, waiting for a gate, wind resistance, the fact that traveling X amount of miles in the air is actually more miles than traveling X amount of miles on the ground because you also have to move vertically) probably isn't going to be that great in the end. Also, it makes regional travel more affordable. (And would increase tourism dollars.)
As far as efficiency, well, clearly fuel (I think air travel only beat by travel by tank as far as fuel efficiency is concerned), but rail travel is also more efficient in general. All other things remaining equal, trains are a lot less "hassle" than planes. You don't have to deal with many trains leaving at the same time, for instance. It is easier to load at train than a place. There is less anxiety associated with trains. You can have your electronic devices on at all times. You can talk on your cell phone. You can go to the bathroom whenever. When you arrive, you can just get off instead of waiting for a gate. Train stations don't need as much land as airports. Etc.
I'm generally supportive of liberal and Democratic positions, but this is one area where I'm skeptical. Our cities have already been built mostly for automobile transportation. I do believe that crowded cities such as Los Angeles need more public transportation such as dedicated busways, but spending billions on high-speed rail systems to connect major cities seems like a waste of money.
There is a difference between high speed rail and regular rail. This country desperately needs a national rail system. It doesn't need a high speed rail system outside of the northeast corridor.
Being from a state that is going to have a true high speed rail soon I absolutely do support it. It's time for the US to catch up to the rest of the world. Some of you seem to forget how paralyzed we were as a nation after 9/11 when air travel came to a screeching halt for a week.
The US needs travel options and having AMTRAK go at a average of 79 MPH throughout the NE corridor is laughable at best when one can drive even faster than that.
I would rather jump on a high speed train than spend a hour in a airport just going through security and the additional time it takes just to board a plane.
Being from a state that is going to have a true high speed rail soon I absolutely do support it. It's time for the US to catch up to the rest of the world. Some of you seem to forget how paralyzed we were as a nation after 9/11 when air travel came to a screeching halt for a week.
The US needs travel options and having AMTRAK go at a average of 79 MPH throughout the NE corridor is laughable at best when one can drive even faster than that.
I would rather jump on a high speed train than spend a hour in a airport just going through security and the additional time it takes just to board a plane.
Actually its 90-120mph Average , but that varies day to day...
Being from a state that is going to have a true high speed rail soon I absolutely do support it. It's time for the US to catch up to the rest of the world. Some of you seem to forget how paralyzed we were as a nation after 9/11 when air travel came to a screeching halt for a week.
The US needs travel options and having AMTRAK go at a average of 79 MPH throughout the NE corridor is laughable at best when one can drive even faster than that.
I would rather jump on a high speed train than spend a hour in a airport just going through security and the additional time it takes just to board a plane.
Part of the problem is that Amtrak and other passenger rail in this country must share the tracks with freight.
Having a national passenger rail system which doesn't have to share the rail would cut the hours and increase the speed.
I can support High speed freight but I hope we never have high speed rail. Planes are way more efficient than trains for passenger travel.
LOL , there will be no such thing as HS Freight in North America. Freight is limited to 79mph. As for planes being more Efficient , used to be but now aren't. They make you pay for a cramped seat and stack fees onto you. They don't do that too you on Amtrak which now rakes in profits on all short Distance trains.
Part of the problem is that Amtrak and other passenger rail in this country must share the tracks with freight.
Having a national passenger rail system which doesn't have to share the rail would cut the hours and lack of speed.
Yes that is true but high speed rail is competing with airlines not regular rail. AMTRAK has too many stops to even compete with just driving. Even then a regular rail system would have to invest in a seperate rail infrastructure which would cost billions as well if they don't want to be at the mercy of freight railroaders and their schedules.
It would take about $500 billion over 25 years to build a high speed rail network in the US.
Meanwhile we have poured over double that in a wasteful war in IRAQ.
Like most things, they have their place but probably aren't suitable everywhere, at least yet. All though America would certainly seem best suited for high speed rail systems considering the expanse of our country. If nothing else, at least a number of core lines with light rail feeders.
Name one transit system anywhere in the U.S. that is self sustaining, passengers pay their own way without non user taxpayer/ vehicle owner subsidies.
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