Honest question - What is the fascination with rail systems amongst those left of center? (unemployment rate, suspect)

[jeffington]

Originally Posted by DRob4JC

Whether it's a national high speed rail system, or local rail in a spread out southern city - why do Democrats like rail so much? It is not feasible in every locale.

Are any of the reasons below valid?

OBAMA’S HIGH-SPEED RAIL OBSESSION

So why is Obama still so determined to push the high-speed boondoggle? Largely it’s a deadly combination of theology and money. Powerful rail construction interests, notably the German giant Siemens, are spreading cash like mustard on a bratwurst to promote the scheme. Add to that construction unions and the ever voracious investment banks who would love to pocket fees for arranging to sell the bonds and you have interests capable of influencing either party.

Then there’s what might be called the “density lobby” — big city mayors, construction firms and the urban land owners. These magnates, who frequently extort huge public subsidies for their projects, no doubt think it grand to spend billions of public funds on something that might also increase the value of their real estate.

And finally there are the true believers, notably planners, academics, green activists and an army of rail fans. These are people who believe America should be more like Europe — denser, more concentrated in big cities and tied to the rails. “High speed rail is not really about efficient transport,” notes California transit expert and accountant Tom Rubin. “It’s all about shaping cities for a certain agenda.”

It is a way to squander massive amounts of tax-payer dollars in one sitting.

[Icy Tea]

Liberals go for ideas, dreams, pie in the sky. They don't want to be bothered with the details or work required to make things happen, they just want the end result. Solar power, healthcare, windmills, now trains. Just promise them something will make things better and they're for it. Others can pay for it and if it doesn't work then it was somebody elses fault for not doing it right.
I can hop a bus and get to Atlantic City or NYC and its way better than driving a car there. But I never use public transit any time else. I don't have it where I live. Its got its uses but people will always need cars. There is talk about bringing back train service to my area. That would mean more people leaving Philadelphia to move to my county. They'd work in Philly or its close suburbs and move farther out. I don't like that.
Old abandoned train tracks are being converted to recreational trails. Thats a good thing.

[randy8876]

Originally Posted by Nexis4Jersey

Well Crime has gone down and living conditions have improved so people are moving back....

The Still Elusive "Return to the City" | Newgeography.com

And yet another article that shows cities are so screwed up people aren't moving back to them.

Fix those criminal ridden cesspool cities and most everything else is easy to have fall in place.

[DarkWolf]

I did the Urban / Dense Suburban networks in detail...

New Jersey

Hudson Bergen Light Rail
Current system size : 21 mi
Stations : 24
Current Daily Ridership : 40,000 (Projected 2020 Daily Ridership > 100,000)
Future Upgrades and Expansions : Northern Branch Corridor , 440 Extension , Cross County Connector , Hoboken - JSQ - North Newark line

Newark Light Rail
Current system size : 14 mi
Stations : 20
Current Daily Ridership : 21,000 (projected 2020 Daily Ridership : 50,000)
Future Upgrades and Expansions : Newark - Paterson line , North Newark - JSQ line , Harrison Streetcar

RiverLine
Current system size : 34 mi
Stations : 20
Current Daily Ridership : 9,000 (projected 2020 Daily Ridership : 30,000)
Future Upgrades and Expansions : Glassboro / Millville line , Double Tracking , West Trenton line , Salem line , Penns Grove line

PATH
Current system size : 14 mi
Stations : 13
Current Daily Ridership : 245,000 (Projected 2020 Daily Ridership : 300,000)
Future Upgrades and Expansions : EWR / Elizabeth Extension , New Signal System , overhaul stations , New Harrison station

Pennsylvania

Philly
Current system size : 117 mi
Stations : 70 + more hop / off stops
Current Daily Ridership : 360,000 (Projected 2020 Daily Ridership : 570,000)
Future Upgrades and Expansions : Board Street Subway Extension to Navy Yards , Roosevelt Subway , MFL to RSL , Waterfront Light Rail , Restoration of the 23 , 56 , 103 , Trams , Navy Yard LRT , Penn Wynne - Germantown Tram , 22nd / Snyder / 6th / City Hall Tram , Grays - Washington Avenue Tram , Norristown HSL KOP Branch , Cross County Metro

Massachusetts

Boston
Current System size : 90 mi
Stations : 136
Current Daily Ridership : 686,000 (Projected 2020 Daily Ridership : 850,000)
Future Upgrades and Extensions : Blue line Extension to Lynn and Charles / MGH , Ashmont Extension to Hyde Park , Green line extension to Somerville/Medford extension , Restoration of the A Green line branch


I will do a more detail DC - Baltimore region next and NYC

[DarkWolf]

Originally Posted by randy8876

The Still Elusive "Return to the City" | Newgeography.com

And yet another article that shows cities are so screwed up people aren't moving back to them.

Fix those criminal ridden cesspool cities and most everything else is easy to have fall in place.

We started to in some cities , while leaving others rot some more.....but the Railway suburbs are growing fast....those in my opinion are just as good as the cities....there walkable , dense and diverse..

[chielgirl]

It became dishonest when you made it political.
Are you saying that no "right of center" people are interested in rail?

[chielgirl]

It became dishonest when you made it political.
Are you saying that no "right of center" people are interested in rail?

[jeffington]

Originally Posted by chielgirl

It became dishonest when you made it political.
Are you saying that no "right of center" people are interested in rail?

I am not aware of any. We are far to intelligent to squander money on stuff that nobody wants to use. Freeways, highways, roads, avenues etc., designed for POVs

[jetgraphics]

Originally Posted by Icy Tea

Liberals go for ideas, dreams, pie in the sky. They don't want to be bothered with the details or work required to make things happen, they just want the end result. ...

I can hop a bus and get to Atlantic City or NYC and its way better than driving a car there. But I never use public transit any time else. I don't have it where I live. Its got its uses but people will always need cars. ....

Here are some bothersome details:
[] U.S. Domestic oil production - roughly 8.5 million barrels / day and declining
[] U.S. oil consumption - roughly 19 million barrels / day
[] U.S. oil reserves (proven) - 8 year supply

People DO need transportation but America can't afford to support over 240 million automobiles, their fuel, the infrastructure, and the side effects.

We are approaching a point where converging trends will pretty much spell disaster for the USA. Whether that shows up as a collapse of the economy, international trade, government, riots, chaos, or whatever, we cannot continue on this same trend indefinitely.

Before the Progressives / Socialist gummed up things, America did have a prodigious network of rail transportation, mainline, interurban, and urban streetcars. But the rise in taxation (1916 income tax, for example) and hostility to privately owned infrastructure resulted in a shift toward the oil consuming automobile (due, in part to America's status as Queen of Oil in the 1st half of the 20th century).
Well, it's pretty clear we are no longer capable of fueling ourselves with petroleum, so let's stop fooling ourselves.

[ergohead]

High speed busses, that's what.

220 MPH Greyhound Methamhighway busses.

http://www.theonion.com/video/obama-...ith-hig,18473/