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Rail is a solution for large dense population areas that work in another large dense population area. That was fine last century when we didn't have a choice and millions of office workers had to commute to downtown.
Yep, which is why rail works so well in Europe but not very well in the US outside the BosWash corridor. The US is way too big and spread out for it to make sense.
I pay fuel tax(part of which goes directly to mass transit), enormous amounts of sales tax on vehicles that rivals the fuel tax, license fees, registration fees, title transfer fees and inspection fees.
On top of that small business's are collecting sales tax from me on parts for my car and the industry building those cars and parts is paying huge sums of tax along with all their employees.
If I get ticket my $25 fine comes out to $100 because of all the extra fees they levy. If I park my car in Philly at a public lot half the money is split equally between the city and the Philly school district.
Ok. I pay all sorts of taxes and fees for my vehicle too.
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Other than buying a $11 hamburger that costs Amtrak $16 to make and a fare that does not cover costs what are these people using mass transit/rail paying?
Well we could just come up with municipal, state, and federal transit tax to help pay for the ~10.8 billion total trips (in 2014) used on mass transit.
However, I shouldn't have to tell you how government officials prefer to raid some other fund instead of actually funding something. It makes it seem like they didn't raise taxes....
Central planning is always limited by the present, known and available. It never anticipates let alone creates anything new.
"High speed rail" stands a very good chance of being the 21 Century's canals: the best transport imaginable until someone invented trains. Hyperloop Evacuated Tube Transport could leave HSR stillborn. It could be 90% cheaper to build than rail and 75% cheaper than freeways. Transportation might need only 2% as much energy.
the point of High Speed Rail is to transport people from high density city centers to other city centers quickly and safely. Cars and busses are not the transportation forms that HSR would replace. Short distance air transport is the competition. Connecting San Diego, Los Angles basin and San Francisco with a HSR system makes a lot of sense.
Besides I would rather have the government build a modern transportation system instead of a new bomber that would be little more then another big expensive skeet for our enemy's AA gunners. The Air Force has managed to get out mass spending Republican Congress to approve this actual boondoggle without telling them what it will cost. Even if it provided more then flying targets it would certainly be too expensive.
Greg W. have you been watching what Obama has done to our military the last 7 1/2 years?
We have the smallest army and navy since pre WW2 our equipment is worn out there are no spare parts so the air force scavenge parts from museum pieces and the boneyard.The common defence of our nation is top priority not free obamaphones and other liberal mindset crap....let the private sector build it all the government does is FUBAR!
Well we could just come up with municipal, state, and federal transit tax to help pay for the ~10.8 billion total trips (in 2014) used on mass transit.
How about the obvious, raise fares.
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