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Our great capitalist society...
On Mon, 02 Sep 2013 14:05:11 -0400, "F.O.A.D." wrote:
our interstate highway system is crumbling === That's a major exaggeration. Some parts are certainly better than others but most of it is in very good shape. We just completed a 3,000+ mile road trip on some of the most most heavily traveled interstates on the east coast. Traffic and construction delays are far more of an issue than road quality. |
Our great capitalist society...
"iBoaterer" wrote in message ... I agree wholeheartedly, our infrastructure sucks. Trouble is it sucks because people like you are afraid of change and innovation. ----------------------------- The only way it will change in our society is if people (consumers of products and services) want and demand it. They are not keen on having things stuffed down their throats by the government. So far, nobody really wants or cares about high speed rail except for some politicians and a handful of lobbyist. |
Our great capitalist society...
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Our great capitalist society...
"F.O.A.D." wrote in message ... On 9/2/13 1:22 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote: "F.O.A.D." wrote in message m... On 9/2/13 10:27 AM, Mr. Luddite wrote: "F.O.A.D." wrote in message ... ...can't compete with this: Japan Railway Comp. (JR Tokai) (TYO:9022) (aka. "The Central Japan Railway Comp.) is responsible for ferrying close to 400,000 passengers a day between some of the largest cities in central Japan. While its fastest bullet trains can cut the transit time from Tokyo to Osaka from about 6 hours by car to about 2 hours and 20 minutes by bullet train, JR Tokai is dreaming of a next generation maglev system that could go even faster, completing the 500+ kilometer (310+ mile) journey in under an hour. When you don't waste your money on the military, you can have nice things. -------------------------------- Funds have been approved to develop high speed rail corridors in the US however the Department of Transportation is still working on the safety standards that will apply. Right now, the "crash worthiness" spec for the trains is more than double (in terms of forces than can be withstood without frame deformation) than the standards used in Europe and Japan's high speed rail systems, i.e. almost 900,000 lbs versus 350,000 lbs. The cost of designing and manufacturing such trains is a major impediment, as is the cost of the rail system itself. Right now there are Amtrak trains between Boston and Wash DC capable of doing over 200 mph however there are very limited stretches of track that would allow speeds of even 150 mph. Plus, even if they could run at high speed, they would never be able to sustain the speed very long without having to stop at stations along the way. Not enough passenger usage for "non stop" tracks. Yeah, I've heard and read every excuse here for at least the last 20 years. The fact remains that in the operation of high speed trains, we're still in the caboose. ------------------------------- We've also had viable options like a network of airports, airlines and a love affair with cars. We are not Europe or Japan and don't necessarily need to emulate them just because it works for them. Most of our airports are obsolete and our interstate highway system is crumbling, along with our power grid. ------------------------------ I'll betcha if a national poll was taken the majority of people would prefer spending money on fixing roads and airports in lieu of building a rail system network and trains capable of travelling 200+ mph. The power grid isn't as big of a problem as you may think. Demand has basically flat lined in the past several years and has actually dropped in some. Smart grids and energy efficient devices have helped. |
Our great capitalist society...
On 9/2/13 2:38 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote:
"F.O.A.D." wrote in message ... On 9/2/13 1:22 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote: "F.O.A.D." wrote in message m... On 9/2/13 10:27 AM, Mr. Luddite wrote: "F.O.A.D." wrote in message ... ...can't compete with this: Japan Railway Comp. (JR Tokai) (TYO:9022) (aka. "The Central Japan Railway Comp.) is responsible for ferrying close to 400,000 passengers a day between some of the largest cities in central Japan. While its fastest bullet trains can cut the transit time from Tokyo to Osaka from about 6 hours by car to about 2 hours and 20 minutes by bullet train, JR Tokai is dreaming of a next generation maglev system that could go even faster, completing the 500+ kilometer (310+ mile) journey in under an hour. When you don't waste your money on the military, you can have nice things. -------------------------------- Funds have been approved to develop high speed rail corridors in the US however the Department of Transportation is still working on the safety standards that will apply. Right now, the "crash worthiness" spec for the trains is more than double (in terms of forces than can be withstood without frame deformation) than the standards used in Europe and Japan's high speed rail systems, i.e. almost 900,000 lbs versus 350,000 lbs. The cost of designing and manufacturing such trains is a major impediment, as is the cost of the rail system itself. Right now there are Amtrak trains between Boston and Wash DC capable of doing over 200 mph however there are very limited stretches of track that would allow speeds of even 150 mph. Plus, even if they could run at high speed, they would never be able to sustain the speed very long without having to stop at stations along the way. Not enough passenger usage for "non stop" tracks. Yeah, I've heard and read every excuse here for at least the last 20 years. The fact remains that in the operation of high speed trains, we're still in the caboose. ------------------------------- We've also had viable options like a network of airports, airlines and a love affair with cars. We are not Europe or Japan and don't necessarily need to emulate them just because it works for them. Most of our airports are obsolete and our interstate highway system is crumbling, along with our power grid. ------------------------------ I'll betcha if a national poll was taken the majority of people would prefer spending money on fixing roads and airports in lieu of building a rail system network and trains capable of travelling 200+ mph. The power grid isn't as big of a problem as you may think. Demand has basically flat lined in the past several years and has actually dropped in some. Smart grids and energy efficient devices have helped. Not to worry. Nothing much is happening in refurbishing roads, bridges, dams, infrastructure. |
Our great capitalist society...
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Our great capitalist society...
On Mon, 02 Sep 2013 14:42:08 -0400, "F.O.A.D." wrote:
Not to worry. Nothing much is happening in refurbishing roads, bridges, dams, infrastructure. === Talk to your president. If you *really* want to boost the economy *and* help the infrastructure, that's a good use of government funding. Congress would sign up because there'd be plenty of pork to pass around. |
Our great capitalist society...
On Mon, 2 Sep 2013 14:20:29 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote: So far, nobody really wants or cares about high speed rail except for some politicians and a handful of lobbyist. === There are some routes where high speed rail might make sense. Tampa to Orlando is not yet one of them however. SanFrancisco to LA and San Diego might work. Another possibility is Chicago to Florida and/or NY to Florida. All of those routes see very heavy air travel. If the Florida routes were planned correctly, you might get Tampa to Orlando, FTL and MIA as part of the bargain. One of my neighbors is in the process of driving his wife to Michigan because she hates to fly. He ends up doing it 4 or 5 times a year. |
Our great capitalist society...
On 9/2/2013 1:05 PM, Wayne.B wrote:
On Mon, 02 Sep 2013 11:48:18 -0400, wrote: In this country, we for the most part gave up on rail public transportation development after WW II. We discovered air travel. === And the interstate highway system, along with comfortable, air conditioned cars. And the fact that most of us couldn't conduct our everyday lives on public transport.... |
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