Why High Speed Rail is a Boondoggle in the Midwest

[Dog Wonder]

There is no hound on as low a level as he is..

 

[southwind]

Sounds like you 2 had bad experiences on the school buses, growing up !

 

[Dog Wonder]

Sounds like you rode the short bus.

 

[eolesen]

Airline does not make.sense to me for a short haul 500-800 miles or so. by the time I park, check in, get abused by TSA ...and do it all over attention be destination I could have had a relaxing ride on a train. SAN-SFO would be an.example I could think of where a train would be preferable.

In Japan, where trains rule the day, the railroad has ~65% market share in markets of 300 miles or less (2-3h).

Start getting into the 500 mile markets (5h), and the airlines dominate with >90% market share.

Since trains in the US operating on the freight network won't ever approach 160mph (which is the norm for the Shinkansen), the corresponding tolerance would work out to ~65% share at sub-200 miles and dwindling to ~90% at about 325 miles.

Some people might feel like you do, but they're probably not valuing their time as low as you are.

If I'm heading out on business, six hours in transit plus eight hours at my destination is a reasonable workday. Ten-twelve hours in transit and eight hours at my destination isn't quite as good a use of my time.

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

Better check to see which fool politicized it, Bears. Wisconsin turned down the $810M grant for MKE-MSN based on the economics.

MKE-MSN wasn't necessary, and left the State on the hook for the $8M per year in operational expenses left over after projected farebox revenues, possibly more if the revenue projections fell apart. WI wasn't given the option of only using the portion of the funds targeted for MKE-CHI upgrades. It was an all or nothing proposition.

Walker re-applied for the $150M needed to upgrade the Hiawathas and fund two more trainsets and eight engines to meet ridership demand.

Hiawatha has been in the top 10 traffic routes for Amtrak as far as I can recall. Somewhere around 800,000 riders annually (2200 per day).

Instead of supporting a success, Ray LaHood chose to hold a grudge, and "work with states that had shown support for expanded rail service," which is DC speak for "we're going to pay back our buddies who vote for us". In conservative speak, it's "we get to pick the winners and losers."

Blue states CT, ME, RI, MA, IL, CA, and MI wound up with the brunt of the $2B in grant money available. A paltry combined $19M was given out to red states -- TX and NC.

GLAD you mentioned NC eric, because AMTRAK has a relatively new relationship with them that the state is very satisfied with !
Therefore...ANY republican house member, voting to privatize Amtrak get PROMPTLY 'thrown out of office on his ear',...............WHICH (along with the Dems) is why the REPUGS....NEVER can get a majority vote to privatize.
Oh yes, thier able to 'nickle and dime' Amtrak by cutting some funding, ...BUT, a strange thing has happened 'on the way to the forum'. That being,....that despite all the dirty GOP tricks, Amtrak is presently earning 80+% of thier subsidy,..UP from thier low of 50%, and the numbers continue to Rise.

Non NE states are warming up to rail travel, in partnership with Amtrak. I suspect that WI, once it goes BLUE AGAIN will get move favored treatment, much like NC/MI/IL/CA/OR/WA, and despite that lunatic governor in Florida-SCOTT, Florida is BEGGING Amtrak to return to the panhandle on the route (JAX-MSY)wiped out by Katrina.
Finally as an aside, ask the 'out in the middle of nowhere' (beautiful ) state of Montana, how fast they want to see Amtrak 'messed with' via privatization !
(Thank GOD Warren Buffett owns the Majority of BNSF) !!!

 

[southwind]

Hmm..............wonder if this has anything to do with Amtrak's success ?

"H.R. 6003 Would Be the Costliest Bailout in Amtrak's 40 Years ofFederal Subsidies"

"Over the five-year life of the legislation, taxpayers would have to provide a total of $12.8 billion for the benefit of the tiny share of the nation's travelers using the system."

http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2008/06/hr-6003-would-be-the-costliest-bailout-in-amtraks-40-years-of-federal-subsidies

Amtrak is nothing more than another "Poorly" run government entity, needing bailouts from Joe Tax-payer !

 

[Dog Wonder]

Hmmm, if you put Hmmmmm in front of your post before you cut and paste and make a link to some website, does that indicate deep thought?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

 

[southwind]

Hmmm, do you ever contribute anything to the dicussion at hand ?

Sorry, some of us back ourselves up with facts and don't make sh!t up , like you do !

Now go sniff someone's balls, like a good doggy !

 

[Ms Tree]

While Dog may not contribute all that much, please do not interpret what you contribute as facts. It has already been proven on numerous occasions that you have a tenuous grip at best on the concept of facts. The most recent of which was your accusation about the CPUSA suing the DNC. A cursory search was all it took to disprove that load of crap. You are the last person on this site who should be talking to anyone about proof and facts.

 

[SparrowHawk]

Sounds like you 2 had bad experiences on the school buses, growing up !

I think most would prefer not to "Ride the Dog". It is cheap relative to other alternatives. It also meets the basic qualification of mass transit in that it carries more people which spreads the fuel cost over more travelers which is really what we're talkig about.

I have always advocated a free market approach and in the quest to become more energy efficient we need to explore ALL technologies. Stuff like gettig trucks to run on Natural gas (Which we have a boatload of domestically) Same for buses. Electic for inner city buses.

The challange as usual is for the government to know when to step or butt out. The government will be required if new infrastructure is to be created due to zoning, EPA etc etc ad nausea.

 

[Dog Wonder]

Hmmm, do you ever contribute anything to the dicussion at hand ?

Sorry some of us make sh!t up ,

Hmmmmm, there is the last post in the October Surprise thread.

 

[Hello3B]

Sounds like you rode the short bus.

I bet you chased after the bus........woof.....woof

 

[Dog Wonder]

So that was you looking out the back window of the short bus.

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

Hmm..............wonder if this has anything to do with Amtrak's success ?

"H.R. 6003 Would Be the Costliest Bailout in Amtrak's 40 Years ofFederal Subsidies"

"Over the five-year life of the legislation, taxpayers would have to provide a total of $12.8 billion for the benefit of the tiny share of the nation's travelers using the system."

http://www.heritage....deral-subsidies

Amtrak is nothing more than another "Poorly" run government entity, needing bailouts from Joe Tax-payer !

YOU would'nt know a F'n FACT if you STEPPED on it !

A nice quote from (drum roll please)...The HERITAGE Foundation. 'I REST MY CASE' !!

And to NO ONE'S Surprise, the Only form of public transportation that you've ever knowm(after your PICK-UP sh!t the bed) IS GREYHOUND ! ( we all saw how much your familiar with GREYHOUND, and ticket prices etc)

And back to public transportation, ...If you're from the greater Atlanta area(which you 'may' be) ....good ol' Hotlanta" is a NATIONAL DISGRACE for lack of efficient public trans. for a city/area of it's size !

Besides the Heritage Foundation, what other 'News Flashes' did you get this morning(on your computer) from the DRUDGE REPORT or FUX News ?
Red-neck........S-Head !

 

[SparrowHawk]

I'm a little disappointed with you Black Bears. Calling Southwind a redneck is an insult to every union man and woman in the nation. The origins of the term "Redneck" came from the hills of West Virginia and the miners of Mingo & Logan County.

Most miners had taken to wearing blue bib overalls and tying around their necks a red bandana which soon became the hallmark of the insurgent army, leading both friends and foes to refer to them as “rednecks.

You can read more about the battle of blair Mountain here. http://www.glendale.edu/chaparral/apr05/blair.htm