Discussion: High Speed Rail

[The Incredible Hulk]

not sure that it would be any different than any other train. at least with trains, you cant aim them.

[SuBe]

True, I'm thinking about the Subway Terrorist Acts in Japan a few years ago, and the Bombings in Madrid was at a Train Station.

[SuperT]

I think that if the rail made connections through most major cities in the US, I think it would be a huge hit, especially in this day and age with gas still being ridiculous.

[StorminNorman]

Originally Posted by SuperT

I think that if the rail made connections through most major cities in the US, I think it would be a huge hit, especially in this day and age with gas still being ridiculous.

Did we just time warp to August?

[dnno1]

Originally Posted by Morg

Probably not, case in point the monorail in Vegas is not making a profit ever since it went online. Which is weird consider it's much cheaper then using a taxi and you can usually get a 3 day pass and go up and down the strip

Originally Posted by CaptainClown

I believe it will be profitable but not to the train itself. It would be profitable for retail businesses as people would have more money to spend on dvds then transportation. The car companies are going to have to change to be more efficient so they are going to lose out no matter what.

Originally Posted by SuBe

It will never be profitable, because this country is too big. It would make sense for smaller countries. But, there isn't enough demand for it. Plus, if it was a Government Opperation, they are barred from making a Profit.

It doesn't necessarily have to show a profit, but rather produce a savings elsewhere. Having a high speed rail offers an alternative mode of transportation to the consumer that he didn't have before. The added competition could serve to drive the costs of transportation down (a savings to the consumer). Since it is a mass transit system it can serve to offload some of the wear and tear on major highways or defer the building of new highways to meet the increasing amount of traffic (another potential savings). I think some of you use the argument of profitability as if the United States' national passenger rail system should be privatized. The truth of the matter is it hasn't been since the early to mid 1970's. If you want to look at some good examples look at Japan's high speed rail system (which is now privatized). If you want something close to home look at the success of Amtrak's Acela Express high speed rail service from Washington D.C. to Boston (the only one in the U.S.), which saw an 8.8% increase in ridership back in 2006.

[hippie_hunter]

Originally Posted by StorminNorman Returns

Did we just time warp to August?

That's what I was thinking.

But think about people who fly across the United States though. A maglev train offers them a faster and cheaper route and wanting to get from say....New York City to Los Angeles or Boston to Orlando. Tickets from airlines nowadays are still pretty ridiculous even with the lower fuel costs.

[SuBe]

That's only because they purchased Jet Fuel at the High Cost.

[StorminNorman]

Originally Posted by hippie_hunter

That's what I was thinking.

But think about people who fly across the United States though. A maglev train offers them a faster and cheaper route and wanting to get from say....New York City to Los Angeles or Boston to Orlando. Tickets from airlines nowadays are still pretty ridiculous even with the lower fuel costs.

That is something I could support, in theory - but Obama's proposed HSR just seems like a money hole.

[hippie_hunter]

Originally Posted by SuBe

That's only because they purchased Jet Fuel at the High Cost.

Actually it's now simply because the airlines aren't profitable anymore. With the crash in fuel prices, the airlines couldn't use the "fuel surcharge" excuse anymore and simply came out and said that the reason why ticket prices are so high is because they're not making a lot of money.

[hippie_hunter]

Originally Posted by StorminNorman Returns

That is something I could support, in theory - but Obama's proposed HSR just seems like a money hole.

Putting money into regular high speed rail like AmTrak's Acela is pointless.

But the maglev routes proposed for the California-Nevada Interstate Maglev (which essentially connects Los Angeles and Las Vegas and can be used to extend all the way to Seattle, Phoenix, San Fransisco, San Diego, Portland, etc.) and the Baltimore-Washington D.C. Maglev (which can be easily extended to Boston in the North connecting Philiadelphia and New York City in the process; and Charlotte in North Carolina) can be really useful.

[dnno1]

Originally Posted by hippie_hunter

Putting money into regular high speed rail like AmTrak's Acela is pointless.

But the maglev routes proposed for the California-Nevada Interstate Maglev (which essentially connects Los Angeles and Las Vegas and can be used to extend all the way to Seattle, Phoenix, San Fransisco, San Diego, Portland, etc.) and the Baltimore-Washington D.C. Maglev (which can be easily extended to Boston in the North connecting Philiadelphia and New York City in the process; and Charlotte in North Carolina) can be really useful.

They are not going to use Maglev technology in California. That was considered and rejected four years ago due to it's intolerance to servicing major intercity travel markets like the San Jose to San Francisco and the Los Angeles to San Diego (LOSSAN) corridors. It basically doesn't meet the purpose and needs of the State.

[hippie_hunter]

Then **** that one.

[ChrisBaleBatman]

So....the high speed rail system goes from disney world to a whore house in Vegas.

Wow.

Funny.

[Marx]

ARE BULLET TRAINS COMING TO THE US?
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/08/18...ex.html?hpt=C2

[Superman]

I think one from NY to DC and back would be profitable but I'm not sure about this one.

It could be profitable if given a chance but I'm not sure, People in the US like their cars too much.

[hippie_hunter]

I say right now simply focus on the Northeast Corridor and see what happens there. High speed rail is guaranteed to be successful there.

[Marx]

According to the AP, President Obama is planning to announce a major six year high-speed rail plan.

[Marx]

UPDATE: 1.5 BILLION DOLLARS CUT FROM RAIL PLAN IN 'BUDGET DEAL'
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_847587.html

[chaseter]

It is going to cost trillions of dollars to build an interstate high speed rail system. We don't have the money right now.

1.5 billion won't even build 100 miles of track.

[Marx]

The same could have been said for the interstate highway system...

[chaseter]

First off, 1.5 billion is laughable. California is spending 65-something billion just to link San Fran with LA. That is 300 miles of track...that costs over 65 billion. That is over 200 million dollars per mile.

Secondly, the demand is not here at this point in time when we have planes. I could see your point if planes did not exist. A train has to stop tons of times at each town to pick up more riders to even have a shot at being profitable or at least break even...something Amtrak cannot even do and for a lot less than a ticket on a bullet train would be. High speed rails are only feasible between two major metropolitan areas like say NYC and DC.

So in other words, it would have to be quicker and cheaper than taking a plane or getting in your car. Now take San Fran to LA for example. It's like 300 miles between the two. That's about a 5 hour drive. I think the ticket price they came up with for a one way ticket was $60 or something close. That is more than it would cost to drive it with gas at $4 a gallon. With gas at $5 a gallon it would still be less if your car gets say 30mpg. So what if you have a family? What would you do Marx? Would you pay 120 bucks for a round trip train ticket or would you would you pay $80 for gas if your car gets say 30mpg? Would a couple of hours shaved off your trip warrant $40? Now what about a family of say 4 or 5?

[dnno1]

Originally Posted by Marx

UPDATE: 1.5 BILLION DOLLARS CUT FROM RAIL PLAN IN 'BUDGET DEAL'
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_847587.html

High-Speed Rail Cut of $1.5 Billion Won’t Hurt Existing Programs

[Marx]

I'm a big supporter of high speed rail and I do not like seeing any cuts being made to the project.

[Kelly]

Well, in comparison to Japan's bullet trains....this isn't high speed anything.....and if it doesn't get you from Point A to Point B faster than air, and in some cases even car...then it is a waste of money as far as I'm concerned, because no one will use it.

This ain't "Field Of Dreams" if they build it, they will come type of thing....

Railway travel just doesn't show up as a blip as far as customer demand.

[chaseter]

Amtrak can't even churn a profit and people want the government to build MOAR TRAINS!!!