Discussion: High Speed Rail

[StorminNorman]

I believe that the American cultural will never allow for a successful train system, explaining why no private venture has already attempted it. What are your thoughts on the 8 Billion dollar project?

 

[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

 

[redfirebird2008]

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

And it's much faster than sitting in Vegas traffic, which is a huge pain in the butt along the Strip.

 

[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.

 

[hippie_hunter]

I think it would be profitable if they thought outside the box.

Personally, I think we should be investing in maglev like whats in Shanghai, China. It's not only cheaper than a plane, but it's also faster. I think people would really go for that.

And think about all the jobs it would create.

However, if we invest money into systems and technologies that are pretty much already in place. Hell no.

 

[Malice]

I still cant believe this was in the stimulus....still insulting to me.

Profitable....probably not

 

[CaptainClown]

pay for advertising space broadcast CNN. Maybe starbucks at the way stations. I can see them making money off some aspects of it.

 

[Paradyme]

I wouldn't mind railways between major cities where I am but it doesn't really matter to me. I'd rather it have been postponed and not in the spendulus bill but to late now.

 

[rdh007]

I think it would be profitable if they thought outside the box.

Personally, I think we should be investing in maglev like whats in Shanghai, China. It's not only cheaper than a plane, but it's also faster. I think people would really go for that.

And think about all the jobs it would create.

However, if we invest money into systems and technologies that are pretty much already in place. Hell no.

I agree with this post. I also think that as fossil fuels become more scarce and thus much more expensive, people will flock to trains. If I could find a train that was high speed, was going somewhere I wanted and was a similar price to driving, I'd take it. I'd prefer to let someone else do the driving anyway.

 

[Malice]

The US has a mental block to rails it seems this day in age...
I will be honest, I would love to ride a rail to work and back...but riding a rail to another city...dont know...just dont know.

 

[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.

 

[danoyse]

I think it would be great to have something like that here. I took the Eurostar from London to Paris last year and it was fantastic. The train moves so fast your ears pop like you're on an airplane, but the whole trip took 3 hours. There was also a line that goes from the UK straight to a stop at Disneyland Paris, so that's easy enough to get to as well.

I would love to have something like that here. I took a train from NY to Florida once: it took 2 days and and we broke down. I'll never do it again. But I think if we had a high-speed train that went to NY, Chicago, DC, places like that I would use the rails a lot more often.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

It depends on where you come from, some Americans seem fine with the idea of using the train, others don't.

 

[bunk]

Well we don't have them now. It's one of those things where you really never know until you try it. As long as they're affordable, convenient, and people feel safe, I don't see why not.

 

[danoyse]

I think once people here got a chance to try it, it would be successful. I know Jindal was ripping into that Vegas-to-Disneyland rail line, and it does sound ridiculous. But in reality there is an interest in it, and I think it would great for the tourism industry.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Well we don't have them now. It's one of those things where you really never know until you try it. As long as they're affordable, convenient, and people feel safe, I don't see why not.

That's not really true. Some states, like New York and Boston (especially between those two cities) have a ton of train traffic, others not so much. I could see Vegas getting some good use out of it, just as Washington DC, Boston and NYC already do...however I think it's all going to depend on how the initial response there is going to be. If it works there maybe other towns will warm up to it.

 

[hippie_hunter]

I agree with this post. I also think that as fossil fuels become more scarce and thus much more expensive, people will flock to trains. If I could find a train that was high speed, was going somewhere I wanted and was a similar price to driving, I'd take it. I'd prefer to let someone else do the driving anyway.

It's not even about fossil fuels and whatnot it's all about affordability and convenience.

Think about the proposed California-Nevada Interstate Maglev route between Anaheim, California and Las Vegas Nevada:

- If somone took a car, they're going to have to drive over 220 miles. It's something that's going to require a full tank of gas which is currently $2.24 in California and $2.19 in Nevada. That's going to take up to $50.00 to fill that thing. And when you're driving between 55 MPH and 75 MPH, it's going to take 3-4 hours to get there.

However, with a maglev which goes over 300 MPH, it'll probably take about an hour to get there when accounting for the stops along the route. And the ticket price will account for the tank of gas, if not a little cheaper.

- If someone took an airplane they will have to pay over $120 for the ticket and the maglev will still get there in faster time.

 

[Addendum]

It would take a while to catch on, but I think eventually it will. Especially if there's more between major cities similar to the old rail lines.

Another thing that could work but for local travel would be cable cars in towns that don't have a subway system

 

[danoyse]

It's not even about fossil fuels and whatnot it's all about affordability and convenience.

Think about the proposed California-Nevada Interstate Maglev route between Anaheim, California and Las Vegas Nevada:

- If somone took a car, they're going to have to drive over 220 miles. It's something that's going to require a full tank of gas which is currently $2.24 in California and $2.19 in Nevada. That's going to take up to $50.00 to fill that thing. And when you're driving between 55 MPH and 75 MPH, it's going to take 3-4 hours to get there.

However, with a maglev which goes over 300 MPH, it'll probably take about an hour to get there when accounting for the stops along the route. And the ticket price will account for the tank of gas, if not a little cheaper.

- If someone took an airplane they will have to pay over $120 for the ticket and the maglev will still get there in faster time.

I went to Disneyland last year, and we considered taking a day trip to Vegas but decided against it due to the gas prices and how much time it would take to get there and back. But if we had a train that got us there in an hour? We probably would have done it.

 

[bunk]

That's not really true. Some states, like New York and Boston (especially between those two cities) have a ton of train traffic, others not so much. I could see Vegas getting some good use out of it, just as Washington DC, Boston and NYC already do...however I think it's all going to depend on how the initial response there is going to be. If it works there maybe other towns will warm up to it.

Do they have the high speed mag levitation trains, or the traditional light rail type there? I've been on the DC trains, but those aren't the same as what's being proposed.

 

[SuBe]

I went to Disneyland last year, and we considered taking a day trip to Vegas but decided against it due to the gas prices and how much time it would take to get there and back. But if we had a train that got us there in an hour? We probably would have done it.

Would you rather there be some sort of Venture between Businesses in Las Vegas and Disney to pay for this, or would you rather they raise Taxes on all Americans to pay for this?

 

[danoyse]

Would you rather there be some sort of Venture between Businesses in Las Vegas and Disney to pay for this, or would you rather they raise Taxes on all Americans to pay for this?

Whichever way works.

 

[Marx]

This is an area that the United States could really learn a lesson from Europe.

This country needs high speed rail.

 

[SuBe]

Whichever way works.

I would support it as long as I don't end up paying for it. If Disney and the Vegas Casinos want it, they can pay for it.

 

[Hypestyle]

nationwide and regionalized mass transit service needs to be the way of the future, especially as the airlines recurringly declare themselves to be in dire straits.. motor-vehicle ownership still evades as much as 1/3 of individuals & families (especially if they are low-income), who still spend as much as 1/3 of their income on transportation via bus/cab, etc.; wildly fluctuating regional costs for auto insurance makes it prohibitively expensive even for those who do own their own vehicle; younger professionals dealing with college loans may defer vehicle ownership and settle in a transit-friendly city..

urban, suburban, and rural communities need to be able to access transit at affordable rates- rebuilding american communities' infrastructure to make it more transit-friendly needs to happen- not 'maybe', not 30+ years from now.. demand that automakers and rail-freight companies get on board with the development process.. transit-related jobs & other businesses spring up directly and indirectly from transit development & implementation.. private/public partnerships in funding can and should happen..