So why do I say that high speed rail will not work in the US? One word:
Ridership
Two words:
PEAK OIL
As global demand for oil exceeds global supply, the market will seek more fuel efficient modes of transportation. Passenger rail systems fulfill that market need and ridership will continuously increase.
Peak Oil is a myth. The idea is frightening, and therefore very useful to those with an agenda to sell, but it is still a myth. Oil is being found everywhere, and is not running out.
Not to mention I've proven that vanpools and hybrids are more fuel efficient per passenger mile than trains. If you're so concerned about peak oil and energy efficiency, Willie, then you should support hybrids and vanpools as they consume even LESS energy per passenger mile than your precious trains.
Heck, for the $2.8 TRILLION it would take (at a minimum) to deploy high speed rail in the US, you could buy every family in America a $20,000 hybrid and STILL have money left over. And use about half the energy of your trains.
It's also telling that you don't dispute the costs. Apparently a $400+ per-trip subsidy is A-OK in your world! What could we do with that subsidy? That's a LOT of money - $4000 per weekday commuter, per week. Why not just pay them $2000 per week to stay at home - even smaller fuel costs, and it would be half the price!
What would it take to have the economic impetus to move from cars to trains, given this absurdly high subsidy? Well, assume 75 miles per trip, and let's assume 15 MPG for a big SUV with just a single passenger. You'll use 5 gallons of gas for that trip.
Gas could cost $75 per GALLON and it would still be cheaper to drive than pay for the train.
Face it, Willie: the economic realities simply do NOT bear out what you're pitching. It's economically insane to attempt high speed rail here in the US. You'd have to have gas over $75 PER GALLON, and everyone driving SUVs to even get close to the costs required for your dream.
We have oil (just not the political willpower - yet - to tap it), we have it at a low price, and we do not have the density nor population required to make high speed rail viable. You lose on all counts, Willie.
Virtually everyone on FR can add except you. Any plans for acquiring that skill?
Well, we'll see. Meantime, due at minimum to your economic incompetence, why not apply for a job with your HE-E-E-RO, Zerobama?
Known reserves at present rates of consumption are out 50 years, or more. The US has maintained a 3 year, world wide consumption for decades.
You don’t mean ‘Peak Oil’. You mean ‘Political Oil’. Yeah, that we could run out of. As Nobel economist Milton Freidman said, ‘If the government was in charge of the Sahara, we would have sand shortages in two years’”.
With over 400 years of US supply in California reserves there isn’t any such thing as Peak Oil!
Peak Oil only exists in the minds of socialists and choo-choo Willie!