Sen. John F. Kerry rails at Acela

"regret that this country has not developed a serious coast-to-coast high speed rail system that could compete with the airlines."

?? A coast-to-coast high speed rail system could not be competitive with the airlines (unless it was very heavily subsidized). The travel time would still be much longer, even at 200 - 250 mph, and the fares would be much higher.

I love trains, and have enjoyed riding many around western Europe as well as some long stretches in the US and Canada (when I was a student and not too pressed for time). I love the high-speed trains I have ridden in Europe such as the TGV and Thalys. But the economics of long distance high-speed train travel in North America just aren't there. Maybe that will change if the price of oil continues to soar and if we finally get toward a (nearly) all-nuclear-powered electric grid. Even if the energy costs are more competitive, however, the initial investments for infrastructure would be many hundreds of billions of dollars if you're talking about trans-continental service. Maybe more can/will be done in the northeast corridor and on a few other inter-city routes within a few hundred miles..... but 3,000+ miles? Don't see it happening in our lifetimes.

Now I don't think the government is the answer ... the private train operators need to upgrade their tracks and right a ways.

The private railroads got rid of passenger service 38 years ago because they could not make money on it. That continues today: You don't make money hauling passengers. Where railroads are spending money they are doing it to upgrade their tracks because of freight capacity issues. Higher fuel costs means more freight moves by rail rather than by truck. Amtrak is supposed to get priority on the tracks, but with existing rails clogged with freight/maintenance projects, you wait your turn.

And, BTW, how do you make private industry spend money they don't have on a money losing proposition? Nationalize them? Yeah, more government will solve the problem, right? And isn't that contrary to your original premise?

There is an answer, but it requires a private/public partnership which the private railroads generally resist because they do not want more government intervention/regulation. However, at some point some may see that they can accomplish more upgrades with a mixture of funding approaches that requires passenger and freight share track, as has been done in the Oakland/Sacramento rail corridor. IMO that is the only approach which will work to unclog the system. Bullet trains in urban areas on tracks isolated from others will carry an immense price cost requiring massive private property acquisition and business disruption for gaining only a few minutes of time. Totally impractical.

N.theknow...I was pretty sure back in the steam days they were pushing 100mph but didn't want to post that here less I because I didn't have the docs to prove it...

C.Dave..... If I recall the passenger rail traffic was hit hard when aviation made it faster to get from a to b.. with the advent of only higher fuel costs and the reduction in air route to smaller and mid-sized towns, I submit that it MAYBE possible for the private lines to indeed make money on these routes.

I wouldn't count on it as passenger rail loses money throughout the world. However, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be pursued as government may decide that it is better to have subsided rail at a loss than spend excessive amounts for infrastructure expansion (new roads, etc.).

My problem with that approach here in NM is that Gov. Richardson has decided commuter rail would both enhance his resume and please his greenie supporters, regardless of its practicality in a marginally urban environment. We (NM taxpayers and without a vote by the people) are paying one-half billion dollars for a service that few use and with fares under $4.00 for a roundtrip. It recovers only 14% at the fare box and that will drop to 7-9% when the new track under construction is put into service early new year. The service is a black hole and unnecessary. However, in the crowded NE US, such service may be really necessary and supported by both government and the general population.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.