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Another Stimulus Train Boondoggle
Florida High Speed Rail ^ | 08-18-09 | Self

Posted on 08/18/2009 8:05:01 AM PDT by mission9

The stimulus statists are at it again. This time they want to revive a rail project in Florida that was defeated by public referendum. The lure of stimulus dollars has brought the high-speed railers out in force to grease the skids to the next public boondoggle. Florida already has an Amtrak train in this corridor, yet the ridership is poor. So what is the government solution? Spend 8 billion of borrowed tax dollars on a high speed train that nobody will ride. Now that will fix the economy.

Will the tickets be cheaper? NO.
Will you get to your destination quicker? Only after you get to your rental car.
If the public will not ride a cheap AMTRAK train, albeit a little slower, why do the trainKooks think that the public will ride an expensive fast train?

Even if every person who currently rides aircraft to get from city to city were to switch, the revenue will still not be enough to pay for this project.

The typical argument is to induce Europe envy: “But they have high speed trains in Germany, ....blah, blah, blah...” If the transportation planning department craves speed, how about an AUTOBAHN? They have that in Europe too.

FREEP this site with gusto. Go to the “send us your thoughts” hyperlink, and give them a piece of your mind. Florida FREEPERS can look at the events calender, and FREEP the meetings.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Politics/Elections; US: Florida; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: highspeedrail; porkulus; stimulus
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To: mission9
From the Ledger.com: Supporters, including state Sen. Paula Dockery (R) and the group's founder, former Hillsborough County Commissioner Ed Turanchik, want the state to get a portion of the $8 billion in federal stimulus money set aside for high-speed rail projects.

Selling out those who voted for her and have been against the rail BS.

21 posted on 08/18/2009 3:37:08 PM PDT by Road Warrior ‘04 (I'll miss President Bush greatly! Palin in 2012! The "other" Jim Thompson)
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To: mission9
From the Ledger.com: Supporters, including state Sen. Paula Dockery (R) and the group's founder, former Hillsborough County Commissioner Ed Turanchik, want the state to get a portion of the $8 billion in federal stimulus money set aside for high-speed rail projects.

Selling out those who voted for her and have been against the rail BS.

22 posted on 08/18/2009 3:37:09 PM PDT by Road Warrior ‘04 (I'll miss President Bush greatly! Palin in 2012! The "other" Jim Thompson)
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To: mission9

I am not against passenger travel by rail. Once it was a very classy and elegant way to travel. What I don’t like is that some people have near religious faith in a mythical futuristic magic train that will pay for itself and solve all transportation problems.

What does work is the Metroliner. It runs between the major metropolitan areas of the northeast and takes advantage of the fact that the railroad infrastructure runs through the hearts of our cities while airports do not.


23 posted on 08/18/2009 5:52:54 PM PDT by bobjam
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To: bobjam

This proposal will run airport to airport, down the center of Interstate 4. Urban Centers? that is Sooooo 19th century.....


24 posted on 08/19/2009 12:01:33 PM PDT by mission9 (It ain't bragging if you can do it.)
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