but try high speed rail between Salt Lake City and New Orleans. It will run fast, but empty.
Do you think perhaps that might be why nobody has ever proposed that as a direct route?
Posted on 05/11/2010 5:39:00 AM PDT by Willie Green
TSURU, Japan (AP) - U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood took a ride Tuesday on the fastest passenger train in the world, a Japanese maglev, as part of Tokyo's sales pitch for billions of dollars in high-speed train contracts from the U.S.
Washington is attempting to drive development of a new train network that will eventually span the country, but the U.S. has almost no domestic experience or technology. Japan, with one of the most advanced train systems in the world, is an eager seller, though it has had scant success with exports so far.
LaHood, who in the past few months has also ridden high-speed trains in Spain and France, said he was impressed with Japanese technology but that was only part of the equation. He said potential manufacturers need to "come to America, find facilities to build this equipment in America, and hire American workers."
"It's getting America into the high-speed rail business, but it's also putting Americans to work building the infrastructure," he said.
During his short visit to Tsuru, a quiet town in the shadow of Mt. Fuji about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of Tokyo, he came straight to the Maglev Test Line in Yamanashi prefecture. The train hit speeds of 311 miles per hour (502 kph) during a 27-minute run.
Unlike standard trains that ride along on metal rails, magnetic levitation trains float along suspended by powerful magnets. The Japanese version, developed mainly by operator JR Central, uses superconducting magnets to hover above the track.
The train set a speed record for a passenger train of 581 kilometers per hour (361 mph) in 2003, which JR officials say still holds today.
After decades of testing, the train has been approved by the government and is to begin service in Japan in 2027 between Tokyo and central Nagoya.
"I explained this is proven technology that is already in practical use," said JR Central Chairman Yoshiyuki Kasai.
The U.S. in January awarded $8 billion in starter funds to several regional projects, and is due to give $2.5 billion more this year, LaHood said.
Japan's high-speed rail services are among the most advanced in the world, with hundreds of trains running each day and an average annual delay that is typically less than a minute. No passengers have died from a collision or derailment in nearly a half century of service. The only derailment was during a major earthquake in 2004.
For the sales pitch in the U.S., top government officials are working closely with the country's main train operators.
Wonderful idea IF you have a way to get to the train station in the departure city and a way to get from the terminal to your destination in the arrival city. (Ain’t going to happen here in Eastern NC)
More agitprop from the Obama Junta.
What corporation would commit to working with the Obama Junta anyway? They would be subject to annual purges for not bending over and picking up the soap correctly.
Just think, the unions just got more power yesterday. How convenient.
GE.....
(Ain’t going to happen here in Eastern NC)
Why not? You folks don't seem to have any difficulty getting back and forth from an airport. A RR station is basicly the same, only they can be more conveniently located closer together.
LaHood. A hood from Peoria. A Rino sell out to Hussein and Algore. A small time politician who finally got a place in the sun by stepping across the aisle, guzzling the kookaide and bending over.
The USA has 310 million people living on 3,7 MILLION square mile or 83 persons/ square mile.
That means the density of the japanese people is 10 times more than in the USA.
Public transportation works well in this kind of environment, but try high speed rail between Salt Lake City and New Orleans. It will run fast, but empty.
Yes, but train wrecks at 80 mph are nowhere near as spectacular as those that occur at 300 mph.
but try high speed rail between Salt Lake City and New Orleans. It will run fast, but empty.
Do you think perhaps that might be why nobody has ever proposed that as a direct route?
It’s one thing to travel at 300 mph in the air, it’s another thing completely to travel 300 mph on the ground.
Its going to be a real pleasure watching republicans defund this money toilet.
Oh, goody....It must be Christmas!
So, I am supposed to rent a car at my destination each day??
Are there hot stewardesses?
I haven't hit that yet.
And the jumbo jets between Charlotte and Wilmington are always packed. < /sarcasm >
And as your ROW map shows, the top speed proposed for such a run is 70-110mph. 16 year old kids driving pulp wood trucks go that fast.
I love trains as much as the next person. Got creosote and diesel fuel running through my veins.
But passenger rail...only if you have the time is it a worthwhile alternative to car/plane travel. And then only as a "Bucket List" item as "Gee, I always wanted to take the train from Chicago to Los Angeles. Now that I am retired maybe I can do that."
And still the Japan rail system runs at a loss.
I can go from three convenient SF Bay Area airports to three convenient LA airports for $48 and it takes an hour.
Rail system will never be able to compete with this.
Sorry, no dice.
Yes that is true, but if you look at the relationships between governments like Obama’s in Europe in the 1920-1930 era, and the paralleles are astounding,what yiou see is that the goivernment consumes the corporation. Look at Volkswagon for example, or Mercedes.<p.
Assuming that the corporations understand the dynamic, they will avoid Obama like the plague.But the wisdo of hostory rarely dawns on Western corporations. Japanese corporations are much different.
Many corporations that do not understand how to work with a nationalist socialist government, will be subsumed. The difference say between Ford Motor company and GM.
GE doesn’t know it, but it is only a short timer, despite its size.It will become an arm of government, controlled and profitless, if Obama continues in power.
Are there hot stewardesses?
I haven't hit that yet.
Here's a picture of a stewardess on the Shanghai maglev.
Although I wouldn't call her "hot", she seems to be appropriately attractive for her profession. But who knows? Maybe she's "hot" after she gets off work.
BTW... since when is "hot" a prerequisite for you to hit something???
Cripes, I was under the impression that it didn't even have to be animate.
No, that's part of the criteria.
For example -- because it moves -- I'd hit that train.
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