Posted on 09/02/2010 3:11:27 PM PDT by Willie Green
Untrue. Train travel is much more European than American. In the UK, for example, cities and towns are much closer together and train travel is convenient and widely done. The US has larger expanses which is why trains are not more popular here.
I smell a rat with all these "train" and "rail" headlines. I sense Democratic desperation behind these efforts. Wider use of trains in the US would put more people on the state and federal roles, would increase the number of people in unions, and would decimate the car industry even further.
Train travel serves to sever the family unit where car travel brings families together. This is all a socialist's dream.
I love trains. Hate to fly so would love the opportunity to ride a train. My dad was an engineer and as I child I wanted to be a hobo more than anything else. Our tax dollars subsidize a lot worse.
The existing rails are a pretty efficient means of moving freight long distance. If Scamtrak goes broke no matter, energy producers could come up with a fine means of sharing the right of way with freight.
Build the tower bases with freight train clearance in mind.
My niece just got back from Japan an a honor school program.
She said a single round trip ticket on the high speed rail from Tokyo to Kyoto costs over $200 US dollars.
Considering we’ll have to deal with all the union gaga & cost of maintaining, I’m sure a comprable ticket in the US for the same service will be double.
Consider, the destinations are limited, but for me to leave from Ogden, UT and travel to Memphis, TN - t
That's a 1500 mile trip.
I don't expect passenger rail travel to be competitive with airlines on trips exceeding 600 miles in distance.
Modern high-speed rail is best suited for regional travel between 100 and 600 miles distance.
However, commuter passenger rail is also gaining poularity in shorter distancses as well, due to rising fuel costs, traffic congestion, etc, etc,
Train travel serves to sever the family unit where car travel brings families together.
That's stupid.
Daily Willie Green Choo-Choo thread.
Promoting 19th Century technology for the 21st Century.
My issue is that while the rail road is subsidized by my tax dollars; they are not competitive. I am a free market capitalist. If they can’t compete, then let them go broke.
Putting a gun to the taxpayer’s head to keep an antiquated industry running - then not being extremely competitive is unforgiveable. The airlines, cruiselines and bus lines seem to manage nicely without stealing the taxpayer’s money - why is the railroad allowed to run inefficiently?
My niece just got back from Japan an a honor school program.
She said a single round trip ticket on the high speed rail from Tokyo to Kyoto costs over $200 US dollars.
Your niece was fleeced. The honor school program should've been aware that it is much less expensive to purchase a Rail Pass for unlimited travel during the group's stay than to pay premium price for a single trip.
Rail passes for frequent travelers are also available here and in Europe.
We all know they do not like cars. We know about their hatred of fossil fuels but cars also allow too much freedom/individualism.
Trains are fine if they are desired by the public and are efficient. But I don't see a big clamor for more of them contrary to all these headlines we are seeing. In the hands of Democrats as with everything else trains become tools for "community" and we all know what they mean by that.
My issue is that while the rail road is subsidized by my tax dollars; they are not competitive. I am a free market capitalist. If they cant compete, then let them go broke.
I don't care about your libertarian issues.
I am a Fair Trade conservative.
I believe in competing on a level playing field.
We have subsidized highway and airline travel for 50 years while letting out passenger rail infrastructure languish.
Now we have to upgrade the passenger rail infrastructure to 21st Century performance standards so it can become more competitive and self-supporting.
Actually, if you read some of the reasoning for some of the socialist city planning, you will see that one of their loves is pushing de-personalized public mass transit.
Many people who can't afford their own car depend on public transportation to commute to work.
I have no problem with that.
I think it's despicable that market libertarians would undermine these peoples capability of earning a living.
The guy that wrote the article and thought he was going to live in Lexington and teach school in Charlotte all in the same day......by train.
The guy who wrote the article is a gal.
You do know the difference, don't you?
LOL The marxst thief thinks you’re despicable.
I said they wanted to pull in the middle class.
So typical that someone like you would twist my remarks to make it seem that I was advocating abolishing all trains or taking away someone's living LOL.
You need to get out more often.
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