The worst part of deals like this isn’t the initial capital it needs. It’s that you are adding tens-hundreds of millions in government spending to subsidize it every year from now on forever.
As far as I’m concerned, the can have the $8 Billion after this country is fixed. Until then, stop all unnecessary spending.
Utter nonsense
OH geez, not this sh*t again. Do you want to guess why this country doesn’t have bullet trains like Japan and Europe? Its because we are freaking continental country - size and population density matters. Imagine if we don’t spends billions upon billions playing Thomas the Tank Engine and instead lowered and flatened our tax rates and invested in knowable energy sources (Coal, Oil, and Nuclear)where would we be in 20 years? Running the credit card up for a new train set for dems to play urban designer is rediculous.
Oh, but Arnold's buddies (a bunch of Democrats) in the real estate racketeering business wouldn't make as much money.
No. For the most part, widening I5 is only a matter of adding concrete. The bridges are already wide enough. Freeway lanes are far less subject to union extortion and terrorism. We will NEVER see the cost recovery in energy for construction of high speed rail.
Besides, a bullet train on unstable marine alluvium is an engineering nightmare. I'd bet that after only five years they'll have to start backing off on the speed, just like they did with BART.
If it is so good, why is everyone seeking money, collected by government force, from OTHER citizens?
Hey, if it is good, then have a high speed train tax on high speed trains. Just like cars and trucks pay highway taxes on the gas they consume.
While were at it, how about a low speed, sail powered national barge systems with locks and such? Eh, why that would be even ‘cheaper’ to the economy than just paying for highways, regular rail, high speed rail and with sail powered barges we would save even more!
(donkey cartways next.)
Has anyone been on the high speed train in Japan?
I have.
This whole $600 Billion idea will end up just like Houston, just like LA -— ever seen ridership on those? Ever seen a huge long empty train ? I have.
Did everyone read how each rider in Houston could own a new Mercedes every 3 years for what one train line costs ???
All part of the “You ride a bike while we ride in Limos” thinking of Washington DC, Hollywood, etc.
We are the slaves
They are the masters
And don’t you forget it.
Oh yeah ... and in Japan they use human Pushers to jam more workers inside the morning trains -— you have never seen anything like it, and would wish you had not seen it even once, or ever been it. Take it from me, it is a truly horrifying experience.
Thoughts of Soylent Green.
“Could we do it?
To paraphrase the Obama campaign, yes we could.”
Gee...I wonder if this guy Willie Green is a Democrat.8 Billion here, 8 Billion there. So then we need to expand Homeland Security with all of this new transportation right? There’s another 1 Billion or so... I’ll ask my children if they want to support this because they are already in debt about 40k with the present debt we are running up.
Question: Which is more efficient:
3 guys driving private cars directly to to work by the shortest route,....
Or...a bus with 3 passengers riding to the bus station where they eat donuts for 20 minutes and then board a second bus with 3 passengers on it to the final destination?
If the trains or busses are not full, you are LESS efficient, and in our geographically spread-out population, the demographics just don't work, except in the Boston-Washington corridor, and even there, it isn't all that effective.
Just what we need. Amtrack on speed. Just another giant pit to shovel tax-payers dollars into for eternity. If there were any chance to operate such a thing at a profit, you’d see private investors doing it already.
Full speed into the grave to never resurface!
There’s no way public transportation can save time or money.
You have to have a car at both ends to make it work and that’s flat not practicle.
I wouldn’t even take an airline plane less than 500 miles because soneone has to take you to the plane and you have to rent a car at the other end plus you HAVE TO DO IT ON THEIR TIME SCHEDULE NOT MINE!