Posted on 02/05/2012 9:54:47 AM PST by EveningStar
If you want to build a rail line between Anaheim and San Francisco, people are going to have to get out of the way.
Literally.
The proposed California High-Speed Rail would require a lot of land, meaning thousands of California families and businesses will have to move if the project is ever built.
(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...
ping
B-O-O-N-D-O-G-G-L-E
Also spelled:
B-R-I-D-G-E T-O N-O-W-H-E-R-E
This project endangers the 2-legged mountain blue-butt, bald-head bicycloped.
Here’s an alternative. No tax payer money for construction and operation, but high speed just the same.
It seems the most ridership could be obtained between LA and Las Vegas. If I were Gov of Cal, I would call a meeting with the Gov of Nevada, mayor of LV and Steve Wynn and other CEOs in Vegas.
I would propose they build a high speed line from Burbank to Barstow and another from Ontario to Barstow. No stops. Then the lines merge at the Barstow (a large train switching yard for the west) stop and continue non-stop to Vegas.
The road to Vegas and back is regularly very heavily travelled. This is where private money may be interested. Most people don’t need a car once they get to Vegas.
The state governments would cooperate by expediting right of way and issuing permits. The casinos may charge a room surcharge to fund the project. This would pay for it in a 10-15 year time period.
In the future if private concerns war interested a line may go from Barstow to San Francisco or east from Barstow, as regular lines do now.
Regardless of the merits or lack thereof for this particular rail project, the article acts like this is the first time any infrastructure actually had a physical footprint. Highways take up space and divide properties also.
Like the Tollway projects of old, the land happens to come into the hands of the politicians who in turn make a mint on the project from the sale of the land. We’ve seen this movie before.
.. and of course Senator Feignstein knows the route and where to buy the land that will later be sold to the government at a premium. (”Feignstein” already used to mean Dianne Feinstein by a handful but worth repeating because she has been revealed to be a fake senator interested only her family’s wealth.)
That's sort of an oxymoronic statement isn't it? Do you mean to say there are other types of senator that are not interested only their family’s wealth?
Take that right of way and build a freeway, and those land owners will be falling over themselves to give away their land (since big-time development will follow). Build a publicly-owned toll road and the owners will likely tolerate their land being taken (with compensation). Build a private toll road or a train, and the owners will fight tooth-and-nail, knowing that their land will NEVER have a higher future value.
We’ve seen all of the above in Texas.
M-O-O-N-B-E-A-M E-X-P-R-E-S-S
That's what it is designed for.
Oliveira said farmers are upset about the project because few in state government seem to recognize its impact on the agriculture community. Construction of the rail line will ruin carefully planned farms with laser-leveled fields and buried irrigation systems, he said.The authority may tell farmers it only wants a 100-foot strip of their land, but Oliveira said that could ultimately cost farmers 170 feet of usable land because farmers also need space to reverse their tractors. The farmers are angry because they feel the state isn't listening to them, Oliveira said.
Who cares about farmers? Food comes out of boxes at the store. Millions will be spent fighting this land-grab in court. Just more wealth wasted in California.
...would require a lot of land, meaning thousands of California families and businesses will have to move if the project is ever built.So? So what?!? SF and Anaheim want this, anyone who doesn't is just some kind of ignorant, greedy troglodyte, who's probably in the employ of the Koch brothers. Oh, sorry.
I believe businesses will move — out of California, so HSR can be built. Of course, if businesses forced to move can move to Texas or Idaho or Utah.
It's still economically irrational, because it's less than a five hour drive even for a nervous illegal in an old pickup truck. What they could do for less than 1/20th of the cost is build an autobahn style highway between Las Vegas and Victorville as a supplement to I-15. No speed limit - drive at your own risk.
But that would be giving the people more freedom rather than controlling them by herding them onto a train, so by all means let's spend the extra 75 billion. :)
Yes, but it would be a private business decision and not with public funds. If you like driving 55 miles an hour nearly bumper to bumper, help your self. And you’ll pay to park for the week-end if you stay at one of the casino/hotels and want service. Look for casinos to offer free train fix in exchange for room reservations. The point is private enterprise.
Here’s a tip, if you don’t want to be “herded” onto a train then don’t use the train. If you ever heard of reserved seating?
We have used the trains all over Europe and prefer it for going from city center to city center. You make the call it’s a free country, for now.
free train tix
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