Bush to seek Amtrak subsidy cuts

[Timexwatch]

The Japanese also jacked up the gas prices and slapped some heavy tolls on the roads to encourage train usage. According to my girlfriend, it can sometimes cost $100 to go roundtrip to Yokohama and even more to Tokyo from Fujisawa City.

A case in point on how tolls can reduce traffic and increase mass transit ridership can be seen in London. There's been something like a 20% reduction in Traffic in London and something like 35 or 40% inside the zone. Can you imagine what kind of boost to mass transit and quality of life you could get if you started charging to drive inside city centers?

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Timexwatch
The Japanese also jacked up the gas prices and slapped some heavy tolls on the roads to encourage train usage.

OMG they had to. Do you know what traffic is like in Japan? I couldn't beleive it.

[Dinner]

Time, yes you are right tolls and increased gas prices would increase mass transit usage but right now our problem isn't people aren't using existing systems its that all to often we haven't bothered to build systems and the ones we do have were built in another era so they don't cover modern developments since the 1960's.

If you build they will come is the saying and it has been shown to be true. In San Diego since 1981 they've been adding on a new trolley segment about every five years and one thing has been consistant that whole time. The city spends big money putting these rail lines in and prices it based upon a certain number of passengers but what happens? If X was the projected number we often got 2X or even 3X so there was plenty of demand but no one built mass transit so people didn't have a chance to use it. The same thing has happened with LA's new subway system. Once it was built demand was through the roof.

Luckily this high demand has enabled the city to continue financing more and more so that now about half the city is contect. Wouldn't it be great if the federal and state governments started stimulating our economy, lowering the traffic on roads, and improving our quality of life by building more light rail?

[Dinner]

BTW smilie I used to be a regular Amtrak user from about 15 until around 24. When I was 15 I started to take the train once per month up to visit them near Irvine, CA where both sets of my grandparents lived; it was easier and cheaper then driving and since they lived near Irvine station it was easy for them to pick me up. When I was in college I used to go home one or two weekends per month using the train since the Goleta station was about .5 miles from my apartment in Isla Vista (near UC Santa Barbara). Later on I got a girlfriend in San Diego (when I was living in Santa Barbara) so it seemed like every weekend either she was taking the train to see me or I was taking the train to see her.

Since graduating I have been an infrequent Amtrak rider but I still take it when possible simply because I like not having to drive, it is affordable, it is more comfortable, and I know lots of friends who don't mind driving once I get to LA or Santa Barbara. Of course I drive if they come to San Diego but the train is still a nice perk to living in a civilized state.

[chequita guevara]

I used to take the train from Chicago to Indianapolis, 'till Amtrak shut down the line. It was always crowded, so I don't know why Amtrak killed it.

[Kontiki]

I've taken the train from Toronto to Montreal a few times. Now that's a route begging for a high speed line - flat, straight and heavily used. It's been debated for years in Canada, but I doubt it will ever happen.