High Speed Rail in the US

[Japher]

What do you think the viability of it is? Obama is contemplating using stimulus money to aid such a project, and would be considered an infrastructure project I guess. With airlines struggling to stay profitable as their ticket prices soar is rail a good, clean, safe, alternative in the US?

As a side; Buffet invested heavily in rail last year... he rocks.

[Dinner]

It's viable in several areas. The east coast, California, maybe others as well.

[Asher]

We need more of it in North America.

Canada could use it in the Montreal-Toronto corridor. Alberta in the Calgary-Edmonton corridor. For starters.

[Japher]

Well, if Obama wants it guess which city will be the focus?

Obama pushes high speed rail: Chicago a potential hub



WASHINGTON--President Obama on Thursday--before leaving for Mexico--highlighted his plans for a massive investment to develop high speed rail networks in the U.S.-- a potential very big deal for Chicago.

Under Obama's "vision" for high speed rail, Chicago is in the running to be the center of a hub network linking Chicago, Milwaukee, Twin Cities, St. Louis, Kansas City, Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Louisville.

"What we're talking about is a vision for high-speed rail in America. Imagine boarding a train, in the center of a city, no racing to an airport and across a terminal, no delays, no sitting on the tarmac, no lost luggage, no taking off your shoes," Obama said.


Obama discussed his high speed plans this morning with Vice President Biden and Transportation Sec. Ray LaHood. White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has also been involved in developing high speed rail policy.

Nothing happens without legwork. Chicago's Environmental Law & Policy Center, founded by Howard Learner has been doing extensive work in pushing the nation forward on high speed rail in Congress and in the Obama administration.


The president is using stimulus money to jumpstart the projects.

" To make this happen, we've already dedicated $8 billion of Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to this initiative, and I've requested another $5 billion over the next five years. The Department of Transportation expects to begin awarding funds to ready projects before the end of this summer, well ahead of schedule. And like all funding decisions under the Recovery Act, money will be distributed based on merit -- not on politics, not as favors, not for any other consideration; purely on merit."

Link

[chequita guevara]

Chicago!

[Dinner]

IL also got a huge slice of the stimulus bill. $50 billion which is more then California's $11 billion. That seems really unfair.

[Dinner]

Chicago!

[Asher]

IL also got a huge slice of the stimulus bill. $50 billion which is more then California's $11 billion. That seems really unfair.

California's got the Terminator...why would they need stimulus?

[Dinner]

Because he's gotten old and fat.

[Japher]

California always get screwed out of government assistance. Half the state burns down and nothing, in South Carolina if 50 house built by stupid millionaires gets smacked by a hurricane the relief money is in their bank account before the storm even gets there!

Maybe has something to do with CA having the 5th largest economy or something like that.

[SlowwHand]

Actually it's because California would just piss it away like the rest of their money.

[Japher]

No, they'd buy weed with it!

[DanS]

I think we have to be careful where we spend our money. High-speed intercity passenger rail makes sense in a few areas in the US. I don't think it makes sense in all of the areas that Obama is proposing (Keystone to Pittsburgh, Maine, New York to Buffalo, Chicago to Cincy, etc.).

Intercity passenger rail is inherently expensive and has a lot of other drawbacks besides. So when there is doubt, it probably doesn't make sense to do it.

[Drake Tungsten]

High-speed intercity passenger rail is also relatively pointless if it connects cities that lack effective mass transit systems. The government would be better advised to spend money on mass transit and leave the high-speed rail for the future.

[chequita guevara]

Intercity rail may be expensive, but it lowers costs and increases commerce in other areas. And it's a hell of a lot less polluting than air travel.

Drake, however, is correct.