Amtrak Crash and America’s Declining Construction Spending

[ScienceRocks]

Amtrak Crash and America’s Declining Construction Spending
MAY 13, 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/14/u...spending.html?rref=upshot&abt=0002&abg=1&_r=0

Investigators into the Amtrak crash in Philadelphia are focusing on excess speed, but there is a related issue: the overall condition of Amtrak and the nation’s infrastructure. One of the reasons that American trains should not travel 100 miles an hour in many places is that the state of our rail system — like the state of our bridges, highways and airports — is not good.

Many airports here look dilapidated relative to those in Asia and Europe. Roads are choked with traffic. The fastest train from Boston to Washington takes about six and a half hours. The fastest train from Paris to Marseille — a slightly longer distance — takes just over three hours.

The train that derailed on Tuesday was thought to be traveling at least 100 miles an hour — twice the speed limit on that section of track. That is about half the French train’s average speed on the trip from Paris to Marseille. (Reuters has also reported that the section of the track where the crash occurred lacked advanced braking technology designed to prevent derailments.)

Much of the problem of crumbling infrastructure has existed for years. There is, however, a new development that has made things worse. The combined money that federal, state and local governments spend on construction has dropped significantly, relative to the size of the economy, in the last five years. And only part of the decline stems from the end of the stimulus program, which temporarily lifted infrastructure spending.

A chart is in the linking showing that we're spending only 1.5% of budget on infrastructure. This is the lowest in at least 2 decades! The gop wants to gut it all and turn our country into Haiti. Cut, slash and burn isn't a plan!!! Stop the fucking cuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone that thinks infrastructure, science, r&d and education is the cause of our debt needs to become educated. They're fucking wrong.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

Even after looking foolish posting in my thread you start your own.

You lefties are insufferable

 

[Geaux4it]

Amtrak Crash and America’s Declining Construction Spending
MAY 13, 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/14/u...spending.html?rref=upshot&abt=0002&abg=1&_r=0

Investigators into the Amtrak crash in Philadelphia are focusing on excess speed, but there is a related issue: the overall condition of Amtrak and the nation’s infrastructure. One of the reasons that American trains should not travel 100 miles an hour in many places is that the state of our rail system — like the state of our bridges, highways and airports — is not good.

Many airports here look dilapidated relative to those in Asia and Europe. Roads are choked with traffic. The fastest train from Boston to Washington takes about six and a half hours. The fastest train from Paris to Marseille — a slightly longer distance — takes just over three hours.

The train that derailed on Tuesday was thought to be traveling at least 100 miles an hour — twice the speed limit on that section of track. That is about half the French train’s average speed on the trip from Paris to Marseille. (Reuters has also reported that the section of the track where the crash occurred lacked advanced braking technology designed to prevent derailments.)

Much of the problem of crumbling infrastructure has existed for years. There is, however, a new development that has made things worse. The combined money that federal, state and local governments spend on construction has dropped significantly, relative to the size of the economy, in the last five years. And only part of the decline stems from the end of the stimulus program, which temporarily lifted infrastructure spending.

A chart is in the linking showing that we're spending only 1.5% of budget on infrastructure. This is the least in 2 decades! The gop wants to gut it all and turn our country into Haiti. Cut, slash and burn isn't a plan!!! Stop the fucking cuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone that thinks infrastructure, science, r&d and education is the cause of our debt needs to become educated. They're fucking wrong.

Cut to the chase.. What is the point of your OP

-Geaux

 

[ScienceRocks]

Such spending now represents about 1.5 percent of total economic activity, down from about 1.8 percent on average from 1993 through 2008. It’s at its lowest level in at least 22 years. (A hat-tip to Joe Weisenthal, of Business Insider, who calculated this statistic in 2013, after the collapse of a bridge near Seattle.)

 

[Clementine]

Amtrak Crash and America’s Declining Construction Spending
MAY 13, 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/14/u...spending.html?rref=upshot&abt=0002&abg=1&_r=0

Investigators into the Amtrak crash in Philadelphia are focusing on excess speed, but there is a related issue: the overall condition of Amtrak and the nation’s infrastructure. One of the reasons that American trains should not travel 100 miles an hour in many places is that the state of our rail system — like the state of our bridges, highways and airports — is not good.

Many airports here look dilapidated relative to those in Asia and Europe. Roads are choked with traffic. The fastest train from Boston to Washington takes about six and a half hours. The fastest train from Paris to Marseille — a slightly longer distance — takes just over three hours.

The train that derailed on Tuesday was thought to be traveling at least 100 miles an hour — twice the speed limit on that section of track. That is about half the French train’s average speed on the trip from Paris to Marseille. (Reuters has also reported that the section of the track where the crash occurred lacked advanced braking technology designed to prevent derailments.)

Much of the problem of crumbling infrastructure has existed for years. There is, however, a new development that has made things worse. The combined money that federal, state and local governments spend on construction has dropped significantly, relative to the size of the economy, in the last five years. And only part of the decline stems from the end of the stimulus program, which temporarily lifted infrastructure spending.

A chart is in the linking showing that we're spending only 1.5% of budget on infrastructure. This is the least in 2 decades! The gop wants to gut it all and turn our country into Haiti. Cut, slash and burn isn't a plan!!! Stop the fucking cuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone that thinks infrastructure, science, r&d and education is the cause of our debt needs to become educated. They're fucking wrong.

No one is saying that spending on infrastructure is the cause of our debt. What happens is that the money we pay that is supposed to go towards roads and bridges doesn't seem to get there. What is happening to all the money the government is taking? A trillion in the stimulus bill should have shown tremendous improvement along with the other billions thrown at the problem. Mismanagement of money seems to be a bigger problem than them taking enough.

 

[Geaux4it]

So, should they find a way to construct the track so that it does not need to enter a turn for which 50 mph is the limit?

-Geaux

 

[ScienceRocks]

It was higher under Reagan, George Hw Bush, Clinton, George W Bush!!! No one threaten to totally wipe it out during those times. WtF charged?

 

[ScienceRocks]

So, should they find a way to construct the track so that it does not need to enter a turn for which 50 mph is the limit?

-Geaux

We should make sure it can handle the 50 mph But this isn't a excuse to cut it right after a crash because it quite possibly was caused by human error.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

Simply despicable.

Dance on them corpses

 

[ScienceRocks]

Amtrak Crash and America’s Declining Construction Spending
MAY 13, 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/14/u...spending.html?rref=upshot&abt=0002&abg=1&_r=0

Investigators into the Amtrak crash in Philadelphia are focusing on excess speed, but there is a related issue: the overall condition of Amtrak and the nation’s infrastructure. One of the reasons that American trains should not travel 100 miles an hour in many places is that the state of our rail system — like the state of our bridges, highways and airports — is not good.

Many airports here look dilapidated relative to those in Asia and Europe. Roads are choked with traffic. The fastest train from Boston to Washington takes about six and a half hours. The fastest train from Paris to Marseille — a slightly longer distance — takes just over three hours.

The train that derailed on Tuesday was thought to be traveling at least 100 miles an hour — twice the speed limit on that section of track. That is about half the French train’s average speed on the trip from Paris to Marseille. (Reuters has also reported that the section of the track where the crash occurred lacked advanced braking technology designed to prevent derailments.)

Much of the problem of crumbling infrastructure has existed for years. There is, however, a new development that has made things worse. The combined money that federal, state and local governments spend on construction has dropped significantly, relative to the size of the economy, in the last five years. And only part of the decline stems from the end of the stimulus program, which temporarily lifted infrastructure spending.

A chart is in the linking showing that we're spending only 1.5% of budget on infrastructure. This is the least in 2 decades! The gop wants to gut it all and turn our country into Haiti. Cut, slash and burn isn't a plan!!! Stop the fucking cuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone that thinks infrastructure, science, r&d and education is the cause of our debt needs to become educated. They're fucking wrong.

No one is saying that spending on infrastructure is the cause of our debt. What happens is that the money we pay that is supposed to go towards roads and bridges doesn't seem to get there. What is happening to all the money the government is taking? A trillion in the stimulus bill should have shown tremendous improvement along with the other billions thrown at the problem. Mismanagement of money seems to be a bigger problem than them taking enough.

There needs to be investigations and accountability. After this we need to look at what needs to be done to make the system better.

 

[Katzndogz]

Maybe we should take the money spent on illegal aliens and spend it on Amtrak.

 

[Locke11_21]

Yes, more government spending on Amtrak surely would've prevented an idiot from driving the train at 106 mph in a curve when he should've been going 50 mph or less.

The NY Times is a radical communist hactivist propaganda machine. The politization by the left regarding this incident just goes to show how fucked in the head people with left-wing politics really are. All they care about is expanding communism with the blood of innocent people.

I don't know who is a bigger dumbass, the op or the engineer of the train

 

[TemplarKormac]

First of all, Matthew, just what is the point of your OP?

How did our infrastructure fail?

How does this have anything to do with a lack of construction spending?

Do you not give a damn about those who died?

The idiot engineer was going twice the allowed speed on a turn. That has nothing to do with a lack of construction spending whatsoever, it has more with with the wanton negligence by the engineer himself.

How you suddenly tie this to our infrastructure or construction spending fails me at the moment. You won't even wait until the bodies get cold before you start politicizing this. People like you continue to astound me with your lack of overall decency and respect for the dead and the mourning. No amount of spending will bring those people back. Construction spending be damned!

You are absolutely incorrigible. When the shooting of Gabrielle Giffords happened, you immediately started politicizing it by blaming the Tea Party. When Aurora and Sandy Hook happened, once again, you were politicizing it by jumping on gun owners and demanding strict gun control. When Boston happened, same deal.

How dare you consider yourselves compassionate or understanding when instead of mourning the dead, you attack your political opponents? The crash has nothing to do with our infrastructure which admittedly is lacking, but this time, such a shortcoming cannot be to blame for this crash.

 

[LogikAndReazon]

Better idea.... Shitcan worthless amtrak, and privatise the 3-4 worthwhile routes in the northeast corridor.

 

[eots]

Amtrak Crash and America’s Declining Construction Spending
MAY 13, 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/14/u...spending.html?rref=upshot&abt=0002&abg=1&_r=0

Investigators into the Amtrak crash in Philadelphia are focusing on excess speed, but there is a related issue: the overall condition of Amtrak and the nation’s infrastructure. One of the reasons that American trains should not travel 100 miles an hour in many places is that the state of our rail system — like the state of our bridges, highways and airports — is not good.

Many airports here look dilapidated relative to those in Asia and Europe. Roads are choked with traffic. The fastest train from Boston to Washington takes about six and a half hours. The fastest train from Paris to Marseille — a slightly longer distance — takes just over three hours.

The train that derailed on Tuesday was thought to be traveling at least 100 miles an hour — twice the speed limit on that section of track. That is about half the French train’s average speed on the trip from Paris to Marseille. (Reuters has also reported that the section of the track where the crash occurred lacked advanced braking technology designed to prevent derailments.)

Much of the problem of crumbling infrastructure has existed for years. There is, however, a new development that has made things worse. The combined money that federal, state and local governments spend on construction has dropped significantly, relative to the size of the economy, in the last five years. And only part of the decline stems from the end of the stimulus program, which temporarily lifted infrastructure spending.

A chart is in the linking showing that we're spending only 1.5% of budget on infrastructure. This is the lowest in at least 2 decades! The gop wants to gut it all and turn our country into Haiti. Cut, slash and burn isn't a plan!!! Stop the fucking cuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone that thinks infrastructure, science, r&d and education is the cause of our debt needs to become educated. They're fucking wrong.

Drivin' that train
High on cocaine
Casey Jones you better
watch your speed
Trouble ahead
Trouble behind
and you know that notion
just crossed my mind

 

[francoHFW]

Look at the hater dupes support the continuing Reaganist campaign to turn us into a 3rd world banana republic. Too bad they support the wrong party for lower taxes- what a bunch of ignorant rubes...

 

[Locke11_21]

Look at the hater dupes support the continuing Reaganist campaign to turn us into a 3rd world banana republic. Too bad they support the wrong party for lower taxes- what a bunch of ignorant rubes...

I haven't been an active poster in here for awhile, but have been around a little more this past week. One thing hasn't changed since I was last active in this forum: and that is that you still have the intelligence of a turd in a toilet bowl.

 

[westwall]

Amtrak Crash and America’s Declining Construction Spending
MAY 13, 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/14/u...spending.html?rref=upshot&abt=0002&abg=1&_r=0

Investigators into the Amtrak crash in Philadelphia are focusing on excess speed, but there is a related issue: the overall condition of Amtrak and the nation’s infrastructure. One of the reasons that American trains should not travel 100 miles an hour in many places is that the state of our rail system — like the state of our bridges, highways and airports — is not good.

Many airports here look dilapidated relative to those in Asia and Europe. Roads are choked with traffic. The fastest train from Boston to Washington takes about six and a half hours. The fastest train from Paris to Marseille — a slightly longer distance — takes just over three hours.

The train that derailed on Tuesday was thought to be traveling at least 100 miles an hour — twice the speed limit on that section of track. That is about half the French train’s average speed on the trip from Paris to Marseille. (Reuters has also reported that the section of the track where the crash occurred lacked advanced braking technology designed to prevent derailments.)

Much of the problem of crumbling infrastructure has existed for years. There is, however, a new development that has made things worse. The combined money that federal, state and local governments spend on construction has dropped significantly, relative to the size of the economy, in the last five years. And only part of the decline stems from the end of the stimulus program, which temporarily lifted infrastructure spending.

A chart is in the linking showing that we're spending only 1.5% of budget on infrastructure. This is the lowest in at least 2 decades! The gop wants to gut it all and turn our country into Haiti. Cut, slash and burn isn't a plan!!! Stop the fucking cuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone that thinks infrastructure, science, r&d and education is the cause of our debt needs to become educated. They're fucking wrong.

So, you're just going to ignore the fact that the driver pushed the train into a 50 mph corner at 107 and try and blame the repubs on that one huh....

Ridiculous.

 

[Missouri_Mike]

How much more money do they need to have engineers that go twice the fucking speed limit?

I have an idea. Give Amtrak away...for free...to any private sector rail line. One condition is they get zero tax dollars in support. If it does well then we just saved about a billion a year. If it fails and goes under then it wasn't needed in the first place.

 

[Rexx Taylor]

maybe investors have given up on the northeast? no wonder they wont stop building in the south.