Vegas-to-SoCal high-speed rail project clears major hurdle

[Harpy Eagle]

You can't be running trains at 200 mph in densely populated areas anyway.

Not sure if you drive around the country much, but there is a fuck ton of open space in this country, far more than in most EU countries and way more than in Japan. Yet they some how managed to do it.

If you want trains then make them private so only you people who ride them pay the bill.

Why do you not demand this from the airlines? While they are "private" they get subsidies and tax breaks from almost every level of government. If it was not for those most people would never be able to afford to fly.

 

[rightwinger]

No we don't.

All those other countries are barely the size of one state in the US. It's far easier to fly between states than it is to take a train.

Look at Russia, India and China

 

[percysunshine]

Oh yeah...we should have lots of this stuff.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/08/india/india-train-crash-arrests-intl-hnk/index.html

Three railway officials arrested over train crash that killed 275 people in India​

 

[Blues Man]

Not sure if you drive around the country much, but there is a fuck ton of open space in this country, far more than in most EU countries and way more than in Japan. Yet they some how managed to do it.



Why do you not demand this from the airlines? While they are "private" they get subsidies and tax breaks from almost every level of government. If it was not for those most people would never be able to afford to fly.

So then let a private train company operate the same way as airlines.

My tax dollars do not go to building repairing and staffing airplanes like they do for trains

If a state wants to build new railways with their money and maybe some federal dollars like they do for highways that is the only government involvement needed.

And really if people really wanted cross country high speed trains we would have them. But most people realize that the fucking government is utterly incapable of building the infrastructure without graft, corruption union pay offs and utterly shoddy workmanship all for only 4 or 5 times the estimated budget and will take at least 3 times as ong as estimated.

 

[Blues Man]

Look at Russia, India and China

They don't have trains covering the entirety of their countries. AND they basically have slave labor and people can't refuse anything their governments want.

And really if people really wanted cross country high speed trains we would have them. But most people realize that the fucking government is utterly incapable of building the infrastructure without graft, corruption union pay offs and utterly shoddy workmanship all for only 4 or 5 times the estimated budget and will take at least 3 times as long as estimated.

Just look at what a clusterfuck the Big Dig was.

 

[Couchpotato]

Yeah, it really is. How is it that these places are competent enough to do it but the US is not...Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Indonesia, Japan, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey.

Is it can't or there's no actual demand signal for it so we dont? If there were I don't believe someone wouldnt have already built it. I find it hard to believe there's this huge requirement gap that someone could make a pile of money filling and it's just gone undone for decades. It's more likely that people have looked into it and figured out that the cost to build and maintain it would far outstrip any money it might bring in.

It would not need to be so. They have added a high speed section to the line between St Louis and Chicago. Now, it is sort of a joke as it only goes 110 and only for like 1/8 of the trip, but they are getting there. There are 5 trains a day between the two cites and most all are sold out before they leave. It is now quicker than driving and only slightly slower than flying once you add in the 2 hours you need to be at the airport before your flight.

 

[Couchpotato]

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Is it can't or there's no actual demand signal for it so we dont?

The places they have been able to do it the demand has been there. The STL to Chicago route for example.

The biggest issue in my opinion is the perception gap. In the US such travel is looked down upon, only one step above taking the bus. It is what the "poor" people do. Most other countries do not look at it this way

 

[rightwinger]

They don't have trains covering the entirety of their countries. AND they basically have slave labor and people can't refuse anything their governments want.

And really if people really wanted cross country high speed trains we would have them. But most people realize that the fucking government is utterly incapable of building the infrastructure without graft, corruption union pay offs and utterly shoddy workmanship all for only 4 or 5 times the estimated budget and will take at least 3 times as long as estimated.

Just look at what a clusterfuck the Big Dig was.

So, only the US lacks the capability to build High Speed Rail

Used to be, we led the world in modern technology. Today, our rail system has 1950s technology.
Blame our embracing Supply Side economics

 

[Blues Man]

So, only the US lacks the capability to build High Speed Rail

Used to be, we led the world in modern technology. Today, our rail system has 1950s technology.
Blame our embracing Supply Side economics

We don't lack the capability we lack the fucking competence to build anything on time and within budgets.

The Big Dig is the perfect example.

Union bosses paid off people getting huge paychecks even though they did no actual work 700% overbudget and the workmanship was so shoddy that a woman got killed when a concrete panel crushed her car

This is how all federal projects work

 

[Harpy Eagle]

So, only the US lacks the capability to build High Speed Rail

Used to be, we led the world in modern technology. Today, our rail system has 1950s technology.
Blame our embracing Supply Side economics

As a country we lack any vision for the future, we do not make plans and spend money for results in 20 or 30 years like we once did.

Politically we just cannot any longer as the next Admin will undo what the last one did even if it was a good thing.

Business are judged by their latest quarterly report which makes long range planning and spending for the future almost non-existent.

 

[rightwinger]

We don't lack the capability we lack the fucking competence to build anything on time and within budgets.

The Big Dig is the perfect example.

Union bosses paid off people getting huge paychecks even though they did no actual work 700% overbudget and the workmanship was so shoddy that a woman got killed when a concrete panel crushed her car

This is how all federal projects work

Sad state of affairs….
The country that managed to land on the moon is incapable of a modern rail system

 

[M14 Shooter]

Last week, the Federal Rail Authority completed its environmental review for a portion of the project and found “no significant impact” along one of the critical sections of the proposed track.

The high-speed rail project is estimated to cost at least $12 billion and will connect the Las Vegas strip to Rancho Cucamonga, with stops along the way in Apple Valley, Hesperia and Victorville.
Trains will take off every hour at high speeds, carrying passengers along the 215-plus mile stretch.

And thus, the reason we will not see high-speed rail compete with air and car travel as the primary means of travel in the US.
- $55,000,000 per mile
- State and US EPA standards

 

[Blues Man]

Sad state of affairs….
The country that managed to land on the moon is incapable of a modern rail system

Yup this is your government at waste.

What's really sad is despite all the evidence to the contrary you still think the US government can actually build shit on time and on budget

 

[rightwinger]

As a country we lack any vision for the future, we do not make plans and spend money for results in 20 or 30 years like we once did.

Politically we just cannot any longer as the next Admin will undo what the last one did even if it was a good thing.

Business are judged by their latest quarterly report which makes long range planning and spending for the future almost non-existent.

In the 40’s we built the most modern military in the world
In the 50’s we built the Interstate Hwy System
In the 60s we went to the moon

Since Reagan changed our tax structure, we have done little in terms of leading the world

 

[Couchpotato]

Sad state of affairs….
The country that managed to land on the moon is incapable of a modern rail system

Not wanting one is different than not capable.

 

[Harry Dresden]

Sad state of affairs….
The country that managed to land on the moon is incapable of a modern rail system

and apparently dont have a secure voting system either....

 

[rightwinger]

and apparently dont have a secure voting system either....

2020 was the most accurate vote in history

 

[Harry Dresden]

2020 was the most accurate vote in history

how many counts did they have?....

 

[rightwinger]

how many counts did they have?....

A shitload of counts, audits and court challenges all confirming the election results